Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is prohibiting all campfires and open flames in Oregon State Parks and other properties owned and managed by the department beginning Aug. 16 until further notice. These restrictions extend to all Oregon beaches. Charcoal briquettes, tiki-style torches and candles are also prohibited until further notice. Only fuel sources that can be turned off instantly, such as propane stoves, will be allowed. Some parks will also allow propane fire pits; campers are advised to check directly with the park.
"Most state parks are already under a fire restriction due to hot, dry conditions," said MG Devereux, OPRD Deputy Director. "We are expanding these restrictions to prevent any unintentional fires in state parks that would add an unnecessary burden to firefighting efforts."
"We understand this is an inconvenience for campers, especially those who might not see an immediate local need for fire restrictions. We appreciate your patience and understanding," Devereux added.
Fireworks are also prohibited year-round in Oregon state parks and on beaches.
The ban will remain in effect through the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse and will be reevaluated based on fire status, weather and guidance from state and local fire officials. Visitors planning a trip should check with park staff for the most current information. Information will also be posted at oregonstateparks.org, or call the state parks information line at 800-551-6949.
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) invites the public to weigh in on long-term planning for the state parks in Wallowa County. OPRD is in the process of updating the master plan that will guide recreation use and resource management for Wallowa Lake State Park, Minam State Recreation Area and the Wallowa Lake State Scenic Corridor for the next 20 years.
OPRD invites park users and community members to learn more and voice priorities and concerns at one of two public meeting in Hermiston or Joseph:
Sept. 6 in Hermiston: 5:30 -- 7:30 p.m., Oxford Suites, 1050 N. 1st St.
Sept. 7 in Joseph: 6 -- 8 p.m., Joseph Community Center, 401 E. 1st St.
A three-question survey is available at wallowastateparksplan.com. Comments can also be submitted to OPRD Planner Ian Matthews by email at ian.matthews@oregon.gov; by phone at 503-986-0744; or by mail sent to Ian Matthews, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, 725 Summer St. NE., Suite C, Salem, OR 97301. Deadline for comments and survey responses is Oct. 7.
Park planners will incorporate public comments in a draft plan, to be released in mid-2018. A final round of public meetings will follow to allow for public comment on the draft plan. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission reviews and approves the final plan.
The planning process also includes meeting with an advisory committee that comprises organizations, agencies and individuals. The first advisory committee meeting will be from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Joseph Community Center. Non-advisory members are welcome to attend; however, only comments from the advisory committee will be heard at this meeting.
Services, programs and activities of OPRD are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For accommodations during the meetings, please call 503-986-0744 at least 72 hours in advance.
Nehalem OR -- The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is asking for feedback on an important study evaluating a 17-mile section of the Nehalem River for possible inclusion in the State Scenic Waterways Program. The feedback will be used to write a report that will either recommend for or against designating a portion of the river as a state scenic waterway.
A public meeting and hearing will be held 5:30 -- 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at the North County Recreation District, 36155 9th Street in Nehalem.
The Nehalem River study area starts at Henry Rierson Spruce Run Campground and ends at the boundary of Cougar Valley State Park, near Cook Creek Road. A scenic waterway designation would help protect the scenic, natural and recreation value of this section of river by subjecting some activities within ?1/4 mile of the bank to a review.
No decisions have been made yet about whether or not to recommend this part of the river as a scenic waterway. As part of the designation process, scenic waterways staff involve the local community, evaluate public support, and objectively study the river to determine if it meets specific criteria.
The meeting will begin with a presentation to explain the scenic waterways program and the criteria the river segment must meet to be included in the program, followed by a question and answer session. The second half of the meeting will be a public hearing, when attendees can comment orally or in writing.
Comments can also be sent to oprd.publiccomment@oregon.gov or to OPRD Scenic Waterway Study, 725 Summer St NE Suite C, Salem, OR 97301. The comment period closes Oct. 13, 2017.
Comments will help scenic waterways staff to develop a report that explains whether this waterway would make a good addition to the system. Findings will be included in a report that will go to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission, Water Resources Commission and eventually to the Governor's Office.
More information on the program is at bit.ly/scenicwaterways.
A map of the specific study area can be found at oregon.gov/oprd/NATRES/scenicwaterways/Documents/NehalemStudysegmentJuly2017.pdf.
