Dorena Historical Society

I found a couple of cool old photos of the Bohemia Mines on Pinterest. The first shows a woman riding the ore tram from one mine to the other.  The caption says Margie Knowles but I do not know if that was the person in the photo or the photographer. Anyway, it looks like it was a fun way to get around up on the mountain.I found a couple of cool old photos of the Bohemia Mines on Pinterest. The first shows a woman riding the ore tram from one mine to the other.  The caption says Margie Knowles but I do not know if that was the person in the photo or the photographer. Anyway, it looks like it was a fun way to get around up on the mountain.

This one shows the aftermath of a tough trip up Hardscrabble Grade.  Even today a trip up the Grade often results in an overheated engine.

From the Cottage Grove Sentinel. A group of Row River ladies got all dolled up in matching gowns for an elegant entertainment at the Community Hall. This photo dates back to the late 1940’s. One of the women pictured is Ruth Cartwright, who was a resident since 1945.  Anyone know any of the others?

Newspaper article courtesy of the Cottage Grove Historical Society. This photo,  from the Cottage Grove Sentinel, depicts a floor show at the Culp Creek Community Hall in the 1940’s. The show was sponsored by the Row River Sunshine Club, a community group that continues to this day.  In the years of World War ll gas was rationed, so light-hearted local entertainments were common.  People could get together and have fun without leaving town. These local men look like they knew how to have a good time!

Dorena High School Girls Basketball Team  in the early 1930’s Girls Basketball flourished in small rural schools from the early part of the 20th century until the mid 1930’s. The sport was deemed unladylike and too rough for girls in the late 30’s and virtually disappeared from High Schools until the 1970’s. Leta Mosby is holding the ball in the photograph.  She grew up shooting a rubber ball through an oatmeal canister fastened to the kitchen door.  Leta kept her love of Basketball throughout her long life.  The only time she ever flew in an airplane was to see the Portland Trail Blazers play in the 1977 NBA Finals in Philadelphia. This information and photo are taken from an article in the Oregonian by Rachel Bachman.

The Wildwood Dance Hall was established in the late 19^th century at the Burnett homestead where Sharps Creek met the Row River.

According to Mike Thoele in his book Bohemia, The Life and Times of an Oregon Timber Venture, the place could attract a hundred couples on a Saturday night.  It was locally known as the Bucket of Blood because of the dozens of fights in the parking lot. Teeth were regularly found there in Sunday mornings.  Moonshine was readily available during prohibition.  All told the Bucket provided entertainment for the locals for over 50 years.

A bunch of Culp Creek gals heading out for a night on the town? Nope, this particular Wildwood Dance Hall was in New Jersey.

In the early days of Dorena some of the women in town organized the Happy Circle Sewing Club.    The club met twice a month to sew, mend and quilt. It gave the members a chance to get out of the house and visit and have fun.  The grocery store building in town became vacant so the club members put on plays to raise the funds to buy the building.  The Happy Circle ladies rented out their building to the Grange for 50 cents a month.  The community often held dances there, too.  Almost everyone in town came to kick up their heels and as one attendee stated “the rafters jumped!”

In the same spirit the Row River Sunshine Club has been meeting in the valley for over 50 years.  They craft, bake, help residents in distress and generally keep the sense of community alive on the river.

They can be reached at PO Box 124, Dorena, OR  97434.

A photo of the Mother’s Tea at Culp Creek School

A couple of ladies from Star. One didn’t mess with the up river girls back then.