TRIP PLANNER: ST. HELENS, VERNONIA + SAUVIE ISLAND PG. 84
DIY: Backyard Murphy Bar
Painting Black History
The West Coast Hurricane of ’62
HOT SPRINGS TO TRY NOW A FARM-TO-FIRE DINING EXPERIENCE DESTINATION RESORTS OF THE PNW
Fall in OREGON AUTUMN GETAWAYS
SPOOKIEST PLACES
FRESH LOCAL HERBS
1859oregonmagazine.com $5.95 display until October 31, 2023
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THINK
EXPLORE
OREGON
September | October
volume 82
Discover yourself here. The secret is out! Announcing Strada, the first-of-its-kind collection of custom homesites in Discovery West, available to the public. Generous homesites offer ample space and privacy and a serene natural setting — all close to nature, trails, bike paths, schools, parks, shops, restaurants and more. This rare opportunity is just waiting for you to customize your next life’s move. Learn more about your custom home build journey in Strada. Visit DiscoveryWestBend.com/Strada for details or call Shelley Griffin at Harcourts the Garner Group Real Estate at (541) 280-3804.
EXPERIENCE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LUXURY, TODAY
INSPIRING LIFE’S MOST MEANINGFUL JOURNEYS. EVERY DAY. When the details come together, the beauty of the world truly opens up. Meticulously designed Residences, positioned to elevate your lifestyle. To schedule a tour, contact Terry Sprague at terry@rcrportland.com or call 971-217-8882. RCRPortland.com. The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland, are not owned, developed, or sold by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC, or its affiliates (The Ritz-Carlton)®. BPM Real Estate Group uses The Ritz-Carlton marks under a license from The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC.
SINCE 1973
Oregonians are generators of abundance. For 50 years, we’ve helped each other thrive. From safe shelter to art supplies, we’ve stepped up when someone needed support. Leaned in when they needed help. Dug deep when they needed food. Gave back, when given the chance. And we’re getting better at doing it all more equitably. The past few years have been some of our most challenging. And what did we do? We helped each other. We marched, fought fires, dropped off groceries — and gave. We gave more than ever before. Which tells us that in our next 50 years, Oregonians helping Oregonians, through thick and thin, will continue to lift us all. Cheers to you, Oregon. As your statewide community foundation, we celebrate our 50th anniversary in honor of you.
“We give to help kids experience the outdoors, music and art they would otherwise miss in rural communities.” — RUBY & CECIL
OCF DONORS SINCE 2016
There are countless reasons to give, and endless causes to support, but what made Ruby and Cecil decide it was time to start a fund? “We have everthing we need and a bit to share — and we saw a great gap in opportunities offered to kids in our area. So we decided to help fill it.” says Ruby. Through OCF they started a fund, and now hundreds of kids are benefiting yearly from their abundance. For 50 years, we’ve been helping Oregonians like Ruby and Cecil, and you, improve the lives of fellow Oregonians. Learn more, join in and get inspired at oregon.cf.org/50.
Boots, Dunbar Farms’ director of flavors, harvests fresh rosemary at the farm in Medford.
The Four-Season Farm photography by Robin Loznak At Dunbar Farms in Medford, a year-round herb revolution is taking place. (pg. 26) 4 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE 5
High Desert Creek by Theresa Andreas-O’Leary
72 Wine Country’s Gallery Newberg’s ART Elements Gallery is making a big name with a small-area focus. written by Kerry Newberry
60 Oregon’s Spookiest Places Seven (certified) haunted experiences to add to your Halloween traditions. written by Jean Chen Smith
67
FEATURES SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023 • volume 82
6
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
The Sudden Hurricane of 1962 On Columbus Day sixty years ago, a WWII vet made the scariest call of his life, this time as a meteorologist. written by Sig Unander
Whether you’ve been in business for generations — or are just getting started — when it’s your name over the door, it’s more than a job. It’s your passion. For more than 100 years, SAIF has been working to keep Oregon businesses going strong, with expert service and innovative safety and health programs. So, you can keep doing what you love, for generations to come
WORKERS‘ COMP THAT REALLY WORKS.
saif.com
DEPARTMENTS SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023 • volume 82
LIVE
84
18 NOTEBOOK
Twenty-mile picnics, coastal culinary, Thoreau re-thought.
22 FOOD + DRINK
Fall fruit and Ximena Orrego with Hispanic winemakers.
26 FARM TO TABLE
Dunbar Farms in Medford.
34 HOME + DESIGN
Three older bathrooms made tastefully new. City of St. Helens
42 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Jeremy Okai Davis paints Oregon’s Black pioneers.
THINK
42
48 STARTUP
54
A new state law jolts solar farm creation.
50 WHAT I’M WORKING ON Lincoln City Surf Shop.
54 MY WORKSPACE
Tournant’s farm-to-fire outdoor dining.
58 GAME CHANGER
Oregon Coast Trail Foundation.
EXPLORE 78 TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT
Forest Park’s macabre Witch’s Castle.
Daniel O’Neil
Aubrie LeGault
80 ADVENTURE
14 Editor’s Letter 15 1859 Online 94 Map of Oregon 96 Until Next Time
COVER
photo by Aubrie LeGault (see My Workspace, pg. 54)
8
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
Four natural hot springs for fall.
82 LODGING
Sosta House, Beaverton.
84 TRIP PLANNER
St. Helens, Vernonia and Sauvie Island.
90 NW DESTINATION
Kenmore and Woodinville, Washington.
seaside is for
You’ll have to drag me from the beach kicking and screaming
When you bring kids to Seaside they suddenly forget all about screen time and they want more boogie boarding time. And kite flying time, and sand castle building time, and making up a game involving shells and rocks and digging holes time. Which means more spending time as a family time.
@visitseasideOR
seasideOR.com
CONTRIBUTORS
MAGGIE WAUKLYN Illustrator Startup
AUBRIE LEGAULT Photographer My Workspace
THOM GLICK Illustrator Beerlandia
ROBIN LOZNAK Photographer Farm to Table
“I’ve always been an avid naturalist. I excel with birds, am competent with mammals and, through gardening and researching medicinal herbs, am gaining confidence with plants. The landscape itself calls to me as well—it’s where all of these elements gather together in harmony. Whether it’s a lush forest or the patchwork quilt of rolling farmland, having the opportunity to honor it in painting is always a treat.” (pg. 48)
“Mona and Jaret of Tournant truly love food and people. Their love for the ‘foodie’ community was beyond evident during their farm-to-fire dinner experience. The entire team was gracious and welcoming. They enjoyed talking to the guests about food, fire cooking and life. And the guests soaked it all up—the smells, the tastes and the camaraderie. Familystyle dinners, like this event, are so unique compared to restaurant dining. There is a real sense of connection to the food and the people around you. As a photographer, I love capturing those moments, and photographing this special dinner was a true joy.” (pg. 54)
“I love telling stories. And, if there’s an option to tell stories as part of a team, I’m in. There’s something special about each person adding their voice with the result being an altogether unique and, with any luck, captivating and memorable story. For my part, as an illustrator, I love bending, breaking, flattening, complicating and simplifying the subject matter to offer a curiously different way of seeing things.” (pg. 22)
“Dunbar Farms in Medford was a complete treat for the senses. On arrival, I was greeted with the delicious aromas of lavender, rosemary and the gentle, smoky smell from the wood-fired pizza oven. The sounds of laughing children filled the air as they hand-fed grass to a pair of gentle horses. As the afternoon progressed, adults and children kicked up their heels with a bit of Irish céilí folk dancing. After flying my drone for a bird’s eye view of the farm, Nick offered me a slice of pizza fresh out of the oven. Pizza is my thing. The taste of hand-picked herbs and fresh ingredients brought a smile to my face.” (pg. 26)
Maggie Wauklyn is a freelance illustrator and full-time nature nerd. She lives and works in Portland.
Aubrie LeGault is a freelance food and drink photographer. She lives in Portland with her husband and black lab.
10 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
Thom Glick is an artist and educator based in Columbus, Ohio, where he lives with his wonderful partner, Zuz, and their two silly hound dogs. He’s doing his best.
Robin Loznak is a wildlife and editorial photographer based in southwestern Oregon. Represented by the photo agency ZUMApress.com, his work is regularly published worldwide.
They say it takes a village to raise a child...
Together, with you, we’re the village it takes.
Relief Nurseries partner with parents to give them the support, tools, and information they need to be the best parents they can be. Together, we can give Oregon's children the best start possible. L E A R N M O R E AT
OregonReliefNurseries.org
EDITOR
Kevin Max
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Allison Bye
WEB MANAGER
Aaron Opsahl
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Joni Kabana
OFFICE MANAGER
Cindy Miskowiec
DIRECTOR OF SALES
Jenny Kamprath
HOMEGROWN CHEF
Thor Erickson
BEERLANDIA COLUMNIST
Jeremy Storton
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Cathy Carroll, Jean Chen Smith, Melissa Dalton, Joni Kabana, Julie Lee, Kerry Newberry, Daniel O’Neil, Ben Salmon, James Sinks, Jen Sotolongo, Grant Stringer
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Anthony C. Castro, Richard Darbonne, Tambi Lane, Aubrie LeGault, Robin Loznak, Daniel O’Neil
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Thom Glick, Maggie Wauklyn
Headquarters
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12 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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I’D START WITH the toss-away comment that I can’t believe it’s fall already and that the kids are back in school, but we’ve all sweat through the hottest days on record and are looking for a little relief and maybe a break from parenting. This issue will draw many alluring pictures on your temptation cortex. You can either leave them there among other lost moments or let them take you to a better place. Just know that, if you don’t reward yourself along the way, joie de vivre quickly becomes ennui. Joy in life can be many things. In this issue, we find many resorts that can reduce stress, make your hair longer and thicker and bring you a much-needed reward. Our resorts insert looks at what’s new at resorts from Oregon to Washington and British Columbia and at some resorts for which upgrades would be a travesty. Another joy is bliss. The body can take only so much before it’s time to find a restorative natural hot spring to soak in silence. Adventure on page 80 takes you to four natural springs where you can return to your natural state. You can do your conscience a favor by patronizing Breitenbush, after rebuilding from the devastating Lionshead Fire of 2020. If you need to detach from the world, no better place than the remote Hart Mountain Hot Springs. Another way to de-stress is to surround yourself with really good wine. Find another doc, if she can’t get on board with that. One
14 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
of Oregon’s founding families of pinot noir, the Ponzis, have just opened a vinified B&B in Beaverton. Called Sosta House, it is the original home of Dick and Nancy Ponzi. The wine dinners at Sosta House bring decades of wine expertise and wine country service to your table. See Lodging on page 82. If you’d like to range a little farther, turn to page 90, where we dive into Woodinville and the nearby Lodge at St. Edward Park. The latter is a world-class renovation of an old seminary. The former offers the most and best wine per square mile in the state of Washington. Reportedly, Oregon wineries are opening tasting rooms there, too. Let’s propose, for argument’s sake, that some people are not as sybaritic and are not made happier by partaking in the rewards above. Let’s further assume that this non-sybarite takes pleasure from good deeds more, say, than good wine. This issue also gives us all the chance to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Our Game Changer (pg. 58) is the hopeful story of a devoted crew who are working to make the Oregon Coast Trail one seamless 400-mile experience. Anyone who has ever risked their lives hiking or biking on shoulderless Highway 101 knows this undertaking is long overdue. This will take time, money and volunteer passion but will be a historic moment for Oregon when completed.
1859 ONLINE More ways to connect with your favorite Oregon content www.1859oregonmagazine.com | #1859oregon | @1859oregon
have a photo that shows off your oregon experience? Share it with us by filling out the Oregon Postcard form on our website. If chosen, you’ll be published here. www.1859oregon magazine.com/postcard photo by Masamichi Kishiku Autumn at Lithia Park in Ashland.
ER ENT IN! W TO
URE T N E ADV AIL M
portland book festival Enter for a chance to win passes to this year’s Portland Book Festival on Nov. 4! The largest event of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, the festival will feature author discussions, pop-up readings, writing workshops, and more. One winner will receive two Portland Book Festival Umbrella Passes, which allow access to all events at the festival and include a festival general admission pass, entry to the Friday Night Book Market preview on Nov. 3, tickets and books for the two headlining events, and a festival tote bag. Enter at www.1859oregonmagazine.com/ contests/portlandbookfestival Sweepstakes runs October 1-31. SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
YOUR PNW NEWSLETTER More PNW, delivered to your inbox! Sign up for our Adventure Mail newsletter and get access to the latest Northwest getaways, giveaways, dining and more. www.1859oregonmagazine. com/live/subscribe-tooregon-adventure-mail 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE 15
NOTEBOOK 18 FOOD + DRINK 22 FARM TO TABLE 26 HOME + DESIGN 34
pg. 25 Local flavors are the star at Hood River’s Riverside restaurant.
Amy Robb
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 42
The Mid-Willamette Valley Food Trail offers a self-guided journey through a bountiful land of historic farms and trailblazing spirits. These businesses are committed to sustainable practices to last through the next century and beyond.
Plan your trip at midvalleyfoodtrail.com
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our r rk y da a m en
Tidbits + To-dos
cal
written by Cathy Carroll
Wellness at Juniper Preserve
Martin Sundberg
Juniper Preserve’s wellness program draws upon the nature of Bend’s high desert, from the surrounding 20,000acre juniper forest to the property’s natural lava tube, where guests are guided in mindfulness and creativity experiences. It’s an ideal setting for exploring holistic living, with yoga, meditation, breathwork immersion and outdoor adventures such as canoeing and horseback riding. Quarterly retreats, including Autumn Vana, Nov. 10 through 13, offer opportunities to reflect, restore and reset. www.juniperpreserve.com/ wellness-at-juniper-preserve/ retreats camark le you nd r
ar
Michael Hanson Photography
Analemma’s Twenty Mile Picnics Book a gourmet Twenty Mile Picnic inspired by slow food values with ingredients from within twenty miles of Analemma Wines. The experience happens midday on weekends at the scenic hillside winery in Mosier and elevates the Gorge’s renowned flavors while supporting its diverse farming community. In collaboration with Riverside Hood River executive chef Mark DeResta, expect excellent pairings with Analemma wines, a biodynamic, Slow Wineaccredited idyll of the East Gorge Food Trail. Reservations required. www.analemmawines.com/gorgegrown-vineyard-picnic
18 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
Florence Festival of Books The Florence Festival of Books on Sept. 23 invites all ages to celebrate the printed word with workshops and opportunities to meet dozens of authors, have your books signed and win prizes. Expect delicious food, too, as you find your next great read at the coast. It’s presented by FACE: Florence Arts, Culture & Entertainment at the Florence Event Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.florencefestivalofbooks.com
Sophia Knox
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Red Pig Garden Tools
Connect with the ocean—deliciously—with Shifting Tides’ Alanna Kieffer, marine biologist, seaweed farmer and environmental educator. Sept. 16: Forage for mussels and mushrooms, taste wild ingredients and explore the forest near Cannon Beach with Kieffer and ecologist Lorelle Sherman, and enjoy a meal of wild foods prepared by Cameron Dunlap of Morchella Restaurant. Oct. 7: Discover the ocean’s “forest” of kelps and sea vegetables through a cooking demo with foraged mussels and seaweed.
Add beauty and craftsmanship to your farm and garden work with tools hand-forged by artisan blacksmiths since 1989. Red Pig Garden Tools in West Linn makes tools the old-fashioned way—with steel, fire, anvil and good, honest sweat. From trowels to custom work, these tools are recognized worldwide for their aesthetic form and function. Owner-artisan Seth Pauley carries on the tradition of founder, designer and gardening authority Bob Denman.
www.shiftingtidesnw.com
www.redpigtools.com
Wild Coastal Culinary Experience
ca
ca
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Folk and Forage
Folk and Forage/@fullstackcontentdesign
It’s time for pickin’ tunes and pickin’ shrooms. Who could resist a campout inspired by the summer camps of youth, the thrill of the mushroom hunt, and the fun of a fiddle solo. Folk and Forage, Oct. 6-8 in Veneta, is a weekend micro-festival of camping, live music, art, wild foods, hiking, friendly competitions, yoga, workshops—even a fungi-themed parade, costume contest and dancing at the Mushroom Masquerade Ball. www.folkandforage.com
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE 19
Listen on Spotify Recording artist Mary Sutton explores new landscapes with Saloli.