For more information about the meeting, contact Alexandra Phillips, Bikeways and Waterways Coordinator, at 503 986-0631 or alex.phillips@oregon.gov.
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to operate Wolf Creek Inn, an historic bed-and-breakfast property near Grants Pass, in southern Oregon. The RFP opens August 15, 2017 and closes October 10, 2017. More info is here: http://bit.ly/WolfCreekInnRFP
The Inn has been operated in many different ways in its long history. Since 1975, when OPRD took ownership of the 4?1/2 acre property, the facility has functioned as a restaurant, an overnight hotel, or both together. OPRD has run the operation with its own staff, or as an adjunct to a concessionaire. Right now, OPRD is operating the property as a museum and as an overnight hotel. The agency hopes to have a contract awarded later this fall for 2018 operation.
"It is a unique opportunity," said Nathan Seable, who manages state parks in the area, including Wolf Creek Inn State Historic Site. "For the right individuals, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to run a business in a great community." Seable will conduct site visits for any interested parties until mid-September.
Wolf Creek Inn was built sometime around 1883, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The 11,000 sq. ft. facility has been remodeled, and today boasts upgraded HVAC systems and electrical service, an efficient commercial kitchen, and modern fire suppression. Its 9 guest rooms, appointed in period décor, have seen the likes of Clark Gable and Jack London walk through their doors. The Inn has always been a strong venue for special events, and its restaurant and hospitality services have been regionally famous for decades.
Wolf Creek Inn is located just off the I-5, about 20 miles north of Grants Pass, Oregon. The Inn is an easy drive to the many tourism destinations of southern Oregon, including Crater Lake National Park, the wild and scenic Rogue River, the Oregon Caves, the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, and the Britt Music Festival in Jacksonville.
The Pilot Butte Canal: Downtown Redmond Segment Historic District in Redmond, Deschutes County, Oregon is among Oregon's latest entries in the National Register of Historic Places. It is listed under the Carey and Reclamation Acts Irrigation Projects in Oregon 1901-1978 Multiple Property Documentation.
The Pilot Butte Canal is the backbone of one of the two irrigation systems that form what is known as the Central Oregon Project in the Upper Deschutes River basin. The Central Oregon Project was a prominent example of an irrigation project resulting from the provisions of the Carey Desert Land Act (Carey Act), and one that had a tremendous impact on the formation and development of central Oregon. As a principal element of the Central Oregon Project, the Pilot Butte Canal is closely associated with early homesteading and settlement efforts in the Upper Deschutes River basin, and the use of irrigation as a means to improve agricultural production, overcome harsh environmental conditions, and provide a sustainable livelihood with limited resources in the region. Throughout its history the Pilot Butte Canal provided water for agricultural use in Deschutes County, leading to the founding, initial development, and continued growth of the cities of Bend, Redmond, and other communities. The Pilot Butte Canal: Downtown Redmond Segment Historic District is approximately 6,780 feet long, from approximately NW Dogwood Street at the south, where the open canal emerges from underground pipe, to approximately NW Quince Avenue at the north, where it returns to pipe. This portion of the canal is directly associated with the founding of Redmond, which was laid out along it, adjacent to the site of the Frank T. and Josephine Redmond homestead.
Oregon's State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation recommended the canal segment's nomination in their February 2017 meeting. It is one of 41 historic properties in Deschutes County that are now listed in the National Register, which is maintained by the National Park Service under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
More information about the National Register and recent Oregon lists is online at www.oregonheritage.org (click on "National Register" at left of page).
Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries is partnering with SOLVE to bring cemetery cleanups into the statewide Beach & Riverside Cleanup, presented by the Oregon Lottery. Many of these cemeteries were established in the 1800s and are in need of helping hands to remove invasive weeds and woody debris, clean headstones, and assist in other tasks. Cemeteries all over the state, Canby to Coos Bay to Gold Hill are sprucing before Veterans Day and the onset of winter. All cleanups will take place on September 23 unless noted otherwise. To see a complete list of cemeteries and sign up visit the SOLVE website, http://www.solveoregon.org/historic-cemetery-cleanups.
