Gold discovered on the beaches at the mouth of the Rogue River in the mid 1800's brought miners here; resulted in the Rogue River Indian Wars of 1855-56. Settlements sprang up at the mouth of Rogue River: Whalesburg, Sebastopol, Prattsville, Ellensburg, officially becoming Gold Beach in 1890.

In the 60's returns from the beach mining began to shrink and commercial salmon fishing became the principal industry.

The first ferry across the Rogue at Ellensburg was established in 1857, followed in 1890 by a wagon road connecting Gold Beach with the north and south. The Roosevelt Highway (HIWY 101) was completed in 1932 with the opening of the Rogue River Bridge.

Gold Beach, which has been the county seat of Curry County since 1859, became an incorporated city in 1945.