Musician
The Grand Canyon Portland composer Saloli creates a beautiful synth portrait of a bear’s life written by Ben Salmon FOR AS LONG as she can remember, Mary Sutton’s parents have influenced her art. “The first time I remember really intentionally writing music, my dad—who is an artist—said, ‘You’ve got to document everything.’ So even if I was improvising, he would make sure I actually wrote my ideas down,” the Portland-based musician said. “I think that’s pretty unique, and I think it enabled me to kind of own my ideas and to understand that I could come back to them and develop them.” By the time she was a teenager, Sutton was writing classical music for ensembles, with the intent of becoming a concert composer. And then one day, she realized she was not satisfied. “I worked my whole life to do this one thing, and then I didn’t want to do that,” she said. “I was super lost for like ten years.” Eventually, Sutton turned her attention to writing warm, calming ambient-pop songs on a synthesizer, which she organized into The Deep End, her debut solo album under the name Saloli—the Cherokee word for squirrel, pronounced like “slowly.” Released by the esteemed experimental record label Kranky in 2018, the work illuminated an alternate path for Sutton’s artistry. “I didn’t realize I could be a recording artist and put out albums,” she said. “It took me until like three months after (The 20
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
Deep End came out) to be like, ‘Oh, this is a thing I could do. It all makes sense now.’” Five years later, Sutton is back with the second Saloli album, Canyon, a collection of gorgeous synth compositions “intended to evoke ‘a day in the life of a bear in a canyon in the Smoky Mountains,’ with each track channeling a different emotion or experience in its daily explorations.” The album’s concept was inspired by a painting of a bear made by her father, the Cherokee artist Jerry Sutton, and its song titles—“Waterfall” and “Lily Pad,” “Full Moon” and “Sunrise”—are rooted in her parents’ professions. “My mom is a professional landscape designer and gardener,” Sutton said. “Gardening has always been a part of my life and my dad paints landscape paintings, so I think it just comes naturally to me to think of my music through the lens of nature.” It’s easy to hear Canyon through that same lens. The low roar and steady pulse of opening track “Waterfall” replicates the sensation of standing near the song’s namesake, while the dancing digital melodies of album closer “Sunrise” might make you involuntarily turn to the east and stretch your arms to the sky. In between, Sutton takes the listener on an evocative journey through a canyon of sound, following the bear as it plods through its beautifully ordinary world. “I had the title, Canyon. I had the bear painting. And I had all the naturalistic titles. But I still had no idea what this album was about,” Sutton said. “And then it kind of just clicked, and I was like, ‘Aha! It’s about the bear in the canyon doing its thing, and we’re here doing the same.’ I mean, I’m not a bear in a canyon, but it’s basically about our daily lives. I could be the bear. We can be the bear.”
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Bibliophile
On Worker’s Pond What Thoreau can teach us about working interview by Cathy Carroll
The latest book from Oregon author Jonathan van Belle is published by Princeton University Press and available at www.jonathanvanbelle.com.
What did you find most surprising about Thoreau’s ideas about work? I was surprised to find that Thoreau’s ideas about work are no longer as radical as they were in his day. Today, his ideas inform a sizeable and ever-growing subculture. Thoreau’s “career path” began in 1837, the year of a financial crisis that slumped into a depression through the mid-1840s. Economic crisis forced him, as it forces many of us, to rethink the question “What is a successful life?” Many people today, thanks in part to online affinity groups, have cultivated “recession-proof” ways of life. Many of us, like Thoreau, even prefer these ways of life. I see this preference growing. From zero-waste stores (like Mama & Hapa’s in Portland!) to the boom of tiny homes and buy-nothing activism, and fights for rights that promote self-sufficiency (right-to-dry, right-to-repair, etc.), the cultures of Millennials and Zoomers are so Thoreauvian that I’m surprised so few have seen it. To say nothing of all the civil disobedience. Thoreau is no longer “radical.” His time has come.
IN HENRY AT WORK, Portland’s Jonathan van Belle and John Kaag, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, overturn the misconception of Henry David Thoreau as a navel-gazing recluse. In fact, Thoreau worked hard—surveying land, running his family’s pencil-making business, lecturing, building his cabin and writing Walden Pond—and thought intensely about work’s many dimensions. His ideas are valuable in an age when many are reconsidering what kind of working lives they want to lead.
Did Thoreau’s ideas about work change how or what you do for work? I don’t have a trust fund. My wife, Zuriel, and I rent our house, and we have two roommates (one bathroom for the four of us). Zuriel has fibromyalgia (so daily full-body chronic pain). We both get migraines. And so on. To cut expenses, our pantry is mostly bulk oats and beans, and other cheap staples, e.g., peas and potatoes. Like most of us, I have to work (as did Thoreau, despite his two years living al fresco at Walden Pond). Thoreau didn’t change what I do for work, but how I weather hardship. Thoreau scholar Walter Harding put it best, noting that the first surge of interest in Thoreau in the twentieth century came during the Depression, when countless folks were forced to live the “simple life.” Harding writes: “Thoreau was one of the very few authors who not only made this simple life bearable—he even made it appealing. A friend of mine said to me back in the thirties, ‘You know, Thoreau is the only author you can read without a nickel in your pocket and not be insulted.’”
What Thoreau-esque advice would you give to someone unhappy in their work life? Rethink your life (not only your work life). Examine your needs, your budget, your goals, your location, even your friends and family. Question your work culture. Work and life are not so easily disentangled, and your unhappiness is not so cleanly sequestered in one or the other. If need be, quit your job. Seriously. I did it twice, and it served me well both times. Thoreau quit his first job after two weeks; it was a well-salaried position, too. Thoreau writes in Walden, “Simplify, simplify.” Simplifying most definitely applies to employment—and it doesn’t get simpler than no employment. Too impractical? In the long run, yes, but life has many seasons, including a few for quitting. Too dangerous? You may be right, but, Thoreau suggests, you may be wrong, and worse, you may be underrating your resilience. Thoreau wrote that most people live “lives of quiet desperation.” If there can be quiet desperation, there can be quiet happiness too, happiness that requires only a small income, and so only a small amount of work, and work that, ideally, doesn’t feel like a crushing necessity, but a passionate necessity.
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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food + drink
THE HIGHLIGHT REEL OF OREGON BEER 1854: Charles Barrett opened Portland Brewery. 1859: Oregon earned statehood. 1862: Henry Weinhard opened in Portland. 1914: Oregon voted to become dry. 1922-1943: Oregon became the largest producer of hops in the U.S. 1930: USDA and OSU began a hop research program. 1932: Oregon repealed Prohibition (some counties remained dry). 1933: Federal repeal of prohibition. Independence was the hop center of the world.
Beerlandia
A Brief History of Oregon Beer
1965-1995: Dr. Alfred Haunold led the OSU/USDA hop-breeding program and released many new hop varieties, including Cascade, which became the flavor of American craft beer. 1970s: Fred Eckhardt became a proponent of microbrews, beer styles and flavor over intoxication.
written by Jeremy Storton | illustration by Thom Glick
1976: Don Younger opened Horse Brass Pub in Portland.
I GIGGLE a little while drinking Oregon beer. Brewers outside Oregon and the United States often reference our beer as the standard they strive for. The reason is the beer in our glass, the stuff we take for granted, is not only worldclass, but on the tip of the craft beer edge. There’s a good reason for this and a good story. Oregon got its first brewery a few years before it earned statehood status in 1859. By the turn of the century, Henry Weinhard was building a brewing empire. Oregon State began developing hops in the ’30s, which proliferated. Two world wars ravaged hop fields in Europe, which put Oregon at the forefront of hop production. Despite our little experiment with Prohibition, the area around Independence in Polk County became the hop center of the world. Meanwhile, OSU was breeding varieties meant to compete with desirable German hops. Many of these hops were shelved because they had too much flavor. Post-Prohibition, we had three macrobrewers that sold virtually the same thing. We reveled in homogeneity as we kept up with the Joneses. Craft pioneers discovered the world of beer outside the United States and demanded better upon returning. They experimented with Oregon’s failed hops, like Cascade. In doing so, they created the pine and citrus flavor of American craft beer that dominated the world. Initially, the craft beer revolution struggled for traction. After a few decades, it gained momentum. By the 2000s, craft threatened big beer, and Oregon stood proudly on the front lines of flavor. Even though the story of Oregon beer goes back nearly two centuries, the story is still being written. Every time you head to your local spot and grab a pint, you write a new chapter with every sip. What’s next, I wonder.
1979: Oregon Brew Crew began (one of the oldest and largest home-brew clubs).
22 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
1984: Bridgeport, Widmer and Portland Brewing opened. 1985: McMenamins opened Oregon’s first brewpub. Selling beer from a brewery became legal. 1986: Widmer Brothers launched their hefeweizen (credited for creating the style). 1987: Full Sail Brewery opened. 1988: Rogue and Deschutes Brewery opened. 2007: Pink Boots Society was started by Eugene brewmaster Teri Fahrendorf to support women in the industry. 2013: Oregon adopted Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer’s yeast) as the official state microbe. Today: You read this column and appreciated the impact Oregon has on the world of craft beer by enjoying a pint at your local brewery. Sources: www.scarc.library.oregonstate.edu; www.the brewstorian.tumblr.com; www.oregonencyclopedia.org
food + drink
Cocktail Card recipe courtesy of Wilderton / HOOD RIVER
Caffe Aperitivo In this mocktail, bitter citrus and orange flower mingle with smooth and rich cold brew coffee for an inviting, nonalcoholic slow sipper.
• 3 ounces cold brew coffee • 1½ ounces Wilderton Bittersweet Aperitivo • 1 ounce tonic water • Orange wheel, to garnish
Wilderton
Mix cold brew and Bittersweet Aperitivo in a chilled glass. Add ice, and top with tonic water. Garnish with an orange wheel.
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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food + drink
CRAVINGS:
PERFECT PEARS THE FRUIT COMPANY
Michael Arellano Photography
For an immersive experience at the peak of pear season, head to this legacy farm where you can tour orchards, taste a variety of juicy pears and peek behind the scenes at their state-of-the-art factory. For a side of adventure, hop on the scenic train or pedal the custom-built, two-person railbikes that meander by trees, waterfalls and vineyards.
Oregon winery owners and winemakers—including, from left, Sofia Torres-McKay (Cramoisi Vineyard), Leo Rodriguez (Alumbra Cellars), Sam Parra (Parra Wine Co.), Carla Rodriguez (Beacon Hill Winery), J.P. Valot (Valcan Cellars) and Ximena Orrego (Atticus Wine)—are partnering to celebrate Hispanic heritage.
Gastronomy
Celebrating Hispanic Roots written by Kerry Newberry IN 2020, Ximena Orrego of Atticus Wine reached out to colleagues in the industry with inspiring stories to share. “I was looking to create something that would shine a bright light amidst everything we were living,” she said. That was the inaugural year for Celebrating Hispanic Roots, an event that brings together winemakers with heritage from Mexico and South America to the Caribbean and Spain. “The goal was to celebrate the diversity of our backgrounds and cultures while sharing our personal stories and finding ways to give back to the community.” Over the past few years, the event has blossomed into a month of conviviality and community that perfectly coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month from September through October. In addition to two dinners with chef/owner Javier Santos of Subterra in Newberg scheduled for September 17 and October 15, each of the participating wineries will offer special wine selections and packages to commemorate with 10 percent of ticket and bottle sales going directly to the Farmworker Families Support Fund. Participating wineries include: Alumbra Cellars, Atticus Wine, Beacon Hill Winery, Cramoisi Vineyard, Coria Estates, Iterum Wines, Gonzales Wine Company, Mijita Wine Company, Nueva Aventura Wine, Parra Wine Co. and Valcan Cellars. For more information visit www.celebratinghispanicroots.com. 24 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
2850 VAN HORN DR. HOOD RIVER www.thefruitcompany.tours
HARRY & DAVID After touring the Harry & David headquarters in Medford, you’ll have a newfound appreciation for their famous gift towers and baskets. Tour highlights include a sneak peek at the culinary team deftly making their delicate chocolate truffles and the swift and artful process for sorting and packing the famous Royal Riviera Pears. A special type of Comice, these rare pears are only grown in a few regions of the world and one of those places is Oregon. 1314 CENTER DR., SUITE A MEDFORD www.harryanddavid.com
KIYOKAWA FAMILY ORCHARDS At this family-run farm you’ll find pears that range from the juicy and sweet Cascade to the velvety Concorde that has a surprising and subtle vanilla finish. Later in the season, visit for the Forelle, a pear with buttery texture and a hint of cinnamon. One of the largest U-Pick orchards in the Hood River Valley, Kiyokawa has been growing orchard fruit since 1911. 5625 HUTSON DR. PARKDALE www.kiyokawafamilyorchards.com
food + drink
BEST PLACES FOR
DINNER PARTY CERAMICS NOTARY CERAMICS + HOME The ethereal ceramics from this women-run business range from minimalist dinnerware and serving platters to carafes, pitchers, vases and planters. An evolving home collection includes modern table lamps and pendants that add a luminous elegance to any space. Visit the Sellwood boutique for pieces to elevate your next dinner party.
ABOVE Dining outdoors at Riverside. AT LEFT Chef Mark DeResta showcases local bounty, including pasta alla gricia. (photo: Amy Robb)
Dining
8035 SE 13TH AVE., #6605 PORTLAND www.notaryceramics.com
Riverside
WOLF CERAMICS You’ve probably spotted the Instafamous Speckled Sunrise Mug from this women-led studio. Founded by Sarah Wolf in 2016, the beautiful dinnerware and serving bowls can be found atop tables in Portland’s top restaurants. The handmade speckled stoneware ranges from earthy tones with satin white glaze to the vibrant cerulean blue glaze. You can visit the recently relocated studio in Hood River.
written by Kerry Newberry
Most of Emily Jung Miller’s art is inspired by the sea. Whether you come across her watercolors and encaustic paintings, mixed-media sculpture or inventive art installations, her pieces evoke the serenity found in nature. You can find her functional porcelain ware, specifically the playful urchin rice bowls, at ART Elements Gallery in Newberg. Miller uses the bowls for everything from ramen to fresh berry desserts (www.ejmillerfineart.com).
WHEN CHEF Mark DeResta talks about his restaurant kitchen, he describes it as a culinary incubator. For more than fifteen years, he’s leveraged his all-day dining program to bolster surrounding micro-farmers, makers and producers. “We want to help share their story,” said DeResta. Locals in the know beeline to this under-the-radar Hood River spot: Here you can catch sunsets from an outdoor terrace elegantly tiered above the Columbia River, not to mention spy ospreys swooping for fish. But what really sets this hotel restaurant apart is how it’s so deeply rooted to the surrounding community. On a recent morning, DeResta swapped tales with Rebbecah Winnier, a third-generation tribal fisher from the Yakama Nation, as she delivered glistening Chinook salmon she caught hours before from the Columbia River. Soon after, he mingled with other regulars swinging by with everything from organically grown mushrooms to hundreds of pounds of salad greens, squash and zucchini, all harvested within a short radius from the chef ’s kitchen. Every dish stars local flavors from a breakfast omelet stuffed with Cascadia Creamery’s rosemary garlic fondue to the green tomatoes gleaned late season from Stepping Stone Farm that get roasted and turned into scratch salsa for the popular chilaquiles. “We use guanciale from Stamboom for our pasta alla gricia,” said DeResta, delighted to promote a young couple near Parkdale running a small-scale pig farm. Even the wine list leans local with a focused selection of glass pours from the Columbia River Gorge AVA ranging from the boutique Savage Grace (the vineyards are visible across the river) to Analemma Wines, a biodynamic grower-producer in Mosier. For DeResta, the menu provides a sense of place. “No matter how big our town gets, the threads of our community remain small and strong.”
604 E. 1ST ST. NEWBERG www.artelementsgallery.com
1108 E. MARINA DR. HOOD RIVER www.riversidehoodriver.com
616 INDUSTRIAL ST., SUITE 403 HOOD RIVER www.wolfceramics.com
EMILY JUNG MILLER
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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farm to table
Medford’s Dunbar Farms, a fourth-generation, family-run farm, has been growing herbs for more than a dozen years.
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farm to table
Farm to Table
Herbivore Revolution Farming fresh herbs is inspirational family business in Southern Oregon written by Julie Lee photography by Robin Loznak THERE’S NOTHING LIKE a handful of fresh herbs in salads, soups, pizzas or pastas to goose flavor and take a dish from bland to divine. Basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary all boast variations of benefits, and while that bottle of Spice Island dried herbs generations of chefs have used serves some purpose, fresh is undoubtedly best. Oregano is nature’s wonder herb, derived from the mint family. Besides adding flavor to savory dishes for thousands of years, it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that help with everything from diabetes to cramps. Oregano also puts a smile on your face, literally. The word “oros” means mountain and “ganos” means joy. Associated with the Mediterranean diet, there have been stress-related studies (with rats) that suggest oregano might relieve depression and stress-related behavior. Thyme has been used by numerous cultures for centuries and can be grown year-round indoors. Largely immune to causing allergic flare-ups, thyme can be consumed by anyone looking to cook with fresh herbs, and the leaves can be added, whole or chopped, to a dish at any stage of cooking, providing increased flavor the longer it’s cooked. Basil is commonly used in Italian dishes and is the base ingredient for pesto. Another derivative of the mint family, basil provides vast amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and is known to support cardiovascular health. Basil is easy to grow but with a shortened, outdoor-only season, requiring temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Rosemary is a fragrant herb used not only for culinary purposes but also in perfumes. Yet another member of that busy mint family, rosemary is a renowned source of iron, calcium and vitamin B-6 and especially delicious when prepared with chicken and lamb entrées. Applauded for its medicinal cures, it’s known to help alleviate muscle pain, improve brain health and promote hair growth. Another study (using rats) demonstrated rosemary can be useful for people who have experienced a stroke, a potential breakthrough for prevention of Alzheimer’s. SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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farm to table
From left, Nick Stevenson, Emily Mostue and Ali Mostue run Dunbar Farms in Medford.
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farm to table
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Freshly baked margherita pizza at Dunbar Farms. Lavender grows at the farm. Children and adults demonstrate Irish céilí dancing at Dunbar Farms.
