Joel Perkins arrived in Oregon in 1844 at the age of 23 with his mother, father, and four siblings. In 1851 he followed wagon tracks from the Willamette Valley to one of the best spots to cross the Rogue River, about one mile upstream where Fruitdale Creek enters the Rogue River. There he established a ferry business and general store near the site. Many people traveling from the Willamette Valley in search of gold used the Perkinsville Ferry, and a settlement called Perkinsville grew up along the banks of the Rogue River. In 1885, Perkinsville and other settlements were abolished in favor of Grants Pass.