State law established the seven-member Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries to maintain a listing of all historic cemeteries and gravesites in Oregon; promote public education on the significance of historic cemeteries; and obtain financial and technical assistance for restoring, improving and maintaining their appearances. For information about the commission, contact coordinator Kuri Gill at 503-986-0685 or by e-mail: Kuri.Gill@oregon.gov.
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The Oregon Heritage Commission is offering grants for qualified projects for the conservation, development and interpretation of Oregon's cultural heritage. Awards typically range between $5,000 and $20,000. Projects can include anything related to Oregon heritage, and priority will be given to projects that preserve, develop or interpret threatened heritage resources or heritage resources of statewide significance. The grant application deadline is October 2, 2017.
Projects may include theatrical performances, collections preservation and access, exhibits, oral history projects, public education events, organizational archives projects, films and more. Previously funded projects included a variety of projects around the state. Linn County Museum partnered with Oregon Black Pioneers to incorporate African American history in the permanent exhibit. Cascade AIDS Project collected oral histories and made them accessible. Southern Oregon University completed oral histories and made them available online. Concordia University helped present the Vanport Mosaic Festival. Four Rivers Cultural Center scanned a photo collection.
"We hope to see a variety of projects that engage Oregonians in heritage," states Kuri Gill, heritage grants program coordinator. "We encourage the documentation, preservation and exploration of all aspects of Oregon's heritage."
Applications are submitted online. There is plenty of support for preparing them.
"Our goal is to support organizations of all sizes all over the state in their valuable work. We provide assistance in the application process," notes Gill. Oregon Heritage grants programs staff is happy to discuss projects and review applications in advance.
The Heritage Commission is comprised of nine people representing Oregon's heritage and geographical diversity who have been appointed by the Governor. There are nine advisory representatives from state agencies and statewide organizations. The commission's mission is to secure, sustain, and enhance Oregon's heritage by ensuring coordination of heritage initiatives by public and private organizations; advocacy on its behalf; education of the public about its extent and value; and promotion and celebration of its diversity.
To learn more about the grants, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at Kuri.Gill@oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.
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Central Point -- TouVelle State Recreation Site is closed so Oregon Department of Forestry wildland firefighters can be stationed in the park. The firefighters are using the park as a base for fighting the Flounce Fire two miles northeast of Lost Creek Lake.
Customers of Rogue Jet Boat Adventures may enter the park in shuttles provided by the business.
The Lost Creek Marina, boat ramp and day-use area beach, as well as the campground at Joseph Stewart State Recreation Site are open, said Park Manager Nathan Seable.
"The road is clear leading to the campground, marina, boat ramp and beach, although visitors may see increased traffic from firefighting crews staying in the day-use area," he said. "We're open and ready for visitors to camp and enjoy the lake."
Wildland fire crews fighting the Blanket Creek Fire northeast of Prospect are using the park as a base of operation.
The Joseph Stewart State Recreation Site day-use area Site C and adjacent fields are closed for a fire camp and incident command. Wildland firefighters are based at the park as they work to suppress the Blanket Creek fire northeast of Prospect.
The park, campground, Lost Creek Marina and the day-use area beach remain open, says Nathan Seable, park manager. Park visitors may see increased traffic as equipment, firefighters and supplies move into the area. Please use caution if you are near equipment.
John P. Sumich completed construction of the round barn in 1949, three years after construction began in 1946. Sumich's use of concrete blocks and other locally sourced materials represents a creative interpretation of the round barn type that has been used in the United States beginning in the 1800's into the early 20th century, when it became popularized by agricultural schools for its efficiency. The historic building is a unique vernacular expression of a round dairy barn type that was popularized in the 1910s and 1920s for its reputation for enhancing farm practice efficiency and improving sanitary conditions. While it is unclear exactly where Sumich saw the original design that inspired him, there was no similar round barn construction in Oregon. The barn is eligible under National Register Criterion C for architecture as a local example of a vernacular round dairy barn type. During this time in Lane County, dairying and creameries continued to develop as a major industry. The Lake Creek Valley, where the barn is located, was also a thriving timber community with several sawmills, shingle mills, and the churches, schools, post offices and general stores that supported the population in this time frame. The round barn was and remains a landmark in the community.