We’re blessed in Oregon to have passionate farmers dedicated to growing fresh herbs. Nick Stevenson and his family at Dunbar Farms in Medford play a pivotal role in the evolution of herb farming. A fourthgeneration, 112-year-old family farm, they grow and produce organic produce, stone-milled flours, grains, grass hay and awardwinning wines. A great uncle in 1909 started the farm, passing it along to daughters Emily and Karen. Ali, a descendant, and husband Nick moved from Bend a few years back to help run the farm. They’ve grown herbs for over a dozen years, including basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary and sage. Truly a farm-to-table establishment, they serve what they grow, from the ground to tables just feet away. Dunbar Farms made a fundamental shift from a traditional farm to what they are now, which means there’s something for pretty much everyone who visits. “We are a restaurant, a music and concert venue, an event venue, a winery and a farm,” said Stevenson. How does this vary from the past set up? “Typically, on a farm, the skill set is specific,” he said. “The evolution to what we are now requires added skills sets, like customer service.
People love us for special occasions, and we’re also a restaurant that is open four days a week where you can come in at lunch and grab a sandwich.” This concept, he said, is a hopeful thing. Stevenson said this year so far has been a record breaker and attributes that success to a combination of reasons. “It’s our third season (as a venue as well as a farm), there has been good weather, and we have music on the weekends. An operation like this requires a lot of staff to keep things open. We’re set up to go yearround, so our staff isn’t idle in the winter.” He sees other farms trying this model and acknowledges it’s tough to sustain it week to week, with obstacles like weather to navigate. He is happy with the farm’s location, central to town, near Rogue Valley Country Club. “The model we’re pursuing is that we’re part of the community. We like people to bring their kids in to play and have a snack, or take a lunch break if you’re working at the hospital. That feels like the future to me. Our neighbors love us, and we love them.” Their chef, Brian English, prefers to be called “director of flavors” rather than “chef ” and goes by “Boots.” He has a spiritual hippie side, according SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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farm to table
“The model we’re pursuing is that we’re part of the community. We like people to bring their kids in to play and have a snack, or take a lunch break if you’re working at the hospital. That feels like the future to me. Our neighbors love us, and we love them.”
Oshala Farm
— Nick Stevenson, Dunbar Farms
FROM TOP A dragonfly perches on lavender at Dunbar Farms. Elise and Jeff Higley grow herbs at Oshala Farm in Oregon’s Applegate Valley.
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to Stevenson, and “runs a compost program while wearing a ‘straight out of compost’ shirt.” Stevenson’s favorite part of managing Dunbar Farms is that he loves watching people of all ages come by to enjoy the magic on the farm. “You can get dinner elsewhere, but here you can watch people dancing, see horses, see ducks on a pond, sip some amazing wine and enjoy some great food while kids are frolicking.” Nearby in Southern Oregon is another family farm, Oshala Farm, growing more than 80 fresh herbs in Grants Pass. Oshala Farm is the result of a marriage (literally) between the two passions of Elise and Jeff Higley. Said Elise: “Jeff ’s background is vegetable farming. Mine is western herbalism. When sourcing for teas, I realized that over 90 percent of herbs used in the U.S. are imported. I couldn’t believe that was the case, so we started growing our own high-quality herbs instead.” Founded in 2013, Oshala is another true family farm, with son Will working on the farm, their grandson doing weekend farm tours, and their daughter working remotely in product sales. Everything sold online is made on the farm, and much like Dunbar Farms, all twenty-eight employees at Oshala work year-round. Like Stevenson and his family, the Higleys also feel rooted in the community, having built a brand base at farmers’ markets in the early days. “Our biggest plan is to continue with top-quality, medicinal herbs for product makers and families. We call ourselves ‘discerning herbalists,’” said Elise. “We want to have that connection with how herbs are grown and inspire and educate people who visit the farm.” Boots, Dunbar’s director of flavors, offers two favorite farmto-table recipes using fresh herbs grown at Dunbar Farms: Rustic Italian Stew and Farm-Fresh Salad. Chef Leif Benson, Oregon’s culinary ambassador, serves up his delicious take on potato salad, the Fresh Herb Farmer’s Potato Salad.
farm to table
Rustic Italian Stew
Dunbar Farms / MEDFORD Boots, Dunbar Farms director of flavors SERVES 6
Fresh Herb Farmer’s Potato Salad.
Oregon Recipes
Fall Farm-Fresh Feasts Fresh Herb Farmer’s Potato Salad Chef Leif Benson, CEC, AAC, Oregon’s Culinary Ambassador / BORING SERVES 4-6 • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, or your preferred variety • 4 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped • 4 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped • 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped • 1 tablespoon shallots, chopped • ½ cup red bell pepper, diced • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Farm-Fresh Salad
Dunbar Farms / MEDFORD Boots, Dunbar Farms director of flavors SERVES 6 FOR THE SALAD • 12 ounces mixed greens • Balsamic vinaigrette, to taste (recipe below) • 3 tablespoons dried black mission figs • 3½ tablespoons candied walnuts (recipe below) • 3½ tablespoons chèvre cheese FOR THE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper • 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped • 1 tablespoon raw honey • 7/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup virgin olive oil • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1 tablespoon honey • Salt and pepper, to taste Boil small Yukon potatoes (or other waxy varieties), skin on or off, in salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and cool to room temperature. Dice or slice into desired size. Chop all fresh herbs, red pepper and shallots, and combine in a bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, honey and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over potatoes until well coated.
FOR THE CANDIED WALNUTS • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts • 1/2 tablespoon butter • 1 tablespoon raw honey • Pinch of sea salt FOR THE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE Whisk together ingredients. FOR THE CANDIED WALNUTS Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly sprayed silicone baking mat. Set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add the nuts, honey and sea salt, and sauté for a few minutes until the nuts are coated and toasted. Pour walnuts onto the lined baking sheet, separate and let cool. TO ASSEMBLE Toss greens with your preferred amount of vinaigrette. Thinly slice figs, and place on greens. Crumble walnuts and chèvre over the salad, and serve.
• 2 pounds chuck roast, cubed • 1/2 cup sweet potatoes, cubed • 1/2 cup Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed • 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced • 1/2 cup carrots, diced • 8 cloves garlic, whole • 6 cups vegetable or beef stock • 1 cup red wine • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes • 1/2 cup flour • 1 tablespoon sea salt, plus more to taste • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 4 tablespoons salted butter • 6 sprigs fresh thyme • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary Combine flour, 1 tablespoon of sea salt, and 1 tablespoon of ground pepper in a bowl. Add the chuck roast and toss until the roast is fully coated with flour. In a thick-bottomed pan (like a Dutch oven), add olive oil and butter, and brown the meat. When the roast is browned, add the red wine, and let it reduce by at least 50 percent. Add 3 cups of stock, and simmer on low heat until the roast becomes tender (approximately 35-40 minutes). Add in the sweet potato, Yukon Gold potato, yellow onion, carrot, garlic cloves and diced tomatoes with the remaining stock. Simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes until the vegetables are al dente. Add salt and pepper as needed to taste. While the roast simmers, prepare a sachet (small cheesecloth bag) of thyme and another of rosemary. Once vegetables are al dente, add the sachet of thyme and stir every 5 minutes until vegetables are cooked through (10-15 minutes). Once done, remove from heat and stir in sachet of rosemary, and let rest for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to release the aromatics and oils of the rosemary and thyme. (There should be a distinct flavor of rosemary when you serve.)
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farm to table
32 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
farm to table
Homegrown Chef
Thyme Traveler written by Thor Erickson | photography by Tambi Lane AS I NAVIGATED my bike down the stone walkway behind my Aunt Ellen’s house, I became distracted by a lizard crossing the path. In a split second, I lost control of the bike and took a tumble into one of her garden beds. I lay there, staring at the sky, inundated with the most beautiful and peculiar smell—one that made me float like the clouds, at which I was suddenly looking. The aromatic sensation made my 8-year-old brain instantly happy. “Look at what you’ve done to my rosemary bushes,” Aunt Ellen said while helping me up. “Now you smell like rosemary,” she said as she smiled and brushed dirt and leaves off me. Now whenever I smell rosemary, I think of that exact time and place—the time when I discovered the fragrant herb and how it made me feel. It’s like hearing a song that reminds you of a person, place or time. The smell of fresh herbs can invoke what psychologists refer to as associative memory. Having worked in kitchens most of my life, the aromas of fresh herbs evoke memories of certain preparations: parsley in a shrimp boil, oregano in tomato sauce, thyme and sage in roasted turkey, to name a few. As summer turns to fall in Oregon, I like to preserve all these flavors and aromas. Making your own herb salts is an effective way to add flavor and character to foods. Customize the blend based on which fresh herbs you like, or what you may have growing in your garden. These blends also make wonderful holiday gifts. Here’s my recipe for an all-purpose herb salt. This salt is my go-to for seasoning a roast chicken, blending into mashed potatoes or as a finishing salt for pasta.
Thor’s Oregon Harvest Herb Salt YIELDS ROUGHLY 3/4 CUP • 1/2 cup Jacobsen Salt Co.’s coarse sea salt • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary • 4 sprigs fresh thyme • 4 fresh sage leaves Oregon Harvest Herb Salt is perfect for roast chicken, mashed potatoes or to top a good pasta.
Wash the herbs (rosemary, sage and thyme) and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Separate the stems from the leaves. Only use the leaves, as the
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
stems will give a bitter taste to the salt. Use a chef’s knife to rough chop the herbs into ¼-inch pieces. Put the salt and herbs together in a food processor or grinder. Blend until it is a smooth, refined green salt. Pour the salt onto a dinner plate and spread it out. Leave it uncovered on the plate for a few hours or overnight—this will allow it to dry out enough that it will keep well. Pack it in clean, dry jars for gifts or for future use.
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home + design
Home + Design
Three Bathrooms, One Designer
Interior designer Kristyn Bester reveals how to merge modern functionality with the old soul of three historic homes written by Melissa Dalton DURING A college semester abroad in Florence, Italy, native Portlander Kristyn Bester made a discovery that shaped her future career path in interior design. “I am so impacted by the experience of a place, and that’s what drives me,” Bester said. “I want to improve people’s experience of their home and give them something that’s reflective of themselves, their experiences, and their own life journey.” After college, Bester worked with a variety of Portland design-build firms, before opening her eponymous firm, Kristyn Bester Design, six years ago. Since then, she’s cultivated a love for older homes and historic preservation, whether in a whole house remodel or single bathroom overhaul. “I always want the original details of the home to speak to me about how we’re going to design,” Bester said. Here’s three of Bester’s recent bathroom projects that do just that.
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The bathroom in this Eastmoreland home shows nicely with the custom vanity as it opens to a dining room.
ABOVE The custom vanity. BELOW Penny tile flooring meets terracotta-colored tile for a warm reception.
EASTMORELAND
Old and New Mix in Expanded Family Bath
Photos: Shane McKenzie/Portland Imagery
Previously, the original shared bathroom in this SE Portland Craftsman was cramped, thanks to a tiny pedestal sink and corner shower unit wherein the bather’s elbows routinely grazed the walls. Bester started by co-opting an equally small office nearby to create a larger bathroom with more generous fixtures, plenty of storage, and an elegant aesthetic that works for guests and family alike. The room’s location next to the dining room was a challenge. “We knew that the door would often be open,” said Bester, who therefore prioritized making the sightline into the bathroom as pretty as possible. Now, the custom vanity is framed by the doorway, with extra storage cabinets to the left, and the toilet and an enlarged shower tucked out of sight around the corner. “We really wanted to juxtapose period details with more contemporary finishes,” said Bester. Creamy white cabinet fronts balance streamlined and raised panel doors, with slim black metal pulls. A traditional penny tile floor is joined by a slim vertical tile backsplash that rises to wainscot height. The marble counter and brass faucets read classic, while a rich terracotta-colored tile forms an accent wall in the shower, with wider horizontal grout lines for a modern twist. The final touch is a fir shelf that runs along the length of the wainscot. “That shelf picks up on a lot of the original fir details in the rest of the house,” said Bester. “We wanted to make sure that everything felt cohesive with what they already had going on.” SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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Photos: Clara Johnson/Cap & Feather Photography
home + design
ABOVE, FROM LEFT The emerald-green tile, luxurious shower and surrounding forest make this bathroom feel and live much larger. A pedestal sink helps save space.
COUNCIL CREST
A Jewelbox En-suite Lives Larger Than Its 36 Square Feet This 1925 Colonial Revival sits on an oversized lot with rolling hills of grass and groves of mature trees that can be seen through the many windows. Before, the main floor had a single bathroom shared by two bedrooms. In a whole house remodel, Bester reconfigured the plan to create an en-suite bedroom with a full bathroom on the main floor, as well as a separate powder bath for guests. Bester’s redesign of the petite en-suite bathroom—it’s just 6 feet by 6 feet—revolves around a luxurious walk-in shower wrapped in vibrant green tile for a jewel box effect. The tile neatly encases the shower’s window jambs for extra waterproofing. “If we didn’t use the whole space for the shower, than 36 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
we might have otherwise created an even more awkward and compartmentalized room,” Bester said. “So, the thought is to have one really standout moment.” A minimally framed glass wall creates enclosure without further chopping up the small space, while the toilet and pedestal sink share circulation to save room. Classic details are sprinkled throughout to sync with the house’s era, like the marble window and shower niche ledges, hex floors and stone curb, as well as the polished nickel faucets and wall sconces. “Even though it’s a tiny room, it still feels luxurious,” Bester said. “It’s super private, with a forest backdrop, so it feels like you’re showering outside.”
home + design
ABOVE A custom walnut vanity and Ann Sacks backsplash. AT RIGHT Textured linear tile and tongue and groove ceiling preserve the original Rummer aesthetic.
BEAVERTON
Mid-century enthusiasts in Portland are no stranger to “Rummers.” Robert Rummer was a local builder and developer who, between 1959 and 1975, built 750 homes spread throughout the metro area. About half of these were completed in the modernist style, including floor-to-ceiling glass that brings the outdoors in, vaulted tongue and groove ceilings, and an open layout surrounding an interior atrium. Bathrooms were notable for their radiant heat concrete floors and sunken Roman-style baths. A couple years ago, the owner of this 1970 Rummer in Beaverton was ready to update the primary bathroom, which had been remodeled in the ’90s and was looking worn. Bester kept the existing layout, then swapped in new fixtures and finishes that would feel organic, serene, and sympathetic to the home’s Mid-century spirit. Now, an Ann Sacks mosaic stone tile lines the backsplash behind the custom walnut vanity, which has a concrete counter with integrated sink, in keeping with the preserved floors. In the next room, textured linear tile covers the floor and sunken shower, with simple walnut shelves and a brass globe light fixture echoing the materials at the vanity. Exposed tongue and groove ceilings knit the two spaces together, as does a simple Fir threshold that marries the new tile and patched concrete. “Some people would really shy away from an old house’s imperfections,” Bester said. “But these are the things that I love because it gives the home its soul.”
Photos: Clara Johnson/Cap & Feather Photography
A Remodeled Rummer Combines Mid-century Attitude with Spa Details
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home + design
DIY
Backyard Murphy Bar EVER START setting up for a backyard barbeque and realize you need just a pinch more table space? This is a cool project that takes the idea of a Murphy bed—that’s where a full-sized bed can fold up into a cabinet—and applies the concept to creating a fold-down table. This is ideal for smaller yards and makes for easy storage when the party is over: just close up the table and latch it. The finished installation will look like a hanging cabinet. A NOTE ABOUT SIZE For explanation purposes, these instructions are for a cabinet that’s about 36 inches tall and 24 inches wide. These dimensions could be tweaked, depending on available wall space and functional purpose. For instance, if you want to be able to have two people sit at the folddown table, the top should be 24 inches wide for comfort.
BUILD THE TABLETOP The tabletop will have a supporting frame and a top. Cut a 1x4 cedar board into two lengths that are 34.5 inches, and two lengths that are 22 inches. Insert the shorter boards inside the longer boards. Cut several 1x6 boards to form the top, keeping the edges flush with the frame, and attach with finish nails. (The goal is for the tabletop to fit inside the
1 ASSEMBLE THE CABINET FRAME Cut a 1x8 cedar board into two lengths that are 36 inches, and two lengths that are 22 inches. Set the shorter pieces inside the longer sides, making sure all four corners of the box are flush. Use screws to attach the boards together to form the frame. Next, cut four lengths of a cedar 1x2 to 34.5 inches in length. These will fit inside the box to add support to the back of the cabinet. Last, insert a piece of plywood, about 22 inches x 34.5 inches, into the frame, making sure the supports are on the back side. Finish with paint, stain or sealant. 2
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INSTALL SHELVES Cut a 1x6 cedar board to 34.5 inches; this will be the center support for the interior shelves. Then cut two pieces of a cedar 1x6 to about 10.625 inches each. These are the interior shelves. Install a shelf on each side with finish nails. Finish with paint, stain or sealant. 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
cabinet box when closed.) Finish with paint, stain or sealant. 4
BUILD AND ATTACH LEG FRAME The legs will be a frame matching in size to the tabletop frame, also using cedar 1x4s. Finish with paint, stain or sealant. Attach this frame to the tabletop frame with cabinet hinges, making sure all sides are flush and line up.
