I visited the Oregon State Forester's Office last weekend and I loved it. It's located in a not-lovely part of town on a busy road (across from the Oregon State Penitentiary), but as soon as I stepped on the property I felt like I was in a state park.
It has beautiful grounds with green lawns, squirrels, ducks, trees (of course), and a wide section of Mill Creek curving through it. Two of the buildings were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s in the same style as park lodges, adding to the parklike effect. There is also a contemporary building that is very different in style but fits in nicely.
The historic Forester's Office building is very cool, made from a mix of natural wood panels, park-ranger-green shingles, and warm-hued stones. Don't miss the abstract tree design in the stone wall in front of the building, the vertical stones over the window left of the entrance, and the National Register plaque on the porch. Cross the historic (1929) bridge over the creek for good views.
This building is not open to the public, but the smaller historic building nearby houses a museum. It's open about once a week and by appointment.
While wandering the grounds, we were greeted by a security guard, who turned out to be a fount of valuable information and quirky stories. He said to come back in early May when the purple camas lilies cover the ground on the other side of the creek. He asked if we knew about the underground tours in Salem - we didn't and that sounds great!
He told us that he loves his job and takes care of about nine cats that visit the property, feeding them and protecting them from hungry predators - his coworkers call him "Cusses at Coyotes," in the spirit of the more famous Dances with Wolves. He said the cats help control rodents on the property - and did we know that Disneyland sends cats out on their properties at night for that purpose? He said he once saw a beaver in Mill Creek, a surprisingly rare sight given that Oregon is the Beaver State (yep, that's true). He saw a large rodent in the water one night, but they are usually nutria, so he shined his flashlight down from the bridge to check... hooray, a big paddle tail!
During my visit, I saw no water-based rodents but did spot a duck that was different than our common mallards, with a very interesting white head and bright eyes. He and his lady friend landed in the creek near me, then rode the rapids downstream. I'd like to think it was just for fun.
I was impressed by this complex, which preserves a good amount of the old power plant while creating cool modern spaces for a hotel, restaurants, bars, and even a museum containing beautiful rocks and a huge dinosaur skeleton. I recommend wandering around and checking out the rooftop bars Electric Moon (which has a slide for adults!) and the chic Myrtle & Rose. Both of them have wonderful views of the river.
Comments by Holly Hayes
How fun! Thank you for sharing your connections.
Thank you so much for sharing your memories!
I visited the Oregon State Forester's Office last weekend and I loved it. It's located in a not-lovely part of town on a busy road (across from the Oregon State Penitentiary), but as soon as I stepped on the property I felt like I was in a state park.
It has beautiful grounds with green lawns, squirrels, ducks, trees (of course), and a wide section of Mill Creek curving through it. Two of the buildings were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s in the same style as park lodges, adding to the parklike effect. There is also a contemporary building that is very different in style but fits in nicely.
The historic Forester's Office building is very cool, made from a mix of natural wood panels, park-ranger-green shingles, and warm-hued stones. Don't miss the abstract tree design in the stone wall in front of the building, the vertical stones over the window left of the entrance, and the National Register plaque on the porch. Cross the historic (1929) bridge over the creek for good views.
This building is not open to the public, but the smaller historic building nearby houses a museum. It's open about once a week and by appointment.
While wandering the grounds, we were greeted by a security guard, who turned out to be a fount of valuable information and quirky stories. He said to come back in early May when the purple camas lilies cover the ground on the other side of the creek. He asked if we knew about the underground tours in Salem - we didn't and that sounds great!
He told us that he loves his job and takes care of about nine cats that visit the property, feeding them and protecting them from hungry predators - his coworkers call him "Cusses at Coyotes," in the spirit of the more famous Dances with Wolves. He said the cats help control rodents on the property - and did we know that Disneyland sends cats out on their properties at night for that purpose? He said he once saw a beaver in Mill Creek, a surprisingly rare sight given that Oregon is the Beaver State (yep, that's true). He saw a large rodent in the water one night, but they are usually nutria, so he shined his flashlight down from the bridge to check... hooray, a big paddle tail!
During my visit, I saw no water-based rodents but did spot a duck that was different than our common mallards, with a very interesting white head and bright eyes. He and his lady friend landed in the creek near me, then rode the rapids downstream. I'd like to think it was just for fun.
Wow, what amazing memories! Thank you very much for sharing this with us.
I was impressed by this complex, which preserves a good amount of the old power plant while creating cool modern spaces for a hotel, restaurants, bars, and even a museum containing beautiful rocks and a huge dinosaur skeleton. I recommend wandering around and checking out the rooftop bars Electric Moon (which has a slide for adults!) and the chic Myrtle & Rose. Both of them have wonderful views of the river.