PHOTO PROVIDED – Frank Long, Marge Wrightson, “Barefoot in the Park” CT Production 1985 COTTAGE GROVE – The community lost a one-of-a-kind citizen when Frank Long exited the earthly stage on June 10, 2021. The Celebration of Life was held at the Cottage Theatre last weekend, and while renovations are still[Read More…]
Author: DANA MERRYDAY - for The Chronicle
Column: Pioneer cemeteries have rich stories and fascinating figures
The room with a view. At the top of a knoll on Blue Mountain School Road that forces Mosby Creek to take a jog around it lies the Brumbaugh Cemetery. Like many of the area’s early pioneer burial grounds it sits on a high point with an inspiring view of the surrounding[Read More…]
Boy Scouts: ‘Prepared’ for another 112 years!
PHOTO PROVIDED – Robert “Mac” Trask’s 1937 Jamboree uniform. February is Scout History Month because the original incorporation happened on Feb. 8, 1910. While primarily known as a character-building organization, its origins are from the military use of scouting or reconnaissance about the terrain, strengths and movements of the enemy, all[Read More…]
Grape expectations: Oregon Grape in high demand during Covid
Oregon is in many ways a maverick state. It is the only one of 50 to have a two-sided state flag. On one side is the shield from the state seal along with “State of Oregon” and her founding date of 1859. On the reverse is a golden beaver. According to[Read More…]
Happy 135th birthday, Cottage Grove
Photo: Dana Merryday – Souvenir Centennial items COTTAGE GROVE — Friday, Feb. 11, is Cottage Grove’s official incorporation date. This anniversary marks when locals decided it was time to evolve from a laissez faire settlement into having a by-the-books form of local government. There was no local newspaper in 1887[Read More…]
Prospector Park’s picnic shelter rescued; The Green shares plans
DANA MERRYDAY – Cottage Grove To balance spending time in the past, reflecting on Cottage Grove’s history, these are some more recent bits of things happening in our town. … If you have taken a run down South River Road recently, you may have noticed a missing landmark. The log[Read More…]
‘Partners’ preserving Grove’s history with distinction
Merryday One of my great regrets is not spending more time asking my grandparents about our ancestors and also not writing down the names and family stories that I did hear before they were gone. Perhaps a similar longing motivated a group of grandchildren of original Cottage Grove settlers to[Read More…]
Centennial Covered Bridge a grand start
The Centennial Bridge is lowered into place on March 29, 1987, as a crowd watches.PHOTO Courtesy Cottage Grove Historical Society. (Photographer unknown) Editor’s note: Part II in recounting how two old covered bridges evolved into a new one, designed to celebrate 100 years of formal government for Cottage Grove. Read[Read More…]
Covered bridge only part of legacy
The Brumbaugh Covered Bridge, 1957.The photo is part of the Salem Public Library Collection. Ben Maxwell/Photo Editor’s note: Part I of a two-part series on covered bridges. This is a tale of two, no, make that three, covered bridges, a birthday, and the retooling of a mill town. I pledged to[Read More…]
A reality check regarding our climate crisis
“It’s the Climate” … Photo by Elayna Yussen If you ask a physicist, a Buddhist monk, or your Average Joe, “What is reality?” you might be surprised with the answers. What I mean is, isn’t reality (what is really going on) real? It seems that the concept of reality should[Read More…]