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FINISH Install the cabinet box to a wall or fence using hanging hardware. Position the tabletop so the finished top faces the interior of the cabinet. Line up all the edges and attach with gate hinges affixed to the bottom of the cabinet frame. When closed, the leg frame should rest against the tabletop frame. Use a hook and eyelet to keep the tabletop in place when folded up. Unlatch the hook to bring the table down.
717 SW 10th Ave Portland, OR 97205 503.223.4720 www.maloys.com
For fine antique and custom jewelry, or for repair work, come visit us, or shop online at Maloys.com. We also buy.
home + design
Colorful Bath Accessories These trays are an eye-catcher, thanks to their gorgeous color pairings—such as purple and neon peach, or mint and hot pink—and unique marbled look. Made by Misshandled in the U.K. and carried at the Portland shop Mantel, they have a unique oblong shape and consist of jesmonite, a water-based human-made material. Use them for a counter catchall, or just to display on its own. www.mantelpdx.com
Danish furniture company Hay is the go-to for functional, colorful designs. Case in point: their bestselling Check Towel, which comes in several different shades and can be used for the bath, poolside or beach day. Plus, it feels as good as it looks, thanks to the absorbent OEKOTEX Standard 100 certified cotton, for a little extra ecofriendly cred. www.us.hay.com
The Zigazagah Soap Dish from Portland’s Pigeon Toe Ceramics is a quirky take on a bathroom staple. The zigzag shape keeps soap from sliding, while the shiny finish, glazed to order in one of four glossy hues, is easy to clean. www.pigeontoeceramics.com
Sure, you could stick with a boring neutral wastebasket, but why do so when these Pattern Bins exist? Their bright colors and unexpected patterns, designed by Ellen Van Dusen of Dusen Dusen, will make them a cheerful addition to any bathroom. Found at Woonwinkel. www.woonwinkelhome.com
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Nishat Akhtar
Pedro Ruíz
Cleo Barnett
Chuck McBride
Bernard Troyer
October 26 - 27, 2023 A two-day creative conference with talks, problem-solving workshops, films, and experiences challenging designers to think differently and design with the future in mind.
Get Tickets!
BendDesign.org
Elodie Mailliet Storm
Phoebe Anderson-Kline
Jeremy Okai Davis has completed four of the ten portraits of Oregon Black pioneers commissioned by the Salem Art Association, including newspaper editor Beatrice Morrow Cannady (left) and midwife Sybil Harber.
Photos: Daniel O’Neil
artist in residence
Built between 1877 and 1878, the Bush House Museum now belongs to the City of Salem and is managed by the Salem Art Association.
In Equal Colors
Jeremy Okai Davis paints new life and perspective into Oregon’s Black pioneers written by Daniel O’Neil
IF THE PEN proves mightier than the sword, art can speak louder than words. The emerging portraits of Black pioneers in Salem’s Bush House Museum peer calmly outward, but their gaze asks viewers serious questions, questions that painter Jeremy Okai Davis both poses and answers in his work. Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Davis moved to Portland in 2007. He had already earned a BFA in painting from the University of North Carolina and was looking for a new start as an artist. But first he had to get acquainted with his new home. “Go back and look at my art—it wasn’t always front of my mind to tell the story of my people,” Davis said. “To be honest, when I moved here, I wasn’t keyed in on the history of Oregon. I wasn’t as in tune with the salty history that we had here.” As far back as 1849, Oregon’s constitution prohibited new Black residents, making it the only free state to join the Union
with such an exclusion clause. Rarely enforced, Oregon voters still did not repeal the law until 1926. In 1860, the state census recorded only 128 Black people living in Oregon. Fast-forward to 2015, as Donald Trump gained a grip on politics and unarmed Black men were frequently killed by police. Davis, now familiar with Oregon’s shady past, refined his focus. He started applying his skill, education and resources as an artist to validate Black Oregonians. “I wanted to tell more stories with my art and use it for good, as a means of educating others but also as a means of educating myself,” he said. SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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artist in residence
Davis began paintings that uncovered or elaborated on Black Images of Oregon’s earliest Black residents can be difficult to people whose stories were never fully or truthfully told. In 2021, find, but the Oregon Black Pioneers nonprofit has assisted Dahe formed part of a five-person exhibition titled Black Matter, vis with its collection. Intisar Abioto, curator of the upcoming which spoke to the underrepresentation of Black artists in Ore- Portland Art Museum exhibition Black Oregonians, which will gon. Tammy Jo Wilson curated Black Matter, and she is also di- include Davis’ portrait of Beatrice Morrow Kennedy, considers rector of museum exhibits and programming at the Bush House each newfound image a treasure. Museum in Salem, where the exhibition culminated. “The story grows with each person that shares about these As it reconciles the racist legacy of its founder, the Bush people and these communities,” Abioto said. “Jeremy is reconHouse Museum conceived textualizing that story and aca new project that relied on tually bringing life and color Davis’ emotive portraiture. In back into the images of these collaboration with the Elizapeople and their lives. His work beth Leach Gallery in Portland, is intuitive, important and inwhich represents Davis, the vestigative in a way that is acBlack Pioneers project found cessible to us here today.” direction. Composed of ten In the new America Walpaintings, the exhibition undo Bogle Gallery at the Bush veils only a few at a time, every House Museum, a family porsix months, to keep the convertrait of the gallery’s namesake sation going. pioneer holds distinction. Da— Jeremy Okai Davis So far, Davis has produced vis thought it important to four portraits of early Black have her whole family in the Oregonians in a style that bridges eras. “Jeremy’s use of vibrant house, as a slap in the face to its previous, racist owner. But the colors, combined with a modern graphic designer’s sensibility, painting, like the others in the Black Pioneers series and in Daadded a contemporary feel to portraits of historic figures,” said vis’ other works, also stands out for its style. Wilson, curator of Black Pioneers. Rather than blend paint, Davis practices a pointillism based Davis’ approach provides a renewed perspective and invites a on the pixelation of low-resolution digital images. Little dabs of broad audience. His lively portraits of Black pioneers in Oregon pixelated pink or blue accompany the range of usual skin tones, invite inquisitiveness and introspection from the art world, but likewise presented as single-color dabs. The technique gave Daalso from everyday viewers. “It brings a different angle of en- vis a deeper understanding of his subject matter. tryway into the knowledge of the existence of these important “When I’m working on these paintings, I’m squeezing the Black Oregonians,” Davis said. “Stories have been told, but may- paint onto the palette, and for black skin, white skin, whatever be they haven’t gotten to all the eyes and ears that they need to. race I’m painting, I’m using the same materials,” he said. “There I want to create a curiosity with the paintings that makes people may be a bit more of a burnt or a peach tone, but all these same want to dig deeper.” colors go into everybody.”
“I wanted to tell more stories with my art and use it for good, as a means of educating others but also as a means of educating myself.”
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Photos, from left: Courtesy of Salem Art Association’s Permanent Collection, the artist and Elizabeth Leach Gallery, the artist and Elizabeth Leach Gallery
FROM LEFT Jeremy Okai Davis’ The Bogles (America Waldo Bogle and Family), part of the Black Pioneers series; Thelma Study (Thelma Johnson Streat); and Wink (Jimmy Winkfield).
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pg. 50 Four decades of waves served at Lincoln City Surf Shop.
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A New Law to Jump-start Oregon Solar Production New powers shut down local interference and allow for larger solar farms written by Grant Stringer | illustration by Maggie Wauklyn OREGON HAS pledged to generate its energy from renewable sources, but getting there is another story. In July, Gov. Tina Kotek signed a new state law that’s expected to boost the construction of solar farms in Central and Eastern Oregon and help push the Beaver State closer to its net-zero future. Electricity is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon. The sector accounted for 18 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent in 2021, second only to transportation among polluting sectors of the state economy. The good news: Oregon has a big head start in the transition to renewable energy compared to other states because of the more than 100 hydroelectric facilities on our rivers. 48 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
Solar energy, however, powers just 2 percent of the state’s energy mix. And solar farms may become more needed as widespread adoption of electric appliances, cars and machinery spikes demand for electricity in the coming decades. “We think we’re really friendly to solar in this state,” state Rep. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, told a state Senate committee this spring. “Not really.” Helm is an expert on climate change and environmental policy who also sits on the Oregon Global Warming Commission. He’s not content with “magical thinking” about the challenges of decarbonizing the grid. During the legislative session, which wrapped up in late June, Helm sponsored House Bill 3179 to jump-start the solar photovoltaic industry. The law, which passed with bipartisan support, expands the maximum size of solar farms that can be permitted by county governments. Solar developers supported raising the caps. The maximums depend on the kind of land slated for development. For example, the limit for “high-value farmland” spikes from 160 acres to 240 acres under the new law. Land of less agricultural value could now see solar projects as large as 3,840 acres, an increase from the old cap of 1,920 acres. Helm said he introduced the bill because solar developers were waiting in the wings to build larger installations that make more financial sense. The new law is another example of Oregon politicians and energy experts trying to strike a balance between the dire need to cut fossil fuel emissions and damage to agriculture and local ecosystems that big, industrial power production projects can cause. Oregon has relatively restrictive land use rules on the books to protect farmland. But in 2021, lawmakers required the state’s largest utilities to slash greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity sold to Oregon customers by at least 80 percent by 2030. Renewables projects often impact people and wildlife in spacious, rural areas that are of most interest to developers, especially in Central and Eastern Oregon where the sun’s shine is more reliable. Urbanites who support green energy are often surprised that wind and solar projects in rural areas sometimes see opposition from locals who are ideologically opposed to climate action or don’t want developments in sight—or both. Importantly, the new law allows county governments to continue controlling the permitting process for solar farms under 3,840 acres. But it bans county boards and courts from killing a developer’s proposal just because it’s for a solar farm. Republicans and Democrats think the law is a good compromise that will push the state electricity sector toward net-zero. This year, the Global Warming Commission projected Oregon may meet its first climate goal of a 45 percent cut in emissions by 2035. The state’s average temperature has increased 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels over the last century. Scientists have attributed a rash of natural disasters to climate change, including destructive wildfires, drought and the 2021 heat dome event that killed about 100 people in Oregon.
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what i’m working on Lincoln City Surf Shop owner Mike Jipp.
Surfing memorabilia adorns Lincoln City Surf Shop and the Pacific Northwest Surfing Museum.
A Surf Shop Holds It Down on the Central Coast The small shop at the center of a big wave scene written by Grant Stringer | photography by Richard Darbonne FOR FORTY years, locals and tourists have flocked to Lincoln City Surf Shop for gear and advice about riding waves on the gnarly Oregon Coast. The little shop is right off of Highway 101 on the town’s main drag. It’s so packed with surfboards, skateboards and boogie boards that some even hang from the ceiling. Whether you’re just getting into the sport or you’ve long complained about newcomers crowding lesserknown breaks, the shop is a muststop for boards, wetsuits, apparel and rentals. Manager Kavan Boyd will get you outfitted in no time. Lincoln City is the state’s surfing mecca, so if you hang out for long enough, you’ll learn something just by osmosis. The shop shares space with the Pacific Northwest Surfing Museum, a testament to the first Oregonians courageous enough to don wetsuits and hunt for swells in the Pacific’s icy waters. And half a mile offshore is the Nelscott Reef, an underwater rock
formation that whips up waves as huge as fifty feet. It’s Oregon’s biggest wave and home to the only big wave surfing event in the state, which has had a run of almost two decades. Boyd, who grew up in Lincoln City, has surfed his whole life. Since he was a kid, he said surfing has helped propel interest in the coastal community of about 10,000 residents, whose economy relies to a large extent on tourism during the summer months. Tourists are hungry to get in the water. “Everyone wants to try it out,” Boyd said. “Especially if it’s their first time at the beach.” Like many outdoor activities, interest in surfing the Oregon Coast has waxed and waned in recent years. Some years, the shop is hectic. In others, it can be pretty sleepy, Boyd said. He’s not sure why, but he guesses the Covid-19 pandemic and changes in the economy shape surf tourism.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Surf shop manager Kavan Boyd. The shop is packed with surfboards, skateboards and boogie boards. The surf shop is open every day of the week.
But life is good this year. Boyd said the shop is fairly busy, and he’s loving being there, where he’s surrounded by something so close to his heart on a daily basis. Boyd himself surfs a shortboard, which he doesn’t recommend for folks just getting into the sport. Shortboards are easier to maneuver in whitewater—which the Oregon Coast can have a lot of during winter storm swells—and allow for fast drop-ins and big cutbacks. But they’re less buoyant and harder to catch a wave on. For a beginner looking to buy their first board, Boyd recommends the tried-and-true progression: Start with a longboard, maybe one with a soft top. As you become comfortable paddling into waves and popping up, move down to an eight- or seven-footer. From there, you can try the shortboards that Boyd and other experts ride. 52 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
It’s no secret that Oregon has some killer waves that are far less crowded than their California counterparts. But conditions are often less than ideal: mushy beach breaks abound in the summer and massive, chaotic swells hammer the coast in the winter and spring. It may take a few sessions to even stand up on the board, Boyd says. He cautions patience when getting into a humbling sport such as surfing. The shop also has a small selection of skateboard decks, trucks and wheels. It’s just ten minutes away from the famed Lincoln City Skatepark, a park with massive vert features that Thrasher Magazine once dubbed the gnarliest skatepark in the United States. Lincoln City Surf Shop is located at 4792 SE Highway 101, Lincoln City. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the week.
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my workspace
Dreams On Fire A couple’s foray into community building through ancient cooking techniques written by Joni Kabana photography by Aubrie LeGault 54
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Meat and vegetables hang from a fire dome during Tournant’s recent Oregon Asado event near Dundee.
my workspace
IN FO
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S See m online ore photo s a orego t www.185 9 nm com/ agazine. tourn ant
Tournant owners Jaret Foster and Mona Johnson visit with event attendees.
During both of their childhoods, Mona Johnson and Jaret Foster spent a lot of time in the great outdoors growing and eating bountiful food choices. While a natural progression for both of them was ending up working in professional kitchens, they also both shared a dream of creating a more immersive dining experience. In 2009, the couple met and bonded over their love of food, farms, nature and community building while working at Portland Farmers Market, a nonprofit organization that organizes various farmers’ markets. They began to formulate a plan centering on a new way of cooking that would engage and inspire both themselves and their guests. Tournant, their open-fire cooking and events company, was born out of this shared vision.
Tournant’s signature offering is an unparalleled outdoor dining experience using farm-to-fire cooking techniques allowing them to spend time outside in nature creating rustic and delicious seasonal food cooked over the open flames.
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Leaping into entrepreneurship posed many significant challenges, especially as they entered into the competitive, slim-margined food and hospitality business. Starting small and growing organically, Tournant was launched in Portland with renowned support for innovative and quirky dining experiences. After first launching Oyster Social, a mobile raw bar service, they began hosting pop-ups and collaborative dinners and events before eventually leasing a kitchen and private dining room in Portland and now in Oregon wine country.
“We really enjoy hosting dinners in locations that provide our guests with a unique and immersive experience that allows them to engage with their surroundings. We love being outside in nature when possible. Cooking over fire means that we can take our mobile fire kitchen to some very special locations, often outdoors or with little to no amenities. We’ve cooked in meadows of wildflowers and desert mesas, on beaches, riverbanks and boats, in vineyards, barns and olive groves, in snow, sleet and rain, under the sun, moon and stars.”
Foster and Johnson believe food and fire both have the power to draw people together via warmth, community, entertainment and nourishment and that these things conjure a primal part of who we are. “It’s a beautiful thing to witness guests slow down and connect with their surroundings, the fire and the cooking process. By the time they come to the table, they already feel invested in the meal and a part of the experience. It’s a transformational process that builds community and allows even strangers to become friends.”
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Diners gather for a fire-cooked meal during a recent Tournant event.
While many of us may harbor a desire to cook over open flames, the process is not simple and is often unreliable. A vital part of Tournant’s business model is to share their craft teaching workshops and sharing the process through demonstrations. “Our greatest wish is that by attending our events, workshops and retreats, or even cooking from our digital cookbooks or following along on our adventures through Instagram, you will be inspired to get outside and connect with nature, to care about the many hands who farm, fish, forage and craft your food, and to enjoy nourishing yourselves and loved ones.” Connect with fellow guests that love food, fire and nature by attending a dinner or workshop. Find more information at www.tournantpdx.com LEARN MORE
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game changer Satoshi Eto/TravelOregon.com
The Oregon Coast is all public land thanks to two progressive governors.
Connecting Coastal Miles The Oregon Coast Trail Foundation hopes to unify the 400-mile trek written by James Sinks FOR LONGDISTANCE hikers, the coast is calling. For now, in places, it can also be risky to answer. A tantalizing array of multiday trek options crisscross Oregon, from the recently completed 62-mile Corvallis to the Sea Trail, to the 670-mile Timber Trail into southeast Oregon, to the state’s 455-mile segment of the granddaddy Pacific Crest Trail. Not on that list, at least not yet, is a contiguous border-toborder route following Oregon’s rocky, forested, sandy, and spellbinding Pacific coastline. But momentum is building to complete one, in several camps. A thicket of government agencies and local organizations, from the Oregon departments overseeing transportation and parks to coastal chambers of commerce, are in the throes of 58
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researching how to link several separate trails into a single, safe, roughly 400-mile route from south of Bandon to the mouth of the Columbia, via footpaths, beaches and boat shuttles. State lawmakers nudged the idea forward in 2017, and officials are presently focused on reducing the non-trail gaps, which account for about 40 miles where walkers have to follow heavily traveled U.S. Highway 101. Notoriously dangerous for pedestrians and bikers, the swervy ribbon of highway often has narrow shoulders or—in the case of the tunnel through Devil’s Elbow near the Heceta Head Lighthouse—no separation from traffic at all. Passing through seven counties and thirty-five cities, the Oregon Coast Trail was formally declared “hikable” in 1988 but with acknowledgment it’s not a single, straight shot. A blueprint to connect it all is being finished this year. And as government officials and trail advocates brainstorm ways to reduce trail gaps, there’s also recognition that government funding won’t cover all the gaps of the financial sort. That gave rise to the fledgling Oregon Coast Trail Foundation, launched four years ago following conversations with trail users, county officials and coastal business interests who hope hikers bring their wallets in their backpacks.
