In the early morning hours of 21 May 2006, the cooling tower of the Trojan Nuclear Plant is scheduled to be demolished by Controlled Demolition, Inc. This is the same company that imploded the Seattle Superdome in 2000. I write about this impending event not to spark any sort of environmental debate, but rather to reflect on the role Trojan had as a symbol associated with the small town I grew up in: Rainier, Oregon. Last fall, when I first heard that PGE was planning on having the tower demolished, I was surprised. Trojan had closed nearly 20 years early in [View Full Entry]

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For the past month, Flat Stanley has been touring Oregon before returning home to Linden Park Elementary School in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He’s had many adventures that have taken him near and far. First, he traveled south, almost to the border with California. Here he stopped for a picnic near the Upper Klamath Lake. The lake is almost 30 miles long and 8 miles wide. It’s a popular place to go boating. It sure was windy that day! Shortly after that, Stanley discovered a covered bridge in Westfir. It might seem silly now to put a roof on a bridge, but [View Full Entry]

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Tucked behind the hills of Highway 58 near Oakridge sits the tiny town of Westfir (population 276). Once a logging camp, the prominent feature of Westfir is the Office Covered Bridge. The bridge was built to connect a lumber mill on one side of the river with the company office, which sat on the other. At 180 feet in length, the bridge is the longest covered bridge to remain in Oregon. One unique feature is the separate pedestrian walkway which flanks the still drivable vehicle roadway. The town of Westifr, along with the accompanying logging company and bridge, were sold in [View Full Entry]

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I love it when I stumble upon something unexpected, which I did yesterday as I journeyed "to the middle of the nowhere" for a work assignment. I was overnighting in the small town of Canyonville in Douglas County. Situated in the heart of timber country between the hills of the Umpqua Valley, a traveler would most likely pass right by unless they had reason to venture off of the beaten track. When I casually turned the corner at the Saw & Supply Shop, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a rather LARGE hunk of Douglas Fir. Not just any [View Full Entry]

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Wanting to lift my winter-weary spirits, I decided to explore the historic downtown area of Stayton at the first hint of the sun emerging from its grey, dreary cover. This small town located only 15 miles east of Salem gained its name from one of its first settlers, Drury Stayton. Stayton built a sawmill along the North Santiam River in 1870, and helped to plat the downtown area, which was incorporated in 1891. Stayton wanted to name the town Florence, in honor of his daughter, but was hindered from doing so because a town along the coast had already laid claim [View Full Entry]

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Growing up, Astoria had three landmarks: the Astoria-Megler Bridge, the Astoria Column, and the Home Bakery. There may have been others, but those were the ones that counted to a young child. I knew we had almost made it to the ocean when we reached the small town of Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River. Now many years later, not much has changed for me as I travel to Astoria once or twice a year on business trips. I still gaze in amazement at the expansive length of the bridge that connects Oregon and Washington, hope for a clear [View Full Entry]

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Every October, when the third weekend of the month rolls around, Hood River County celebrates its harvest bounty of apples and pears. Each year as the Hood River Valley Harvest Festival has grown larger, smaller events have also sprung up to entice visitors to journey off the beaten path and explore the surrounding orchards at the base of Mt. Hood. The harvest festival is the perfect catalyst for setting out on a day-long driving trip. Exit 64 along I-84 east will deposit you at the festival grounds. After enjoying the handmade crafts and purchasing a bag or two of local fruit, [View Full Entry]

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My affection for Polish food began in Salt Lake City, when a co-worker would prepare traditional dishes each year as Easter neared for our entire office. When I discovered that Portland holds a Polish Festival each September, I had to go in order to satiate my cravings. Early Polish immigrants to Oregon settled in the Overlook District of North Portland. By 1892 they had formed their own Polish National Alliance chapter, and in 1907 built the St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church. In 1911, the Polish Library Hall was erected just south of the church. For the past 12 years North Failing [View Full Entry]

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My curiosity was piqued by a small clip in a local newspaper last week. It stated that Forest Grove would be holding its 15th Annual Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival, and anyone was welcome to come and participate. Since I had only passed through Forest Grove several years ago, I decided this was a perfect Saturday afternoon activity that would introduce me to the town. The ambitious arrived at 9am, although it appeared that a number of participants had just started not too long before I arrived around one o’clock. For only $10, you were assigned a 3 x 3 sidewalk block [View Full Entry]

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South Park Blocks Since I gave so much love to the Farmer’s Market in Salt Lake City last month, I decided I should visit one a little closer to home. I have been hearing good things about the market held on the South Park Blocks in Portland, so my early morning foray began there. A sign of a good market is the bustling activity. And the advantage of a community market is the opportunity to hand select the best of the local bounty and chat up the providers of such delicious fare. It is evident by the rapport between the vendors [View Full Entry]

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