Town file
Grants Pass, Oregon
Grants Pass, Oregon (Josephine County, Oregon) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 670, "Cult Of The Naked Truth" (31 January 2026). Grants Pass sits in Josephine County in south-western Oregon, about forty minutes from Medford.
- Town
- Grants Pass
- County
- Josephine County
- State
- Oregon
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 670
- Approximate location
- 42.432, -123.332
Episode 670 / 31 January 2026 / 72 min / express
Cult Of The Naked Truth
"We're going to look Grants Pass, Oregon... down in southwestern Oregon... This is in Josephine County." about 0:03:33
The case: Murder of Mike Lemkey (November 3, 1988); Murder of Lynn Green and shooting of Nathaniel Green (November 5, 1988). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2026
- Population
- 38,902
- Median household income
- $49,355
- Median home value
- $376,000
History, in brief
- The town motto is 'live rogue', because the Rogue River is nearby; another local saying is 'it's the climate'. about 0:04:55
- Named Grants Pass after a stagecoach stop on the Sacramento to Portland route named Grant, honouring Ulysses S. Grant's 1863 victory at Vicksburg. about 0:05:25
- The word pass was added to distinguish it from Grant County. about 0:05:53
- The area grew a lot after the railroad was completed to Medford and it became a shipping hub. about 0:06:05
- By the 1880s the town had a railroad depot, a courthouse and a jail, an old West town. about 0:06:10
- The town was originally part of Jackson County and was later moved into Josephine County. about 0:06:18
- In 1874 Elijah Davidson discovered the Oregon Caves, 24 miles south-west of Grants Pass; they became a national monument in 1909. about 0:06:23
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Grants Pass is the perfect town to raise kids in, start a career or retire; loves the nature, hiking and all sorts of other things to do."about 0:06:55
3 stars
"A nice enough town if you're looking to retire in a rural area; people enjoy football, hunting, mudding, the dunes and fishing, and if that doesn't sound like you it can feel too small with not much else to do."about 0:07:18
4 stars
"Don't get sick, healthcare is crap, had to go out of state for specialists, everything takes time and you will die before doctors figure out the problem."about 0:08:47
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Wimer, Oregon13 miles
- Wolf Creek, Oregon18 miles
- Kerby, Oregon23 miles
- Cave Junction, Oregon24 miles
- Springfield, Oregon113 miles
- Alsea, Oregon135 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.