“This is a color-of-money issue, and there are things government funding won’t touch: We are going to need private and philanthropic investment as well,” said board chair Greg Wolf, a Portland nonprofit leader who is no stranger to bringing governments and businesses together. A longtime county and state-level planner and adviser, he created a national consensus-building think tank at Portland State University and also launched and led the collaboration-seeking Community Solutions Team in the administration of former Gov. John Kitzhaber. With the state’s coastal trail feasibility analysis about to the finish line, Wolf said it’s time for the foundation to start gearing up to raise money. “This is a pretty major undertaking and a tremendous opportunity for our state,” he said. Financing will be needed not just to complete and connect the route, but also to maintain it in a place where the weather and ocean aren’t always friendly. Unlike the Corvallis to the Sea Trail, there aren’t many envisioned parts of the coast route that would need to go through private land—in large part because so many miles are on the beach itself, he said. All of Oregon’s Pacific Ocean frontage is open to the public, thanks to Gov. Oswald West who declared beaches a highway in 1913, and later Gov. Tom McCall, whose Beach Bill in 1967 ensured access from the vegetation line to the sea. The Oregon Coast Trail Foundation was created in partnership with the Oregon Coast Visitors Association, the region’s state-assigned tourism marketing organization. If you search online for the Oregon Coast Trail, you’re likely to land on the foundation’s splashy website, which offers a section-by-section guide, broken into ten parts of varying lengths, such as the 68 miles from Heceta Head to North Bend, and 36 miles from Fort Stevens to Oswald West State Park. In addition to spreading the word to both single-day and through-hikers plus drumming up local business support, the foundation is working to post interpretive signs and install yes-you’re-on-the-trail directional “confidence markers” along the way. The hiking trail isn’t the only effort to get people to get out of their cars along the coast. There’s also the Oregon Coast Bike Route, which largely follows Highway 101. There’s similar tourism and economic potential for both, said Marcus Hinz, the director of the coastal visitors association. There are some similar hiking trails in Europe, where—unlike more remote routes like the Pacific Crest Trail—you don’t need to lug sleeping gear, he said.
TravelOregon.com
game changer
The Oregon Coast Trail is protected in some areas but exposed to car traffic in others.
“It’s a trail you can hike during the day and stay overnight in a hotel,” he said. “It will be such a great economic development opportunity for little cities up and down the coast.” The coast trail already has fans, including Eugene author and hiker Bonnie Henderson, who has penned two guides of day trips along the current route, one of them focused on families with kids. She also maintains a website with up-to-date trail conditions and tips at www.hikingtheoct.com. She recommends, among many things, hiking southbound and in the summer, to keep gusty tradewinds at your back. “I’ve hiked other long-distance routes in the United States and Europe,” she wrote on her website, “and I keep coming back to the Oregon Coast Trail.” MORE ONLINE
To learn more about the Oregon Coast Trail Foundation, visit www.oregoncoasttrail.org. Detailed maps of current Oregon Coast Trail sections are available at www.oregoncoasttrail.org/maps
“It’s a trail you can hike during the day and stay overnight in a hotel. It will be such a great economic development opportunity for little cities up and down the coast.” — Marcus Hinz, Oregon Coast Visitors Association executive director
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SPOOKIEST PLACES IN OREGON THESE SEVEN HAUNTED VENUES WILL MAKE BELIEVERS OUT OF THE DIS-SPIRITED written by Jean Chen Smith | illustrations by Allison Bye HALLOWEEN IS THE ideal time to reconnect with your inner child. Remember sitting around the campfire, listening to ghost stories, and not being able to fall asleep because you were so scared? Or how about plotting your trick-ortreat route so you could maximize your treat bag? Even though the 31st of October is one day out of the entire year, some of us spend the whole month either decorating, planning a costume party or making a costume for our kiddos. Beyond the home, there are also a ton of events to check out. “Halloween is an iconic time to see unique sights in fall colors from the Coast to the Cascades,” said Kari Westlund, president and CEO of Travel Lane County. This year, if you are in the mood to get spooked, visit one of our seven picks to see for yourself whether you believe in the supernatural or not. These spots not only provide entertainment and intrigue, but they also allow us a glimpse back in the state’s history.
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Perhaps its the isolation (or the plunge to the water) of Heceta Head Lighthouse and its B&B that gives it an extra spooky feeling. (photo: Thomas Moser/ Eugene, Cascades & Coast)
FLORENCE
HECETA LIGHTHOUSE BED & BREAKFAST
Look for a woman in Victorian garb at Heceta Lighthouse B&B. (photo: Natalie Inouye/Eugene, Cascades & Coast)
Built in 1894, the Heceta Head Lighthouse is perched more than 200 feet high, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Currently still operating and considered one of the most iconic lighthouses in the Pacific Northwest, stories of haunted sightings have stuck throughout the decades. Adjacent to the towering lighthouse is the Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast, which has been running since 1995. According to local lore, an innkeeper’s wife named Rue and their two children resided on the property, until one of the daughters drowned. Former guests and staff of the bed and breakfast report seeing
a woman in Victorian-style dress wandering the house and grounds. Perhaps the most famous sighting was recorded in the Siuslaw News in 1975, when a laborer was cleaning a window in the attic and claimed to have seen a reflection of an old woman in antiquated clothing. Thinking about visiting? Fodor’s Travel once named Heceta Lighthouse B&B one of the “most haunted hotels in America.” The hotel offers six rooms, where the lightkeepers and their wives used to sleep. Victoria’s Room is the most requested because the room has had the most reported encounters of the supernatural. / www.heceta
lighthouse.com
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ASTORIA
FLAVEL HOUSE & LIBERTY THEATRE Astoria is the oldest city in the state, which means it has lots of history and stories surrounding it. Every time I visit Astoria, I do feel a sense of mystery that seems to envelop the town. Maybe it is the fog, or the cries of the sea lions that hide beneath the planks of the waterfront. I am not alone. In his book Haunted Astoria (2006), author Jefferson Davis highlights a collection of accounts of ghostly and paranormal encounters. Two of the most well-known haunted places are the Flavel House Museum and the Liberty Theatre, both brimming with history. Originally built in 1885, the grand Queen Anne Victorian Flavel House belonged to the esteemed Captain George Flavel, who lived there with his wife and two adult daughters, until his death in 1893. The house was left to his family, who eventually donated it to the Clatsop County Historical Society in 1950 and is now run as a museum. Accounts of voices, music and apparitions of a man and woman have been reported. Some believe the sound of music playing comes from the captain’s daughters, who were talented musicians.
The Liberty Theatre, a longrunning vaudeville playhouse, has been operating since 1925, bringing famous acts including Duke Ellington, Jack Benny, and Guy Lombardo. Some profess the 700-seat theater to be haunted. Reports of ghost sightings, soda machines turning on and off by themselves, rattling door knobs as well as sudden changes in temperature have been made. In addition to these two locations, the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures has featured the town for even more unexplained occurrences and disasters. / www.visittheoregoncoast. com/cities/astoria
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At the Flavel House Museum, listen for music coming from Captain George Flavel’s daughters, who have been dead for a century. (photo: Joni Kabana/TravelOregon.com)
Baseless laughter and footsteps can sometimes be heard at Eugene’s Shelton McMurphey Johnson House. (photo: Michael Sherman/Eugene, Cascades & Coast)
EUGENE
SHELTON MCMURPHEY JOHNSON HOUSE McMurphey, and her husband, Listed under the National Register of Historic Places, Robert. Alberta and Robert resided in the house for more than the Shelton McMARK YOUR Murphey Johnson House CALENDAR fifty years before they sold it has a rich history. Built in Oct. 13 and 14: to Dr. H. Curtis Johnson. Edgar Allan Walking into the museum 1888, the Queen Anne-style Poe Reading Victorian mansion is now is like stepping back in time. Price: $35 a museum that offers tours Much work has been done Time: 7 p.m. to maintain the integrity of and holds private events. The the historical period. To date, there mansion was home to three highly have not been any significant sightdistinguished families who contribings; however, visitors have claimed uted to the growth of Eugene. hearing footsteps and laughter when Upon his death, the original they are sure the area was vacant. / owner, Dr. T.W. Shelton, left the house to his daughter, Alberta www.smjhouse.org
COTTAGE GROVE
MOUNT DAVID MCFARLAND CEMETERY The Covered Bridge Capital of the West is well-known for its six covered bridges, but Cottage Grove is also a mysterious town, with stories of supernatural occurrences. The Mount David McFarland Cemetery is the resting place of colonists dating back to the 1850s. Locals and visitors purport to sense spirits in the cemetery. / www.visit cottagegrove.com
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BAKER CITY
GEISER GRAND HOTEL
GOLD HILL
OREGON VORTEX Strange things occur in Gold Hill, especially at the roadside attraction known as The Oregon Vortex, which opened in the 1930s. It showcases more than thirty-five odd occurrences that defy logical explanation, including balls that roll uphill and a house that is tilted from the outside, but appears perfectly level on the inside. These have been documented by the first owner of the Vortex, John Litster, through a series of diagrams and notes in The Accumulated Notes and Data. About a forty-minute drive away is the historic Wolf Creek Inn, the oldest known hotel in Oregon, where the famous author Jack London used to frequent. Built in 1883, the hotel retains its old-fashioned charm with real wood floors and Victorian décor. Guests have reported hearing someone singing even though there is not a person in sight, along with staff who have felt a presence, or someone brushing up against them. Paranormal investigators, who visited with ghost-hunting equipment, claimed spirits are present. Recognized as a State Heritage Site, ranger-led tours are available but need to be booked in advance. Self-guided tours are available Thursday through Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. / www.oregonvortex.com,
Originally named the the property in 1993. Familiar with Hotel Warshauer, the restoring and renovating properties, Geiser Grand the Sidways reopened the MARK YOUR Hotel opened in 1889 and hotel in 1996, offering thirty CALENDAR was the epitome of luxury rooms with modern ameniOct. 14: Ghost Hunting and opulence. Centered on ties such as air conditioning, Oct. 20-22: an Italian-Victorian design, televisions and refrigerators, Witches Weekend while maintaining historical the hotel featured marble Oct. 28: floors, crystal chandeliers aesthetics. Masquerade Ball and a stained-glass ceiling, Purported ghost stories Nov. 4: Ghost believed to be the largest include dining chairs movHunting in the Pacific Northwest at ing by themselves, children See www. the time. It had a four-story laughing, clinking glasses geisergrand. com/events clock tower and 200-footand a shadowy figure in for additional high cupola, and it offered the cupola suite. Perhaps event information eighty guest rooms. the most well-known ghost In the 1800s, Baker City was a story told is the Lady in Blue, who is thriving epicenter of activity, often believed to be Annabelle Geiser, the referred to as the “Queen City of the matriarch of the family. She roams Mines,” largely because of the gold the hallways in a long blue dress, rediscovered in the area in the 1860s. flective of the time, and is purported The town had a saloon, banks, opera to sometimes be seen in room 302, house and general store. where she used to sleep. The hotel The hotel switched hands from has been the subject of many parathe Warshauer brothers, the originormal investigations and is believed nal builders, to the Geiser family in to be one of the most haunted places 1900 and was renamed the Geiser in Oregon. / www.geisergrand.com Grand. Due to the decline of gold, the hotel closed in the 1960s, and the building fell into disrepair. The new owners, Barbara Sidway and her husband, Dwight, purchased
www.wolfcreekinn.com
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KLAMATH FALLS
OREGON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY The Oregon Institute of Technology started in 1947 as the Oregon Vocational School (OVS) in an old WWII Marine Corps barracks. No one knows why the school’s original building at Old Fort Road was abandoned abruptly. The campus was relocated to its new site in 1964 at 3201 Campus Dr. The building at Old Fort Road became derelict and sat unclaimed until it was demolished in the 1970s. Rumblings of satanic rituals adjacent to the school’s location and evidence of peculiar rock formations consisting of animal bones on them make this site downright spooky. Let’s not get started on witnesses who claim to have seen shadows and ghosts. / www.oit.edu
PURPORTED GHOST STORIES INCLUDE DINING CHAIRS MOVING BY THEMSELVES, CHILDREN LAUGHING, CLINKING GLASSES AND A SHADOWY FIGURE IN THE CUPOLA SUITE. PERHAPS THE MOST WELL-KNOWN GHOST STORY TOLD IS THE LADY IN BLUE, WHO IS BELIEVED TO BE ANNABELLE GEISER, THE MATRIARCH OF THE FAMILY.
The Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker City is said to be home to the “Lady in Blue.” (photo: Geiser Grand Hotel)
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W E S T C OA S T
In Portland, countless cars were crushed or immobilized by the storm. (photo: Oregon Historical Society)
HURRICANE T H E G R E AT C O L U M B U S D AY S T O R M O F 1 9 6 2 written by Sig Unander ack Capell was puzzled. As the veteran television meteorologist sat at his desk in the U.S. Weather Bureau office in Portland amid clacking teletypes and office chatter, he looked over routine weather reports that had come in that October morning. Reviewing the sketchy data, he thought he saw—or sensed—something unusual. Capell was no novice. Ten years into a long career as a meteorologist in the Pacific Northwest, his calm, professional on-air presence was familiar to viewers. He had previously served in World War II
as a U.S. Army infantry soldier, surviving almost a year of combat before helping to liberate prisoners from a Nazi death camp at Dachau. In 1962 there was no Doppler radar, satellite imagery or computer-generated models. Meteorologists relied on spotty ship reports, data from far-flung weather stations and their own experience with volatile northwest weather patterns. Television weathermen drew crude isobars and arrows on white boards as they explained forecasts to viewers. SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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In Portland, Capell studied conflicting data as he prepared to tape his regular 5:15 report for KGW radio, a powerful AM station that reached most of northwest Oregon. This new storm, like most, would probably track north, remain well offshore and dissipate. Bureau meteorologists issued an advisory warning but little more. Then he noticed something odd. One-by-one, coastal weather stations had ceased their hourly teletype reports. Propelled by its own surging momentum and pulled by an extreme low-pressure gradient, the monster storm had suddenly curved inland and was now funneling north through the Willamette Valley between the Cascade and Coast ranges with incredible velocity. An Air Force radar station on Mt. Hebo was hit by winds estimated at 175 mph and destroyed. Weather station personnel at Corvallis Airport logged a 127-mph gust, then abandoned the tower. In Eugene five died as the storm roared through the city, including a University of Oregon student whose heart was pierced by flying debris. At Oregon College of Education (Western Oregon UniThe Columbus Day Storm’s path. (photo: Bonneville Power Administration) versity) in Monmouth, Wes Luchau aimed a camera at the teetering bell tower atop historic Campbell Hall. An Air An early fall storm had slammed southwest Oregon the Force serviceman grabbed Luchau, steadying him in the previous day, causing some damage in the Coast Range but gale as the student photographer snapped an iconic photo had blown itself out. The Friday, Oct. 12, forecast was for of the falling tower. In Portland a gentle breeze stirred the crisp autumn clouds and a few showers. Good weather was expected on air. Sunlight filtered through broken clouds, baththe weekend. Portlanders were looking forward to ing the city in what some recalled as an eerie yelattending the Oregon State-University of Washlow glow. Capell had to make a decision: go with ington football game at Multnomah Stadium (Providence Park) on Saturday or driving up to his gut and warn that a killer storm was about Seattle before the World’s Fair closed for good. to hit Oregon’s largest city or repeat the earFar out in the central Pacific Ocean where lier weather advisory. At 5:08, he stepped into great windstorms form and fade, Typhoon Frea small booth, flipped on the mic and made the da was slowly dying. The Category Three storm KGW meteorologist Jack broadcast of his life. Capell. (KGW Television) had gradually weakened to a large low-pressure Capell then headed across town to join anchor area of unusually cold air that was now moving south from Richard Ross for the evening news on KGW television. He the Gulf of Alaska. turned on the car radio and heard himself say, “The worst Five hundred miles off San Francisco, the fast-moving storm I have ever seen is approaching Portland …” cold front collided with a warm semitropical airmass. Outside the air was still, the trees unmoving. “Omigod, Barometric pressures plummeted as violent eddies and did I really say that?” he thought. currents swirled within the layered mass. Like an atmoConvinced he had just committed career suicide, Capell spheric Frankenstein, the moribund front, infused with turned the car south onto Vancouver Avenue. Suddenly all warm, moist air, coalesced and began to rotate in a vast hell broke loose. counterclockwise vortex. At 10 a.m. that Friday, a ship west of northern Califormassive wall of black swirling clouds loomed in nia had reported a storm moving northeast. A Brazilian the gathering dusk. Ahead of it, powerful wind freighter clocked a wind gust at 100 mph. A U-2 spy plane blasts sheared off street signs, blew away billat 55,000 feet reported severe turbulence. Yet in the Wilboards and levitated roofs. Traffic lights danced lamette Valley the air remained clear and calm. crazily on their wires. The air filled with leaves, branches and
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A wind-blown board impaled a trailer home with deadly force. (photo: Pacific University Archives)
deadly shrapnel. Pieces of roofing, glass shards and boards became unguided missiles. At Portland Stockyards, the roof came off. A piece of it struck a visiting businessman in the head, killing him instantly. In the West Hills, picturesque lanes wound along timbered ridges where some of Portland’s wealthiest residents enjoyed spectacular views. As darkness enveloped the city, winds surged to thunderous crescendos. Living room picture windows rattled and flexed, threatening to implode. Chimneys toppled. Towering firs crashed down on manicured lawns, swimming pools and cars. Atop Sylvan Hill, antenna towers designed to withstand 100-mph loads swayed like drunken sailors as gusts strained their guy wires. Below, a carpet of amber street lights bisected by a dark swath of river shimmered across the cityscape in geometric patterns. Suddenly one section of lights went dark, followed by another and another, in an eerie chain reaction. Finally only part of the downtown core remained, an island of light in a sea of pitch black.
