A post office was established in the area in 1909 and named "Rowe" after Henry S. Rowe, a mayor of Portland, Oregon, who was interested in developing the state's scenic attractions.[3] In 1917 the office was renamed "Zig Zag" and shortly thereafter "Zigzag".[3] (The name was later reused for the post office in the current community of Zigzag.)[3] In 1920 the office was renamed "Rhododendron" because of the large number of rhododendrons growing near there.[3] The community started out as a summer resort colony, but with the increased popularity of skiing, it became a year-round settlement.[3]
