Anyone here from Oakridge Or ?

[lmlove]

Hi Gail,

My name is Linda (Love) Hanneman. I have lived in Oakridge all my life going to school at all 4 schools, starting with the Westfir grade school and transferring to Willamette City grade school after the snow collapsed the roof of the cafeteria in the winter of 69-70. I was in 3rd grade then.

I do know that the church on LaDuke Road is still there, but is no longer used as a church. It is privately owned and is for sale along with a small house that sits on the other side of the driveway. I was recently looking at it as I am getting a divorce and am looking at some place to buy.

I have always loved LaDuke Rd. When I was 4 years old my family moved out on the old Gray's Creek homestead. At that time Nutter's owned it and we were just renting. I was 9 or 10 when we moved into Willamette City. I have always misssed the creek and am looking at hopefully moving back there soon.

I can't recall any waterfall near Westfir though. I even asked Jack Skordahl whom I work with if he recalled any waterfall. He has grown up in Hemlock and is living in Westfir still. He could only think of "Salmon Creek Falls". It is at the other end of Oakridge, pass the Forest Service building on Salmon Creek Road. There is a beautiful waterfall called "Salt Creek Falls". It is up Highway 58 about 20 miles on your way up the Willamette Pass. You can walk to the bottom of them, but it is quite a walk back up.

I am sorry about your losing your dad. It must of been extremely hard at such a young age. I am curious as to who you are. I went to school with a Gail Rowe. I remember she lived on LaDuke Road as she invited me to a birthday party when we were in grade school, then she moved away.

I would love to hear back from you and if you have anymore questions please let me know. I would be happy to answer them if I can.


Looking forward to hearing from you again,


Linda Hanneman

Originally Posted by Beaucamp

My father was the Presbyterian minister in Westfir until 1956 when he died. I remember Westfir very well and would like to come back for a visit. I would like to ask the following questions about Westfir :

1) Is the Presbyterian church still in existence in Westifr? Does anyone know the name of the church?

2) My father was a fly fisherman and I spent a lot of time watching him fly fish for trout. I would like to find out the spot we often went to but I was too young to remember exactly where it was. I do remember it was not too far from Westfir and it was a popular spot. The spot on the river was close to a bridge. Any ideas where it could be?

3) There is a park close by Westfir with a beautiful waterfall. The last day of my father's life was spent there on a church outing- a picnic. We had lunch on picnic tables very close to the waterfall. I can still see it in my mind. Does anyone know where that could be?

My name is Gail and please contact me at [EMAILMod cut[/email].

Thanks for any help.

[lmlove]

Hi Sleepy,

Oakridge is down river from the "Hillscreek Resevoir." It flooded several times before the dam was in place, but not since then.

The elevation of the town is 1,100 ft and the HillsCreek dam is 1,500 ft. The Cascades mountains are absolutely beautiful and offers all kinds of recreational activities if you are an outside kinda person.

Have you ever visited Oakridge, Oregon? If you haven't you should. It is God's paradise. I was born here in 1961 and I have been lots of other places, but nothing compares if you are (again I say) an outside kinda person.

Please feel free to email with any other concerns or dilemmas or....if you are just curious about our little town.

I wish you a very happy holiday,

Linda

Originally Posted by sleepy

As you can see I have a tough decision to make...My concern about Oakridge is that it seems to be down river from a lake...any one know the elevation of the lake compared tp the elevation of the town of Oakridge, any one worried about flooding???? Thanks

[Beaucamp]

Hi Linda,

Many thanks for your reply to my questions about Westfir. I am sorry for the delay in responding but I have not been on this website for some time. I was checking everyday for an answer when I first posted my query but gave up thinking that anyone would respond. So again thank you for going to the trouble to try to find some answers for me.
I can tell from your email that I am much older than you are. I was in the first grade in 1956 in Westfir. We lived in the teachers apartments right next to the elementary school. My mother, Marjorie Campbell, was my first grade teacher. I have my class pictures from that time where I noted everyones names. I have misplaced it at the moment. The only complete name I can remember of a kid in my same class was a Johnnie Carpenter. Before my father died, we lived in a white house down the street from the Presbyterian Church but on the opposite side of it. I believe the church owned that house.
I hope to visit Westfir next year and I will defintely go to "Salt Creek Falls"- I am sure that must be the one I have seen in my mind since I was very little. My son turned out to also be an avid fly fisherman and it will be wonderful to have him fish the same rivers my father did.
I am sorry about your divorce. I wonder if the house you are considering getting is the one we lived in.
Thank you again very much for your help.
Gail

[Oakridgemom]

You can google.com the waterfall in westfir area, as well as the bridge...
Beautiful! I have lived in Oakridge for 2 years and cement falls and salmon creek falls are my fav! Its changed so much since I moved here!

[fairyprankster]

Hi Linda,

This thread is really old, but I was searching for info on the history of LaDuke road and it turned up. I'm looking at a house for sale that I was told used to be Punch LaDuke's.

In the fall of 1992, I moved from Chicago to Oakridge for a couple of months, and then moved on to a house Westfir for a couple more years. Gail Rowe and her 2 young sons were my neighbors in a 4 plex apartment on Rainbow Rd. It's the place that has the newer townhomes in the lot in front now, and I think they call it Christel Lane. It was funky back then, but the people were friendly.

She told me stories about living on LaDuke Rd, and showed me the house she grew up in from a distance. I've wondered if it was the one I'm looking at now. She also talked about the year the cafeteria roof collapsed, which was a popular one. I also heard about that from one of your other school mates, Mary, who lived somewhere along the train tracks near 2nd St in Willamette City back then. I worked with her in Eugene a few years ago.

Gail moved to John Day when she was in grade school. Her dad worked as a forester and the company transferred him. Her parents and sister moved back later, and she joined them for a while. She left again in the winter of 1993 to live in Tacoma and get back togther with her husband. I helped her move, although I was reluctant to see her go so suddenly. It was a very hard time in her life. I still have a couple of the houseplants she left for me, and I think of her sometimes and hope she's well. The boys must be in their mid 20's now.

Anyway, just thought if you saw this you'd be curious to know. I live in Fall Creek now, but I'm hoping buy a house in Westfir in the next few months. It's a great area, and I've always intended to return.

I was also wondering if the old Gray's Creek homestead is at the end of the road where the Tired Dog Ranch is located now? That's my real estate agent's place.

-Carol

[ntrlly541]

I lived in Oakridge in the summers with my dad and step mom for a few years. He worked for the Forest service.My step sister was killed by electrocution when they were putting up a Cb antenna-she was about 14 then. Her name was Maria. My step mom was Margaret and my dads name was Walther Maillet.MY dad is buried in Oakridge with my step sister. I go thru there often when visiting Portland where my daughter is in college. I now live in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

[pw72]

I don't have any personal connections with Oakridge, but I have driven through on the Willamette Pass Hwy many a time. It always seemed like the last oasis before the Cascades, and I found myself stopping there frequently. Always friendly people, and just an attitude of "we live in paradise". Always a pleasure to drive through your town. Don't go changin'!