The bell tower on Campbell Hall at Oregon College of Education in Monmouth falls. (photo: Wes Luchau)
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The Price residence in Kelso, Washington, after the storm. (photo: author collection)
At Physicians and Surgeons Hospital in northwest Portland, an emergency operation was underway when the room was suddenly plunged into darkness. A backup generator failed. Nurses broke out flashlights, candles and a railroad lantern, and doctors continued the procedure. Longshoreman Francis Murnane left his job on the river docks early to drive home. “An incredible experience,” he recalled, “… (driving) through darkened streets and falling trees. Power lines littered the streets, illuminating the darkness with sporadic flashes of sputtering fire.” Capell drove madly through the chaos. Waved past a police roadblock he crossed Burnside, drove onto a sidewalk and raced into the television studio, ready for the upcoming newscast. “Relax, Jack,” an engineer drawled. “We’re off the air.” The new 640-foot steel television tower had crumpled to the ground. Somehow, the radio station’s transmitter and tower remained intact. The only station still on the air, KGW became a critical lifeline for listeners and an information source for public officials including Governor Mark Hatfield, monitoring it from an emergency command post at the Capitol Building in Salem. Station managers and television personnel crowded into the cramped radio control room where afternoon drive announcer Wes Lynch was reading phoned-in reports on air by candlelight. Capell took the mic, reading off barometric pressures and mounting wind speeds like a play-by-play announcer. For a moment, excitement overcame his measured calm. As a 93-mph gust tore weather instruments off the studio roof, he blurted, “And there goes the weather gauge, there goes the weather gauge!”
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A half mile east, a gauge on the Morrison Bridge read 116 mph. Upriver a massive World War II LST amphibious landing ship being scrapped at Zidell dismantling yard broke loose from its mooring. The darkened hulk drifted silently down the Willamette until it slammed into the Hawthorne Bridge. In Portland’s blacked-out commercial district, police car sirens wailed as the storm blasted between high-rise office buildings and department stores, shattering windows and scattering merchandise. Officers responding to frantic reports of dead bodies found fashion mannequins tumbling in the wind. At Portland’s eastside Lloyd Center—built two years earlier and billed as the world’s largest shopping center— 35-year-old salesman Harold E. Morrison searched for his car in the darkened multilevel parking area. Unable to see a safety railing, he fell over it, plummeting seventeen feet to his death on the pavement below. Everywhere the storm seemed to be systematically wrecking infrastructure. Thousands of trees throughout the city toppled, taking down electric and telephone lines. Upturned roots ruptured water pipes. First responders cut through downed trees to reach victims trapped in crushed cars and damaged houses. Giant Bonneville Power Administration transmission towers collapsed. PGE reported that 98 percent of its customers were without electricity. Throughout western Oregon, families gathered around battery-powered transistor radios in living rooms lit by candles or Coleman lanterns. As the night wore on, winds gradually lessened as the storm crossed the Columbia River. At Kelso, the single-story house of Mr. and Mrs. Dolph Price was bisected by a massive oak tree. By sheer luck, each had been in an opposite side of their home and was untouched. The structure was a total loss. At the World’s Fair in Seattle, 85-mph gusts whooshing through the steel legs of the Space Needle made unearthly musical noises. Guests on the saucer’s observation deck 520 feet above the city felt it oscillate twenty feet in each direction. An evacuation began, but gusts jammed the elevators, forcing workers with flashlights to escort guests on a slow, vertigo-inducing descent down an external staircase exposed to the raging wind. At the KGW studio, candles burned low as the clock ticked past 1 a.m. A weary Capell keyed the mic and gave listeners the most encouraging report so far. The storm was still “quite violent” to the north, but wind speeds had dropped in Portland and it was calm in Eugene. The storm began tracking out to sea off the coast of British Columbia, leaving a deluge of rain. After ravaging the
Pacific Northwest in just twelve hours, the great storm gradually became what it had been at first: a wet, chilly low-pressure area in the lonely reaches of the north Pacific.
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aturday dawned sunny and mild. Looking skyward, it seemed as though there never was a storm. But as residents emerged from their homes, they confronted surreal scenes. More than 10,000 trees were down in Portland alone. Abandoned cars, displaced roofs, downed power lines and debris choked streets. Highways throughout western Oregon were blocked. Forests in the Coast Range were flattened, creating a dangerous fire hazard. Forty-eight citizens were confirmed dead and hundreds more injured, many severely. Without power and with supplies running low, overloaded hospitals struggled to provide emergency care, doctors and nurses working around the clock. Almost every home was damaged. Some residents would wait weeks for the lights to come on again. Families cooked on camp stoves in candle-lit living rooms and huddled around fireplaces as the autumn chill set in. Blown-out windows and damaged roofs were covered with plywood. New friendships blossomed as people shared food, tools and blankets with neighbors they hardly knew, often with a wry sense of humor about their predicament.
Chain saws were fired up. For many weeks their buzzing roar echoed through neighborhoods as utility crews and homeowners felled and bucked countless stormdamaged trees. An army of electricians, telephone specialists, medics, carpenters and claims adjusters arrived from out of state to bring order to the chaos. Utility linemen made heroic efforts to restore electricity, working seventy-two hours at a stretch. In the end, the rampaging extra-tropical cyclone was the costliest natural disaster ever to hit the region. Its sudden and extreme violence shattered the perception of readiness. It altered Oregon’s civil defense system and forest-management practices and exposed the vulnerability of the electrical grid, which had to be rebuilt to a more resilient standard. Evidence suggests it was a very rare event. Giant fir and spruce trees in the Coast Range that had withstood centuries of fire and storm came down. The 700-year-old Clatsop Fir, weakened by the big blow, fell soon afterward. No records since European settlement began tell of a storm of such magnitude, nor do Native American oral traditions. Six decades on, the Columbus Day Storm is still considered the standard against which all other large Pacific Northwest storms are measured. And for those who lived through that terrifying, tragic and memorable night, it remains a unique and indelible experience.
FLIGHT OF THE AEROCAR On Oct. 12, 1962, airports throughout western Oregon became tangled junkyards as the Columbus Day Storm roared through the Willamette Valley. Pilotless planes snapped tie-downs, briefly going airborne before smashing into others. A vintage Aerocar lightplane operated by Wik’s Air Service took off from Hillsboro Airport to radio afternoon traffic reports to Portland commuters on KISN radio. As it gained altitude and approached the city, powerful gusts buffeted the aircraft, reducing its ground speed to zero. Witnesses swore they saw the Aerocar fly backward. At the controls was Ruth Wikander, a veteran flight
instructor and member of the Ninety-Nines, an international women’s aviation organization. As she fought for control, Wikander kept the colorful red-and-white aircraft pointed into the wind. Somehow, she managed to coax it back to Hillsboro, landing crosswise on the grass. Several mechanics ran out and held the plane’s wings down as she taxied it under full power into a hangar, where it rode out the storm. The Aerocar that Wikander flew that day, N103D, was one of six built in the 1950s by eccentric aviation genius Molt Taylor for a postwar market that never materialized. The plane could be converted to a drivable car in a few minutes by
Pilot Ruth Wikander and the Aerocar. (photo: Oregon Historical Society)
one person. It had previously been flown to Cuba for an international exposition. Raul Castro took a test hop but struck a horse on the runway, damaging the plane. The dictator’s brother declined to purchase it. The plane was flown back to the factory in Boston, repaired
and leased to KISN. Wikander had the honor of driving it in the 1962 Rose Festival Parade, where it drew considerable attention. N103D is in storage in Colorado, reportedly for sale for $3.5 million. Wikander died in a tragic aviation accident in 1968.
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AT LEFT Brenda Boylan, Touched by Light, oil on canvas. ABOVE Ivan McLean, Blue Sphere, steel and blue powder coat.
NEWBERG CULT I VAT ES A NEW VINE—ART written by Kerry Newberry ESTABLISHED IN 2010, ART Elements Gallery is located in the heart of historic downtown Newberg. Set in a Mid-century building renovated by founder Loni Parrish and longtime friend Lauren Wylie, the gallery features more than fifty Oregon artists and select artists from The Allison Inn & Spa. In the airy space, you’ll find a variety of artwork that includes traditional landscapes, contemporary modern art, ceramics, blown and fused glass, woodwork, outdoor sculptures and jewelry. Many of the featured artists hail from within a 25-mile radius of Newberg, which means they can join monthly exhibits and featured artist talks. For visitors new to the area, this a great stop to discover the beauty and bounty of Oregon through art. The current show, Water, Stone & Steel, features abstract paintings by Tangie Pape-Belmore and sculptures by Rand Scot Smithey and runs through Oct. 21. The final show of the year will feature landscape oil paintings by Christine Joy Swanson and landscape watercolor paintings by Sarah Joy Moore from Oct. 24 through Dec. 30. For more information, visit www.artelementsgallery.com.
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Christine Joy Swanson, Misty Morning at the Vineyard, oil on gallery wrapped canvas
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Lori Latham, Quietude, acrylic on paper Tangie PapeBelmore, Granite Tide, acrylic and mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas Kelly Howard, Carmine and Turquoise Vase, blown glass
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TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT 78 ADVENTURE 80 LODGING 82 TRIP PLANNER 84
pg. 84 Sauvie Island is an annual October visit for many Oregon families.
Julia Varga/Topaz Farm
NORTHWEST DESTINATION 90
travel spotlight
Witch’s Castle Macabre folklore a stone’s throw away written by Joni Kabana LOOKING FOR a gothic love story location that is full of mystery close to your favorite take-out eatery or coffee shop? Take a short hike to the Stone House, otherwise known by locals as the “Witch’s Castle” in Portland. This hidden wonder, located via a short hike along forested pathways, has quite a sordid history. Ernest Tucker, commissioned by the Bureau of Parks, built this stone building in 1929 to serve as a public toilet and storage room. As part of the Works Progress Administration projects, this structure was completed sometime during 1935-1936. It was in full operation until 1962 when the Columbus Day Storm destroyed the water line, which has never been repaired. But there’s more! Folklore has it that Danford Balch brought his family to this spot by way of the Oregon Trail around 1850. Balch claimed a large piece of land (in what is now called Forest Park) and hired a man named Mortimer Stump to help clear it to make way for building a home. Smitten with Balch’s young daughter Anna, Stump asked for her hand in marriage. Balch was mortified and threatened to kill him if he tried to elope. Eloped they did, and Balch killed the cavalier Stump. The story goes on to describe how Balch said he was “bewitched” by his wife, but was ultimately hanged in what many refer to as the first legal hanging in Oregon. Visiting the Stone House feels like a transport straight into a Tolkien movie. Making The Oregonian’s 2017 list of “coolest and creepiest abandoned places the current stone structure was built upon the same spot where the Balch house once stood. Its decrepit state makes it a favorite handout for local high school students and those seeking macabre experiences. Drippy moss and fallen trees add to the spooky ambience and even though it is often covered with graffiti, its hidden location still stimulates curiosity of what once was. Getting there is easy: It is about a five-minute drive from downtown Portland and there are two ways to reach it. A half-mile hike from the Upper Macleay Parking Lot near the Portland Audubon Society is the fastest way, or you can take a ¾ mile hike from the Lower Macleay Parking Lot located at NW 30th and Upshur. Both hikes take you through easy level trails through the forest passing streams and small mossy waterfalls right to the location. Some say the ghosts of both Stump and Balch still haunt the property. We’ll be on standby to let us know if you encounter them.
Witch’s Castle in Forest Park is a creepy symbol of a creepy seduction and subsequent murder. (photo: Nick Mendez/ Travel Portland)
Pursuing excellence through fitness 61615 Athletic Club Drive
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Oregon Hot Springs Four places around Oregon with very different vibes for your relaxation
Melanie Griffin/Eugene, Cascades & Coast
written by Jen Sotolongo
McCredie Hot Springs is just east of Eugene and along Salt Creek.
HOT TUBS are great, but there’s nothing quite as idyllic as soaking in a natural hot spring in the woods in the middle of nowhere. Thanks to the volcanic mountains that run throughout the state, Oregon is home to a number of hot springs. Ranging from luxurious resorts to rustic soaking pools situated in far-off destinations, these natural hot springs offer a relaxing excursion. Whether you are looking for a unique adventure or seeking a therapeutic wilderness retreat, Oregon’s hot springs will leave you in pure bliss. 80
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WILLAMETTE VALLEY AREA
Breitenbush Hot Springs Breitenbush Hot Springs offers a remote and tranquil escape nestled amidst the picturesque beauty of the Mount Jefferson wilderness. In 2020 the Lionshead Fire, one of the most destructive fires in Oregon’s history, ripped through the resort, burning down 73 buildings on the 154-acre property. In the three years since the blaze, Breitenbush has been slowly rebuilding, focusing on forest stewardship, climate education, social change, and indigenous wisdom. Intentionally disconnected from wifi and cell service, a visit to this popular resort promises a calming respite from the daily grind, allowing visitors to unwind and experience an off-the-grid
Joey Hamilton/TravelOregon.com
A bird’s-eye view of soakers at Hart Mountain Hot Springs in southeastern Oregon and in Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge.
holiday. The largest private geothermal property in the Pacific Northwest, guests have their pick from a variety of activities beyond soaking in hot tubs, including a meditative labyrinth, sauna, yoga and meditation classes, and each reservation includes three daily vegetarian buffet meals. Currently, the resort is welcoming small numbers of overnight guests. EUGENE
McCredie Hot Springs Located 50 miles east of Eugene and 8 miles east of Oakridge, McCredie Hot Springs features several shallow pools on either side of Salt Creek, just off Highway 58. From 1914 to 1958, the site was home to a resort hotel, which later became a baseball team camp and then a bordello. A fire burned the hotel to the ground, followed by a flood that wiped out bridge access. Ever since, McCredie Hot Springs has remained undeveloped. The pools can reach extremely hot temperatures, so enter with caution and consider bringing a thermometer. Clothing is optional and access is closed at nighttime. BEND
Paulina Lake Hot Springs If you were plunked along on the shores of Paulina Lake, one look at the turquoise blue hue would lead you to believe that you were in the Caribbean, not Central Oregon. Part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Paulina Lake sits at 6,340 feet and features a primitive set of beach hot spring pools. Accessible by kayak or hiking 1.2-miles along the trail that departs from Little Crater Campground, the hot spring
pools–perhaps more accurately described as warm springs, as the water temperature hovers around 95 degrees–are built out with a log frame. If you prefer to dig your own hot spring pool, continue another half-mile along the trail to North Beach, as long as you bring your own shovel. The trail circumnavigates the entire lake over 7.8 miles and features views of nearby Paulina Peak, Diamond Peak, and Mount Thielsen. Visitors can stay overnight at Little Crater Campground or find their own backcountry spot. Due to seasonal road closures, Paulina Lake is accessible only during the late spring and early fall. EASTERN OREGON
Hart Mountain (Antelope) Hot Springs If you really want to get away, a visit to Antelope Hot Springs in the Oregon High Desert will do just the trick. Situated within the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in the southeastern part of the state, the hot springs provide a rustic and a breathtakingly scenic soaking experience. Hart Mountain was established in 1936 to serve as a refuge for resident antelope herds. The main soaking pool can accommodate about six adults and is enclosed by a rock wall, while the other pool is an undeveloped spring a few degrees warmer than the main pool featuring killer, unobstructed views of the landscape. Steam rising from the grass will indicate the right spot. Spring and fall are the best times to visit the hot springs, though they are accessible year round. Other activities include hunting, fishing, hiking, and photography. A vault toilet and rustic camping accommodations are available for overnight visitors. Be prepared for high desert conditions, including extreme heat and cold. SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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ROOMS Choose from three distinct room options: The sunsoaked Garden Room overlooks the grounds and has a large rain shower. For families or groups, the Studio can sleep up to four and features a full bathroom with marble counters, plus a kitchenette. Solo travelers will feel at home in the Loft. Each space speaks to the family history with a mix of vintage decor and artwork made by friends and family.