Oregon's State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation recommended the building's nomination in February 2017. The Triangle Lake Round barn is among the 135 properties in Lane County that are individually listed in the National Register, which is maintained by the National Park Service under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
More information about the National Register and recent Oregon listings is online at www.oregonheritage.org (click on "National Register" at left of page).
The 1874 Jacob and Missouri Benner Clearwater House is locally significant under National Register Criterion C, in the area of architecture. The Clearwater family, including sons Jacob and James, participated in the western migration of the mid-to-late 1800s to Oregon, traveling the Oregon Trail, like so many before them. The family settled on 320 acres outside of Springfield, Oregon, along the Middle Fork of the Willamette River in the Willamette Valley, in 1865. They proceeded to clear the land and begin farming the land on which the Jacob Clearwater Farmhouse is still located. Jacob married Missouri Benner in 1888 and the couple and their family resided at this location, engaging in row crop cultivation, dairy and beef cattle ranching, and hop farming. Prior to his marriage, Jacob and his father constructed the house known as the Jacob and Missouri Benner Clearwater Farmhouse today. The house is an excellent, rural example of the Gothic Revival style in Lane County. It is one of only four previously identified, remaining single-family residences built before 1874 in Springfield. Although the style and type were once relatively common, the Clearwater Farmhouse is the only example of the centered gable subtype of the Gothic Revival style extant in Springfield today. The house retains good integrity, and clearly conveys its historic significance, evident in its appearance and style, including its massing, materials, and overall design.
Oregon's State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation recommended the building's nomination in February 2017. The Clearwater Farmhouse is among the eight properties in Springfield that are individually listed in the National Register, which is maintained by the National Park Service under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
More information about the National Register and recent Oregon listings is online at www.oregonheritage.org (click on "National Register" at left of page).
The Nurses' Quarters served the student nurses and full-time nurses of the Portland Sanitarium, a hospital operated by the Seventh Day Adventists. The building is emblematic of the changing position of nursing as an educational field and profession. During the early- and mid-twentieth century, the health care industry was evolving. As the methods of treatment changed, so too did the means of educating medical professionals. At this time nursing education shifted from an apprenticeship-like training regime with long hours of hands-on hospital work to a pre-professional curriculum paired with shifts at the hospital. Improvements and changing features of Nurses' Quarters were parallel to the changes in nursing education and professional nursing, creating less of a room-and-board arrangement and more of a round-the-clock studying and on-call hospital work setting.
The Portland Sanitarium Nurses' Quarters is locally significant and eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A for its association with Health/Medicine. This building was designated a historic landmark by the City of Portland on September 25, 2016.
Oregon's State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation recommended the building's nomination in February 2017. The Portland Sanitarium Nurses' Quarters is among the 596 properties in Portland that are individually listed in the National Register, which is maintained by the National Park Service under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
More information about the National Register and recent Oregon listings is online at www.oregonheritage.org (click on "National Register" at left of page).
Built in 1933, the Pine Grove Community House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A for the building's association with the founding of the City of Manzanita and its local government, establishment of community social events, and the gradual evolution of the town to a full-fledged community and center for coastal recreation. Pine Grove represents the first tangible civic project of the first residents of Manzanita who, with no early municipal government, formed their own community group to address the needs and management of their small town. In the absence of more formal, city-run facilities, the Pine Grove Community House served as Manzanita's first City Hall and library. Pine Grove not only functioned as Manzanita's early central government, but hosted meetings resulting in the formation of the first fire and police departments. The Pine Grove Community House has grown with the City of Manzanita and served many functions that are now carried on in different facilities, but it was at the Pine Grove that all of these activities began and flourished sufficiently to create the need for expansion beyond the building in which they began. Among the founders was Ben S. Lane, who would later serve the City of Manzanita as its first mayor and serving the City in that capacity for thirteen years. Lane's wife, Johanna Lane, brought a love for reading and community service that made the Lanes a formidable couple. The Pine Grove Community House tells part of the story of coastal recreation towns and the settlement of the Oregon Coast, including the transition from mere vacation destination to a formal community and eventual municipality.
Oregon's State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation recommended the building's nomination in February 2017. The Pine Grove Community House is among the nine properties in Manzanita that are individually listed in the National Register, which is maintained by the National Park Service under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
More information about the National Register and recent Oregon listings is online at www.oregonheritage.org (click on "National Register" at left of page).