For more than half a million years, volcano Mount Mazama towered over southern Oregon. From time to time, it erupted, spreading pumice, ash, and cinders for miles around. Then, approximately 7,700 years ago, Mount Mazama erupted with such force that the volcano could no longer support itself and it collapsed, leaving a large caldera. Eventually, the volcanic action subsided and all was calm. Over the next centuries, water and snow accumulated in the caldera. In 1902, Crater Lake became a national park.
There are many unique things about Oregon. For example, the state has a "silent rock'?--legend says you must not speak or play music while driving past it. Oregon is known for its forests and ocean views, but there is actually a forest within the ocean. The town of Boring, Oregon, has sister cities of Dull, Scotland, and Bland, Australia. It has been proven that money does grow on trees in Oregon. There is a tuff ring from an ice age lake bed in the state. Also, Oregon has many credits to its name including Bing cherries, tater tots, marionberries, and the Phillips-head screwdriver. Join author Margaret LaPlante and discover the things that make Oregon unique.
Oregon is known for its forests, lakes, and scenic beauty. But there is another side to Oregon. The pages of this book contain stories of Oregon's notorious past, murder victims dropped through a hole in a frozen lake; the Roseburg dentist who faked his own death, leaving behind a burnt, headless corpse; the notorious Oregon Jones who proved there was not a jail or a prison that could hold him or his brother; Oregon outlaw Harry Tracy, who was once a member of Butch Cassidy's gang; murders scheduled to take place when the astrological stars aligned; the execution-style murder of two automobile executives at Crater Lake National Park; the West Point graduate and war hero who brutally murdered a pawnbroker; and Machine Gun Kelly's ties to Medford.
"Jackson County sprang to life when gold was discovered in the early 1850s. Seemingly overnight, towns began to appear. But when the last of the gold was gone, some of the towns were abandoned. Long gone are the stagecoaches, post offices, shops, saloons, quaint churches, and one-room schoolhouses. Today, all that remains of some of Jackson County's once busting towns is an abandoned cemetery, long overgrown with weeds. For other towns there is just a sign, yet for others, there is nothing left to show that there were once families living and working in the area. Four of the abandoned towns are under lakes. One of the lost towns was taken over by the United States government during World War II. Other towns changed their names, sometimes more than once. Take a step back in time and enjoy the stories and photographs of towns such as Antelope, Antioch, Uniontown, Steamboat, Log Town, Copper, Laurelhurst, McLeod, Kanaka Flats, Brownsboro, Missouri Flat, Sterlingville, Buncom, Table Rock City, Gasburg, Dardanelles, Beagle, Woodville, Watkins, Tolo, and Rock Point"-- Publisher's website
The beautiful Rogue River has been beckoning people to its banks for thousands of years. The Takelma Indians called this area home long before the first pioneers arrived. Take a step back in time while enjoying these historic images of early Josephine County. Today, many of the mining towns are just a name on an old map, but there was a time when they were bustling towns filled with miners and loggers. The pioneers endured great hardships to reach Oregon, but once they arrived, they worked diligently to make Josephine County the place that residents and visitors enjoy today.
The first settlers watched in awe as magnificent eagles soared overhead and nested high up on a butte. They decided to name their new town Eagle Point. They took out Donation Land Claims and began farming and ranching some of the best land in southern Oregon. As time went by, Eagle Point became known for its fine fruits and vegetables. Eagle Point was honored to be called the King of Apples and the Onion Capital. When the king of England discovered that Eagle Point grew some of the best Bosc pears in the world, he placed a large order. Today, a stroll through Eagle Point's downtown or across its covered bridge will take you back in time to experience what life was like for those who called Eagle Point home many years ago.