Photos: Kenna Beban
FEATURES
Lodging
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Sosta House’s Great Room is open to guests for dining, reading, working or visiting by the fireplace. Hamacher wine for guests. A cozy room for wine lovers. Breakfast at Sosta can be brought to your room.
Sosta House written by Kerry Newberry FOR BROTHER-SISTER DUO Nico and Mia Ponzi Hamacher, Sosta House means much more than an idyllic wine country retreat. “We are sharing the way we grew up,” said Nico. “With beautiful moments in the garden and around the table.” Their threeroom bed and breakfast that opened mid-July is in the original home of their grandparents—wine legends Dick and Nancy Ponzi. Over the course of a year, the siblings, along with extended family and friends, brought their vision to life, turning the home that housed multiple generations of the Ponzi family into a thoughtful wine country getaway. In fact, their 90-year-old grandfather helped build the back deck. One of Mia’s friends stitched all the curtains on her grandmother’s sewing machine. And their father, winemaker Eric Hamacher, spearheaded the organic kitchen garden that supplies ingredients for guest breakfasts and wine-paired dinners. Most of the artwork gracing the rooms and airy community spaces was also created by their greater network. “It’s not perfected and manufactured,” said Nico. “But that’s part of the beauty and magic of it.” Guests can select from three different rooms and add on wine dinners that Mia cooks and pairs with her father’s wines on set evenings. Hamacher Wines is steps away, along with leafy vineyards for morning walks and sunsets. “We want to create a really personal experience,” said Mia. From cooking for guests and providing garden flowers in rooms to filling the place with heartfelt beauty. “We recently launched an artist residency program,” said Mia. “The idea is that as time goes by, the space will be more enriched by the people who have been here.” 14667 WINERY LANE BEAVERTON www.sostahouse.com
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Mingle with other pinot pilgrims in the shared spaces around the property. The art-filled Great Room is set for conviviality. You’ll find a cozy fireplace, communal library, hand-built chess table, vintage reading chairs and a corner banquette for working or dining. An extensive outdoor deck overlooks a kitchen garden, stately evergreens and a firepit ready for s’mores.
DINING Enjoy freshly made breakfast delivered to your room, outside on the deck or in the Great Room. Recent morning bites ranged from a savory vegetable quiche to a cardamom and brown butter bun. Many of the ingredients are sourced from the onsite garden and neighboring farms. You can join a four-course dinner with wine pairings on Sunday and Thursday evenings. Picnic lunches are available on request for wine country adventures.
AMENITIES Since Hamacher Wines is just steps away, you can get an immersive wine experience, especially at the peak of harvest when you can spy grapes getting sorted on the crush pad and wine dogs romping through vineyard rows. When the tasting room is closed, guests can stroll the vineyard at sunrise with a cup of coffee or enjoy a sunset bocce game.
Venture out in Central Oregon where outdoor escapades, craft cuisine, and an art-loving spirit will feed your soul. Feast at fine dining restaurants, casual eateries and gourmet food trucks. Delight your senses with craft cocktails and spirited distilled concoctions, or try a curated wine flight at a chic tasting room. Make a plan at VisitCentralOregon.com
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trip planner
Autumn in St. Helens, Vernonia and Sauvie Island The path less trodden to adventures in fall written by James Sinks
FITTINGLY, FOR a movie about off-duty Halloween monsters, Disney producers scouted for a ghost town. They found a perfect backdrop in northwest Oregon’s St. Helens. The mills were long gone, but the once-busy downtown boasted a picturesque public square, a classic courthouse and a stunning view of its namesake, Mount St. Helens, 39 miles away across the Columbia. Filmed a quarter century ago, Halloweentown became a cult classic and even spawned several sequels. Soon after, cameras returned for the vampire-teen romance mashup Twilight, in which St. Helens stood in for another timber town, Forks, Washington. Now, each autumn when Mother Nature readies her technicolor picture show, St. Helens unpacks the nostalgia, costumes 84 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
and cash registers. For six weeks, downtown and the central plaza—where usually you can trace Lewis and Clark’s voyage on stepping stones—are transformed into the “Spirit of Halloweentown.” City Hall doesn’t become a mummy hotel like in the movie, but nowadays you’ll find pirates, aliens, a parade, a haunted house and photo ops everyplace, said Colleen Ohler, the selfappointed Queen of Halloweentown. Dressed as royalty, she totes a microphone as the emcee for the costumed hordes on weekends from mid-September to the big day on Oct. 31. “It’s like being back in the ’50s, everything is fun and pure,” she said. At least, as pure as you can get with pirates.
trip planner Spirit of Halloweentown festivities transform the town of St. Helens in the fall.
as a destination—with the notable exception of Sauvie Island and its summertime beaches (one with the fun combination of mosquitos and nudity) and its farm bounty. With nature’s picture show unfolding and apparitions aprowl, fall is the perfect time to learn what you’ve been missing.
Day
City of St. Helens
PADDLING • TWILIGHT • STOCK CARS
St. Helens actually was named in the ’50s—as in the 1850s. Founder Henry Montgomery Knighton, a New Englander, initially called it Plymouth. Then it was briefly “Kasenau” in honor of a just-deceased legendary Chinookan chief, whose village once stood nearby. In 1850, it became St. Helens, and soon after, it became the county seat. Established where four rivers meet and across from the northernmost tip of Sauvie Island, the city was touted as a major Columbia River port. But Portland, just upriver, ultimately won most of that business. Today, St. Helens and neighboring Scappoose are often seen as Portland bedroom communities or pitstops on the way to the coast, which may help explain why the area is oft overshadowed
If you’ve never veered off U.S. Highway 30 in Columbia County, flip on the turn signal and prepare to be surprised. The meandering waterway that separates Sauvie Island from the rest of Oregon is known as Multnomah Channel, and as the channel nears St. Helens, it connects with tree-lined and farmfronted Scappoose Bay, a nearly year-round placid paddling playground. From above, the inlet and connected blotches of wetlands look like a watery Rorschach test, and you can see it many ways via a basketweave of canals, small lakes and meandering creeks. At Scappoose Bay Marine Center, launch kayaks for $5, or rent from Next Adventure. They also rent foot-pedaled versions, which are hands-free to accommodate fishing. (Don’t eat the fish, though—a legacy of industrial pollution.) Next up, time to see some spirits, or drink some. Downtown St. Helens feels like a trip back in time, with the Columbia Theatre and its red-and-white marquee, the bell tower-topped courthouse, and quirky storefronts on First Street. At Jilly’s Beverly Hills Shopping, there’s a Betty Boop out front while inside you’ll find sparkly hats, wings and wigs. Twilight fans will recognize the nearby white two-story house—now a vacation rental—that was home for Bella, who was quite popular with the supernatural fellas. If Halloweentown daily festivities have ended, you can still snap selfies with the oversized pumpkin in the plaza, a skeleton-driven taxi and an ornate carved totem pole of jack-o-lanterns. On the shoreline, visit an amphitheater; a statue of Lewis and Clark’s Newfoundland dog, Seaman; and at the civic marina, you’ll find big boats. Next door, the gravel expanse that once was the veneer mill is platted to become condos, shops and a hotel. At Big River Taproom, with a front-row seat of the Columbia, you’ll find twenty-one beers and six Oregon wines on tap. You’ll also routinely hear surprised visitors say they had no idea the town is so pretty, said owner Marci Sanders. Marci and her husband previously owned a Chicago-style hot dog place in north Portland, and you’ll find wieners many ways at Big River, including a vegetarian version called a Tree Hugger. There’s also hot and cold sandwiches, seasonal salads and mustard squeeze bottles on the tables. Depending on the day and your noise tolerance, cheer stock car racers into the night at the River City Speedway, a clay oval at the fairgrounds. Or, in the mood for movie magic? There are few ways better than a new release at the old-time Columbia Theatre. SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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Photos: Columbia Economic Team
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Kayaking and standup paddling on tranquil Scappoose Bay. The lesser-known 25-mile Crown Z Trail. Downtown Vernonia alive with fall color.
Day GRAVEL TRAILS • KLONDIKE TAVERN Originally called Yankeetown, unincorporated Yankton— five miles west of St. Helens—doesn’t offer much notable to see besides the wooden local general store, with a hitching post. And that’s fine: Yankton Store is why you’re here. Inside, next to the beer coolers, you’ll find a five-table restaurant section with a big-appetite-taming menu. The grill opens at 6 a.m., and you can order the triple star breakfast (with all the meats)—as well as cowboy burgers—all day. The dense forestscape of Columbia County once was laced with logging railroads. Now, most are trails. The Crown Z Trail (pulp and paper company Crown Zellerbach was a onetime owner) stretches 25 miles from the waterfront to the mill town of Vernonia. Unlike the better known Banks-Vernonia State Trail, which is paved, Crown Z is mostly packed gravel—so suited for fat-tire biking, hiking or horses. If you don’t have bikes, rent them at Barlow Bike & Board. They don’t rent horses, sadly. Designated this year as a National Recreation Trail, the Crown Z route has some steep grades and can make for a long day, but offers several access points for shorter segments. 86 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
However you travel, it’s worth heading to Vernonia, a onetime boomtown nestled among the turning leaves in the Nehalem River Valley. Now home to about 2,000 people, the city made headlines for flooding over of the years, but most days you’ll have no problem exploring old logging equipment and visiting Bridge Street retailers and eateries like Black Iron Grill, with a bar and patio, or Blue House Cafe, with Mediterranean tapas. Columbia River dredging helped to create a sandy, 32-acre island just offshore from St. Helens—and partyers used to create a bad reputation for it. Known, appropriately enough, as Sand Island, the place has been cleaned up and now includes a campground and day-use beaches, and can be reached via shuttle boat. Check first when it’s running. If the island isn’t accessible, the in-town Columbia Botanical Garden is a good spot for a stroll before reservations at the Klondike Tavern, where you’ll find surf, turf and verve in the downtown building that was once the St. Helens Hotel. The place also has brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, and is closed Mondays. Browse craft cocktails and then good luck choosing among paella, ribeye, coho or the Hoppin’ John, a zesty cajun vegetarian stew. Then, cheesecake or chocolate torte. And then, sweet dreams.
See why & learn more at:
WALLOWACOUNTYCHAMBER.COM
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Memorable fall festivities at Topaz Farm, where farm-totable dinners are also a draw. At Collins Beach, a psychedelic UFO oversees clothingoptional sun bathers. Many Oregonians make the trek to The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island each October.
Columbia Economic Team
trip planner
ABOVE Finding gems in the small town of St. Helens—Plymouth Pub on the left and Klondike Tavern on the right.
Day MAC-AND-CHEESE BURGERS • MINIMAL CLOTHING The name “Plymouth” did not stick for St. Helens, but breakfast at Plymouth Pub may stick to your ribs. Also, the “everything” avocado toast is even more everything with a strawberry lemonade mimosa. At the heart of every religion is a similar yearn for peace and kindness. In the hills above Scappoose, the Buddhist Vedanta Society of Portland welcomes people (but not pets) to hike for free among reminders of that spiritual commonality. Like pearls in a necklace, simple shrines dedicated to various faiths and beliefs—among them Christianity, Hinduism and even Native American—are spaced along forested paths at the retreat. On some weekends, there’s also yoga. Formed from rich sediment, Sauvie Island—the largest island in the Columbia River system—is a place you can grow darn near anything. That agricultural vibrancy isn’t a secret, however, and come fall, its pumpkin patches, corn mazes and produce stands can feel like a feeding frenzy. Don’t let that scare you—and hopefully there’s room in the trunk for something gourdeous. But first, the sprawling island—named after a French Canadian who ran a dairy in the 1830s—beckons. Grab an islandwide parking pass for $10, and maybe spread a picnic blanket in the historic apple orchard at the restored Bybee Howell House, built in 1855. On the island’s northern end, which is marshy and can sometimes be like a Club Med for mosquitoes, a seven-mile out-andback hike takes you and your bug repellent past cottonwoods and birds to 25-foot-high Warrior Rock Lighthouse, Oregon’s shortest lighthouse. The warriors that gave Warrior Rock its name were Chinooks in canoes in what was ultimately a peaceful 1792 encounter with European explorers. Remember the spooky aliens from St. Helens? 88 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
It’s perhaps no coincidence that at Columbia River-facing Collins Beach, where clothing is optional, you can see a graffiti-adorned UFO tucked in the trees. One of Oregon’s weirder landmarks, it’s actually an experimental boat that ran aground in 1996. Several Sauvie farms offer a hearty harvest experience, but only one of them also sells a mac-and-cheese burger and boasts the state’s largest corn maze. That would be The Pumpkin Patch, where you can also grab java at Pumpkin Perk. (Yes, unsurprisingly, they always have pumpkin spice.) Depending on the day, you can sign up (far in advance) for farm-to-table dinners at nearby Topaz Farm, which also has its own robust autumnal celebration, store and bakery. Stock up on produce, visit with goats, grab pumpkins, and quaff beer and cider. Then relax outside in their giant red Adirondack chair, and toast the happy vibe that comes with a surprising weekend getaway, well spent.
Julia Varga/Topaz Farm
ST. HELENS, VERNONIA + SAUVIE ISLAND, OREGON
trip planner
EAT Big River Taproom www.bigrivertaproom.com Black Iron Grill 503-429-0214 Blue House Cafe 503-429-4350 Klondike Tavern www.klondiketavern.com Plymouth Pub www.facebook.com/plymouthpub The Pumpkin Patch www.thepumpkinpatch.com Yankton Store www.facebook.com/yanktonstore
STAY Best Western Oak Meadows Inn www.bestwestern.com Scappoose Creek Inn www.scappoosecreekinn.com
PLAY Barlow Bikes & Boards www.barlowbikes.com Columbia Botanical Garden www.sthelensoregon.gov/parks/ page/columbia-botanical-gardens Columbia Theatre www.thecolumbiatheatre.com Crown Z Trail www.columbiacountyor.gov/ crownz-trail Halloweentown www.spiritofhalloweentown.com Next Adventure at Scappoose Bay www.nextadventure.net/scappoose River City Speedway www.river-city-speedway.com Sand Island www.sandislandcampground.com Topaz Farm www.topazfarm.com Vendanta Retreat www.vedanta-portland.org/ vedanta-retreat
James Sinks
The Pumpkin Patch
Warrior Rock Lighthouse Trail www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/ Warrior_Point_Hike
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northwest destination Once a Catholic seminary, The Lodge at St. Edward Park found a higher calling as a quiet retreat for the people.
Kenmore + Woodinville Experience the stately Lodge at St. Edward Park and stately wines of Washington and beyond
A HALF HOUR from the hubbub of Seattle’s downtown, it feels like you’ve entered an idyllic alternate reality, as the roadway gently curves under a forested canopy into the lush St. Edward State Park. And that’s before the checkered brick edifice of The Lodge at St. Edward Park comes into view. From 1931 until 1976, this was the St. Edward Seminary, where over time thousands of young Catholic men studied for the priesthood in an architecturally stunning academy and dorm perched on a bluff above Lake Washington. Today, after a multimillion-dollar restoration, the former school in the city of Kenmore is part hotel, part art museum, and completely relaxation-inducing. The place boasts eighty-four guestrooms, restaurants and a luxury spa, and downstairs in the former barbershop you can get a buzz of the boozy sort in a cozy craft cocktail bar, under the gaze of a white unicorn bust named Esteban. On every floor and most notably in the concourse, hallways are adorned with paintings and sculptures. Local Catholic leaders, taken by the beauty of the location, opted to not sell the 326-acre property after the school was shuttered and in 1977 helped ensure it became a park. Now, anybody can revel in the serenity, ride kid bikes and cavort in playgrounds, and 90
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hike twenty minutes downhill through trees and ferns to the lake, where bald eagles dance overhead and sailboats dip in the breeze. It’s the sort of place where no one would blame you if you wanted to climb into your pajamas, and throw a fit if anyone tries to get you to leave. But if you listen closely, that’s wine calling. The Lodge offers an easy jumping-off point to the growing cluster of tasting rooms, boutiques and upscale eateries that are transforming the once sleepy community of Woodinville into one of the West Coast’s premier destinations for vinophiles. The Puget Sound, with its moderate temperatures and reliable rain, is decidedly not prime real estate for growing most sunloving grapes, but it sure has become a prime place to sell wine. As a result, vintners from as far away as Walla Walla and Oregon are setting up satellite tasting rooms, alongside dozens of shops and a year-round organic market at 21 Acres Farm. Woodinville has divided itself into four wine-selling districts, and you can’t go wrong in any of them. All told, there are 130 different wineries here with more arriving every year, and part of the appeal is that so many sit side-by-side in swanky storefronts, making it easy to wander entire blocks like liver-testing trick-or-treaters. In the Hollywood District, also known as the Tourist District, admire the reds and artwork at woman-owned
Photo: The Lodge at St. Edward Park
written by James Sinks
92 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
The Lodge at St. Edward Park Lindsay Wagner
and operated Damsel Cellars, where they even sell womancurated cheese with the charcuterie. Next door at Mark Ryan Winery, there’s a lively cabernet called Dead Horse. And just around the corner in the same strip mall is the local outpost of Oregon pinot giant Willamette Valley Vineyards. Not all the wineries are modest. Through a traffic circle and past a lavender farm, the sprawling former summer estate of Seattle’s Stimson timber family is home to Chateau Ste. Michelle, the first winery to set up base in Woodinville. Stroll past manicured rose and English gardens, peek into private cabanas, and settle with your honey and a bottle on the patio of the circa-1976 French winery chateau building. The place also hosts outdoor summertime and fall concerts, and on those days, expect a crush of people along with your crushed vintage. Pondering a picnic? Score a sourdough seeded baguette and French salted butter from Tarte by Heritage bakery. Pizza? The “Dank” pie at Stoup Brewing in Kenmore has onions, bacon, goat cheese and garlic (remember breath mints). Want appetizers and a laid-back vibe? The stuffed dates are sublime at Purple Cafe and Wine Bar. Have an extra $600 and hankering for a culinary celebration? At AAA-rated The Herbfarm, a couple can sit for an elegant nine-course farm-to-table meal with wine pairings, and dessert. Nearby, along the Lake Washington waterfront, a smorgasbord of outstanding dinnertime options abound in Kirkland’s walkable and eclectic downtown. The view doesn’t get better than at Anthony’s Homeport, with a front row seat for the blushing sunset skyshow over bobbing boats in the marina. For dessert, there’s a line for good reason at Sirena Gelato on Park Lane. Or if you’re in the mood for a boozy milkshake, find several flavors with local Woodinville Whiskey at the Hollywood Tavern. Then, back at the Lodge, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for: Back into those pajamas.
