Community Attractions

Covered Bridges

The covered bridge building tradition in Oregon dates from the 1850s. Out of necessity, pioneers built with the materials at hand. High-quality timber was more accessible in this area than was more costly steel and concrete. To increase their useful life, “houses” were constructed over the timber trusses to protect them from the damp Western Oregon climate.

The heyday of covered bridge building in Oregon occurred between 1905 and 1925 when there were an estimated 450 covered bridges in the state. By 1977, this number had dwindled to 56. Oregon has the largest collection of covered bridges in the West and one of the largest in the nation. With 20 covered bridges, Lane County has the distinction of possessing more covered bridges than any other county west of the Mississippi, and
Cottage Grove has the most of any town in Lane County!

As the Covered Bridge Capital of Oregon, Cottage Grove is home to 6 covered bridges and is a State of Oregon Covered Bridge Scenic Byway. The covered bridges can be toured easily and are less than 15 minutes from the Historic Downtown area.

Here are some links to information on our local Covered Bridges:
Cottage Grove Historical Society
CottageGrove.net
TravelOregon.com

Recreation

Cottage Grove is a friendly, recreation and family-oriented small town located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley. We have many opportunities for vacationers, from the hard core mountain bike rider to the camper who wants to sit next to a lake and just relax.

Baker Bay county park and campground at beautiful Dorena Lake.

Hikers and campers find the nearby Umpqua National Forest challenging with waterfalls, crystal clear streams and the colorful Bohemia Mining District that offers a variety of views and historic ruins. Brice Creek Trail, traversing a scenic, rocky creek with numerous small waterfalls and pools, is a popular place to spend a summer afternoon (Cottage Grove Ranger Station 541-767- 5000). The Row River Trail, a paved 16 mile rail-trail, provides a family-friendly ride alongside Dorena Lake, with livestock filled pastures, and beautiful forests. Trail use is free. Dorena Lake and Cottage Grove Lake, located only minutes from the downtown area, offer overnight and day picnicking opportunities as well as boating, fishing, swimming and camping. Fishing and angling are available at Row River, below the Dorena Dam, and in Dorena Lake itself. Fishermen catch both trout and catfish in Dorena Lake, and rainbow and cutthroat trout in Row River. Dorena Lake is also famous for its windsurfing. Golfers have two courses to choose from – Middlefield Golf Course, along the Row River, and Hidden Valley Golf Course at the foot of Mount David.

Visiting art galleries, specialty shops and antique shops is a favorite pastime in Cottage Grove. Many of the shops are within walking distance of each other, making it a perfect place for a day out browsing from shop to shop. Accommodations in Cottage Grove are near such diversions as tennis, hiking, swimming, biking, and sailing. They offer access to the downtown shopping area and the city’s parks. For golfing, camping, fishing, or just a fun day in town, Cottage Grove is a great place to visit.

Historic Downtown

Mural depicting 1920’s Main Street at 5th and Main.

The Main Street commercial historic district of Cottage Grove is the most intact collection of early twentieth century buildings in Lane County. It has been a primary business center since it was built over 100 years ago. Building bricks and lumber came almost entirely from local sources, as did the building labor. Many of the buildings were designed by noted architect, John Hunzicker, giving downtown a cohesive look. This district was the focal point of local farming, Bohemia mining activities and a regional headquarters for a substantial wood products industry. Today, antique shops, boutiques, restaurants, and parks welcome visitors to our historic district. We hope you enjoy its smalltown history and charm!

Noted landmark "Dr. Pierce's Barn" has greeted visitors since 1912.

Film Industry

Buster Keaton mural painted on the side of the old Cottage Grove Hotel, 9th and Main.

In 1926, Buster Keaton’s The General was filmed in Cottage Grove and the surrounding countryside. The movie included a spectacular locomotive crash and the wrecked train became a minor tourist attraction until it was dismantled for scrap during World War II. The 1973 movie Emperor of the North was filmed in and around Cottage Grove, as were parts of the 1978 movie Animal House. The 25th anniversary of Animal House’s release was celebrated by the citizens with a toga party on August 30, 2003, on Main Street, where the climactic parade sequence from the movie was filmed. Portions of the movie Stand By Me were filmed along the railroad tracks east of Cottage Grove, which are now part of the Row River Trail.

Gold Mining

In 1863 Gold was discovered in the Bohemia Mountains, just east of town. Named after James “Bohemia” Johnson, the Bohemia Mining District features abandoned mines and ghost towns such as Bohemia City that can be toured by vehicle. Check with the Cottage Grove Ranger Station (541-767-5000) before visiting the District, as it is important not to trespass on the active mining claims. Visit the Bohemia Gold Mining Museum at 737 Main St. (hours: Wed, Thurs & Sat, 1 pm – 4 pm, 541-942-9044) to see a collection of photographs, tools, rocks, minerals and other artifacts paying tribute to the area’s gold mining history. The annual festival Bohemia Mining Days honors the mining history of the area with a prospectors’ breakfast, food booths, gold panning, Bloomers Parade, Gold Dust Electric Light Parade, Grand Miners Parade, Rodeo, historic encampment and living history, and more (third weekend in July, see www.bohemiaminingdays.org).

Opal Whiteley

Mural of famous local resident Opal Whitely at 7th and Main St.

Was Opal a mystic or was she mad? In 1915 Opal was a magnetic teacher & youth leader blending science and faith in lectures to thousands. In 1920 her childhood diary, Opal, the Journal of an Understanding Heart was the #2 best-seller in the USA and read by presidents and kings. At 22 Opal Whiteley was a major international success! But just a year later her book was out of print and Opal was accused of fraud and lying about her family. Disgraced, Opal went abroad to prove her story. She never returned to Oregon and never found the family. Opal Whiteley’s beautiful writings about nature, God and children gathered dust for decades – while she was committed to an English mental hospital where she died in 1992. Finally, Opal’s book caught the attention of Benjamin Hoff, author of the “Tao of Pooh.” Hoff spent years researching Opal’s life, and much of her diary was found to be true. Explore the mystery of Opal Whitely at www. efn.org/~opal/.