Hilary McMullen
The Lodge offers an easy jumping-off point to the growing cluster of tasting rooms, boutiques and upscale eateries that are transforming the once sleepy community of Woodinville into one of the West Coast’s premier destinations for vinophiles.
Kevin Cruff/Chateau Ste. Michelle
northwest destination
KENMORE + WOODINVILLE, WASHINGTON
northwest destination
EAT Anthony’s Homeport Kirkland www.anthonys.com/restaurant/ anthonys-homeport-kirkland The Herbfarm www.theherbfarm.com (Dinner is $305) Hollywood Tavern www.thehollywoodtavern.com Purple Cafe and Wine Bar www.purplecafe.com Sirena Gelato www.sirenagelato.com Stoup Brewing Kenmore www.stoupbrewing.com Tarte by Heritage Bakery www.tartewoodinville.com
STAY The Lodge at St. Edward Park www.thelodgeatstedward.com McMenamins Anderson School www.mcmenamins.com/ anderson-school
PLAY 21 Acres Farm www.21acres.org Brian Carter Cellars www.briancartercellars.com Chateau Ste. Michelle www.ste-michelle.com Damsel Cellars www.damselcellars.com Sammamish Valley River Trail www.kingcounty.gov St. Edward State Park www.parks.wa.gov/577/ Saint-Edward Tonsorium Bar www.thelodgeatstedward.com
Damsel Cellars
Woodinville tasting rooms www.woodinvillewinecountry.com
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Approaching Chateau Ste. Michelle. The gorgeous Lodge at St. Edward Park. Damsel Cellars in Woodinville. The luscious pumpkin pecan whiskey milkshake at Hollywood Tavern. A bite at The Herbfarm.
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1859 MAPPED
The points of interest below are culled from stories and events in this edition of 1859.
Astoria Seaside
Milton-Freewater Hood River Portland Tillamook Gresham
Pendleton
The Dalles La Grande
Maupin Government Camp
Pacific City Lincoln City
Baker City
Salem Newport
Madras
Albany Corvallis
Prineville
John Day
Redmond
Sisters Florence
Joseph
Ontario
Bend
Eugene Springfield
Sunriver Burns
Oakridge Coos Bay Bandon
Roseburg
Grants Pass Brookings
Jacksonville
Paisley
Medford Ashland
Klamath Falls
Lakeview
Live
Think
Explore
18 Juniper Preserve
48 Oregon State Capitol
78
Witch’s Castle
19 Folk and Forage
50 Lincoln City Surf Shop
80
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge
25 Riverside
54 Tournant
82
Sosta House
26 Dunbar Farms
58 Oregon Coast Trail
84
St. Helens
90
Kenmore, Washington
42 Bush House Museum
94 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023
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Until Next Time Golden hour dancing across Fort Rock. photo by Anthony C. Castro (@anthonyccastro)
Continue for Special Insert
HOT SPRINGS • SPAS • FINE DINING • WORLD-CLASS GOLF • WELLNESS RETREATS • CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING • COASTAL LODGES
Your Getaway to The Secret Season Discover the season just beyond summer at Sunriver Resort, where 3,300 forested acres and 45 miles of bike trails are yours to explore, without the rush. Savor local food and wine, or relish quiet moments set against scenic views of Mt. Bachelor. Adventure down the Deschutes River on kayak or paddleboard, or tee off on one of our four-award winning golf courses. Uncover the magic of the secret season at Sunriver Resort.
Book Your Fall Getaway at SunriverResort.com/Offers
Oregon JUNIPER PRESERVE
WHAT’S NEW? WHAT’S OLD & COOL? During the Covid pandemic, many resorts turned downtime into construction and renovation projects whose completion we are only now benefiting from. Some chose to completely remodel guest rooms; others built new facilities to add allure when vacationers returned. Then there are other resorts in the Pacific Northwest that really need no upgrade to maintain their popularity. In this broad survey of our resorts, we look at what’s new and what’s old and cool and needs no new bells and whistles. Among these, you will be sure to find a resort that fits your style of retreat.
Sun Mountain Lodge in the Methow Valley sits in the North Cascades and at the junction of dozens of miles of trails for mountain biking and cross-country skiing. (photo: Sun Mountain Lodge)
Long known as Pronghorn and as a golf mecca in Central Oregon, the resort was rebranded as Juniper Preserve in 2022, a nod to its new ethos as a wellness retreat. The world-class courses designed by Nicklaus and Fazio still play well, but it’s the new spa and wellness retreats that are quickly becoming the jewel of this high desert resort. Add to that the trails and 2,900 acres, and Juniper Preserve is a world apart from the bustle of nearby downtown Bend. This fall and winter, try upcoming retreats, while taking time to hit local breweries during fresh-hop season. Return to Juniper Preserve’s heated pools and Ghost Tree Lounge for dinner and cocktails.
BREITENBUSH Until 2020, Breitenbush was a quiet holistic hot springs retreat with clothing optional and hidden among the pines in the Santiam State Forest, 60 miles east of Salem. All of that came to a fiery end in 2020, when the Lionshead wildfire raced through Breitenbush and destroyed half of its facilities and all of its guest cabins. Brietenbush has since been rebuilt and brings a new meditative spirit to the banks of the Breitenbush River. Its natural hot springs, lodge and cabins are what most of us crave in shedding pretense, stress and clothing.
A publication of Statehood Media www.1859oregonmagazine.com www.1889mag.com Cover: Skamania Lodge, Washington (photo: Jason Hummel Photography/ State of Washington Tourism)
2023 DESTINATION RESORTS
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Oregon
The Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach is a destination for those serious about relaxation and waves of meditation. (photo: Columbia Hospitality)
4
THE STEPHANIE INN
TETHEROW
The Pacific Ocean sweeps up to the Stephanie Inn at Cannon Beach, where every room has a gas fireplace, a soaking tub, a lantern for night walks on the beach and many have beautiful ocean views. Because of its depth of luxury, some guests may not even realize it sits on the Oregon Coast from where they lay in the spa. Experiences at The Stephanie include yoga, visits to the farmers market with its chef, and mixology classes with local herbs and liquors. Unsurprisingly, it was recently named as one of the top fifteen resorts in the United States by Trips to Discover.
The only destination in Bend proper, Tetherow has its advantages. Golf has been the premier attraction since Scotsman David McLay Kidd turned a sea of sagebrush into one of the country’s top courses. On this hard and fast links course, your ball may roll forever, but don’t fret as you’ll have the option to chase it down on a golfboard, or motorized surfboard designed for golf courses. Tetherow jumps to number 57 on GolfDigest’s top courses list this year. Tetherow also has a full spa, pool, restaurants and a bar that
DESTINATION RESORTS 2023
Zen has returned to Breitenbush Hot Springs after the Lionshead Fire destroyed much of it. (photo: Breitenbush Hot Springs)
serves scotch eggs. Not to mention, Bend and Mt. Bachelor are at your doorstep.
BLACK BUTTE RANCH Black Butte has long been a generational retreat for Pacific Northwesterners and never needed to do too much to maintain its allure. This May, however, the 53-year-old resort unveiled a new elegant modern lodge with blonde wood finishes, three fireplaces, a restaurant, bar and gasping views of the Three Sisters peaks. In fall, hike the steep trail to the top of Black Butte. Come winter, cross-country skiing and downhill skiing are nearby at Hoodoo Ski Area, just 15 miles up the road.
FROM TOP The handsome new lodge at Black Butte brings new style to the outdoors. Juniper Preserve in Bend is a separate peace with its wellness programs. (photos, from top: Jeremy Bittermann/ JBSA/Hacker Architects, Martin Sundberg/Juniper Preserve)
RUNNING Y RESORT Golfers will certainly take to Running Y Resort’s Arnold Palmer signature course, but its Klamath Falls location puts it right in the heart of the Pacific Flyway, and the largest concentration of birds in the lower 48. If birding isn’t your thing, no worries—there are countless adventures with Running Y’s ice rink, the spa, heated pool and nearby Crater Lake for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
SALISHAN COASTAL LODGE Once the jewel of the Oregon Coast, the venerable Salishan Coastal Lodge got lost in time. Through the 2000s, the property changed hands a few times, each time with facelifts here and there, but nothing that was transformational. New owners in 2019 brought an infusion of cash and more renovations including a luxury glamping ex-
Black Butte Ranch has long been a generational retreat for Pacific Northwesterners.
perience, a treetop canopy tour and ropes challenge course with fifteen platforms complemented the eighteen-hole championship links golf course and spa. In Gleneden Beach on the Oregon Coast, Salishan has always been as much about the ocean as it has been about land. Good surfing spots abound.
SUNRIVER RESORT Sunriver’s multigenerational reputation precedes it but never invokes it. You can see why
Mom and Dad brought the family here in the ’70s, but you can also see why it will be a retreat for generations to come. Always classic but always fresh, Sunriver is the mother of all resorts, with 3,300 acres of tree-lined trails, four golf courses, a central lodge, vacation properties to rent, a shopping village, restaurants, bars, a spa and fitness center, an observatory and a new $40 million aquatic center. Come winter, use the Sunriver shuttle to get to Mt. Bachelor, just 20 minutes away.
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where memories are made.
Bill Origer
Family-Friendly, High-Quality, Affordable and Fun! Come discover why the Ranch is Your Favorite Place to Create Memories.
888-368-8598 BlackButteRanch.com
Washington ALDERBROOK RESORT The quiet and tranquil Alderbrook Resort & Spa on Hood Canal is again quiet and tranquil after a three-year update that included common areas, the restaurant and spa. Another perk was the addition of The Drinkery, a spot for coffee, drinks and snacks. Alderbrook retains the same charm it has had for more than 100 years. Don’t worry, the reading nooks in guest rooms are still there for curling up with a good book. Whether it’s fall or winter, the miles of wooded trails are a good place to wander before coming back in from the cold for a massage at the spa and a cocktail at the restaurant.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP A sleigh ride at Sun Mountain Lodge in the North Cascades. Skamania Lodge added new treehouse guest rooms to sleep in the forest. Alderbrook Resort’s updated look brings the perfect touch. (photos, clockwise from top: Jason Hummel Photography/ State of Washington Tourism, Skamania Lodge, Hannah Rankin/Alderbrook Resort)
SUNCADIA RESORT With too many national awards to list, Suncadia and its beautiful 6,000 acres in Roslyn are a wonderland spot for many styles of vacations. It has three pools for different activities, a spa and fitness center, 40 miles of hiking and biking trails, two championship golf courses, restaurants and bars. With The Summit at Snoqualmie just 30 miles west, Suncadia is a good choice for winter fun as well. At the resort, try the ice rink, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing either with a guide or on your own. Suncadia remains classic and cool throughout all seasons.
SKAMANIA LODGE Perched above the Columbia River and overlooking its tranquilizing gorge, Skamania Lodge and its sustainable ethic fit well with the surrounding nature. Though it offers many of the same amenities as other
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DESTINATION RESORTS 2023
resorts, Skamania comes at it in a different way. Its golf courses are watered with recycled and filtered laundry water; it reached zero plastic use recently; motion detectors mean lights are on only when they have to be; and its restaurants use local and sustainably resourced foods. Though not true treehouses, Skamania’s new elevated cabins in the surrounding forest are a luxurious way to get closer to nature. They also have a communal fire pit and gas fireplaces, making them ideal for winter getaways.
SLEEPING LADY RESORT Once barracks and buildings for the famed Civilian Conservation Corps, the modern Sleeping Lady launched in 1991 as a
vision of philanthropist Harriet Bullitt. It was named for one of the mountain peaks in view of the Leavenworth property and retained and renovated all of the historic buildings on site. Set in the Cascades, Sleeping Lady awakens the senses with its spa, pool, resort yoga, art walks and bird watching. Winter brings snowshoeing, skiing, sledding and tubing, and the Bavarian-themed downtown Leavenworth is just a few miles away.
SUN MOUNTAIN LODGE The challenging part about remote resorts is that they are remote. The best part about remote resorts is that they are remote. Such is the case with Sun Mountain Lodge, set in
Winthrop in the North Cascades. Connected to endless miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, Sun Mountain’s best season is indeed winter. Two outdoor heated pools (open year-round), a spa and two restaurants in the middle of 3,000 acres of wilderness (and many more beyond) makes Sun Mountain a favorite of Nordic skiers and winter outdoor enthusiasts. Come for the trails, stay for the food. The Lodge recently named James Beard Award-winning chef Jason Wilson as its new culinary director and executive chef. The town of Winthrop is 18 miles below and has its own small-town charm and restaurants for any fancy and an outdoor ice rink that is festive in winter.
Washington
British Columbia
ERITAGE
RAINIER
Eritage, on 300 acres on rolling hills planted with grapes and wheat just outside of Walla Walla, is a luxury window to the Walla Walla wine scene. Each suite opens to a private deck with a view of the nearby Blue Mountains. The restaurant at Eritage is, itself, an experience, with Wine Country Culinary Institute-trained chef Arturo Tello Jr. fusing flavors of Walla Walla farms with a Latin flair. For perspective, the small town of Walla Walla has 120 vineyards and more than thirty tasting rooms, the latter in its lovely downtown core. Early December marks the highly sought-after barrel tasting annual event here, when we get the first taste of some of Washington’s best wines.
Everyone’s dream escape is best in the fall and winter, as the crowds dissipate and the beauty of Mt. Rainier comes to the fore. Fall hikes and huckleberry and mushroom picking are top choices for visits to the park that hosts Washington’s tallest peak at 14,410 feet and more than 100 hikes for all abilities. Book your rooms at the historic Paradise Lodge, one of the Great Lodges of the West, which was built in 1917 and retains all of the charm from that era. Likewise, National Park Inn was built in the early 1900s, but on a smaller scale—twenty-five cozy guest rooms. One of its greatest charms is having tea next to its roaring fire in the guest library after snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.
AINSWORTH HOT SPRINGS RESORT Four hours north of Spokane and adjacent to Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park, Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort in British Columbia, owned by the Ktunaxa First Nations people, was recently ranked as one of Condé Nast Traveler’s best wellness retreats in the world. The air is clean and the water rejuvenating. The natural springs come up from deep in the earth and surface to cooled temperatures of 108 degrees into the 150-foot-long horseshoe-shaped natural cave and to 96 degrees for the main pool. Given the nearby Selkirk range, opportunities for winter fun abounds. Both Whitewater Ski Resort and
Take a dip at Ainsworth Hot Springs. (photo: Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort)
Red Mountain Resort are within one- and two-hours drive, respectively. If you’re an advanced skier, Snowwater heli-skiing operates out of Nelson, just 30 miles south. In winter, nothing feels more healing than Ainsworth’s mineral-rich soaking waters after a long day skiing.
EXPLORE
PNW
10 E Alderbrook Drive, Union, WA 98592 10 DESTINATION RESORTS 2023
360.898.2200
reservations@alderbrookresort.com
YE A R - R O U N D E NJ O Y MEN T
Experience our hot springs pools, cave and Spirit Water Spa. Savour culinary specialties created by Executive Chef Cory Chapman at the Ktunaxa Grill.
ainsworthhotsprings.com
Your Wine Country
Destination A World Away in Walla Walla Beautifully nestled on 300 acres in the rolling wheat elds and vineyards of Washington wine country, Eritage Resort is a tribute to the history, beauty and warmth of Washington’s farms and vineyards. Only minutes from downtown Walla Walla and its regional airport, Eritage
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features luxury suites opening to patios with expansive views of the Blue Mountains, rolling
1319 Bergevin Springs Rd.
the region’s seasonal bounty and strong connections with local family farmers and suppliers.
Walla Walla eritageresort.com 509.394.9200 | 1.833.ERITAGE
farmland and a pristine, man-made lake. Dine at Eritage Restaurant, with a menu inspired by Sip Washington wine, beer and spirits, as well as special selections from around the world. Or head outside and explore the vineyards via cruiser bike, or paddle out onto Lake Sienna.
Eritage Resort is an unparalleled wine country experience.
