Salem area, Oregon

May 26 - June 1, 2017

Champoeg State Park

 Champoeg (pronounced Shampoo-E) is a former town in Oregon. Now a ghost town, it was an important settlement in the Willamette Valley in the early 1840s; it was the site of the first provisional government of the Oregon Country. 

 Rode the Champoeg Bike Trail to the Butteville Store and back

 Pretty bike trail along the Willamette River

 The Historic Butteville Store is the oldest continously-operating 

retail establishment in Oregon. 

Dave enjoying an ice cream cone on the porch of the Butteville Store.

Silver Falls State Park

(Oregon's largest state park)

 The loop trail we took included 7 falls; we left out Twin Falls, North Falls and Upper North Falls

 South Falls was beautiful

 And you could walk behind it

 Lower South Falls

 Double Falls

 Lower North Falls

 Dave standing behind Lower North Falls

 Drake Falls

 Our secluded lunch spot...that didn't stay secluded for long.

Winter Falls

Silverton, OR

Seven Brides Brewing

One of the brides is a Rebecca :)

The beer named for her is Becky's Black Cat Porter

This is the Paradise Island IPA - Delicious!

Silverton Murals

This mural is on the side of the Seven Brides Brewing Building and is a replica of the work done by artist Norman Rockwell in 1943 in The Saturday Evening Post Magazine - the mural represents the core values of Silverton residents - Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want and Freedom from Fear.

Silverton - City of the Falls

Silverton born astronaut Don Pettit served six months as a 

mission specialist aboard the International Space Station.

A Scotch Collie, Bobbie was traveling with the Braziers of Silverton in 

Wolcott, Indiana on August 15, 1923 when he became separated from the family. 

He walked home, returning to Silverton on February 15, 1924.

The dog traveled an estimated 3,000 miles, crossing the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains during winter as he made his way back to Silverton.

The 70-foot-long mural of Bobbie is painted on a wall in Town Square Park

The town was built around an old oak tree - a popular gathering spot 

on Main Street in the 1800's. Newcomers cut down the 800-year-old tree to pave the street. 

The stump is on display behind the Silverton Country Museum.

Schreiner's Iris Farm - Salem

 The Iris gardens

 The Iris farm

Redhawk Vineyard - Salem

On Memorial Day the vineyard was hosting a special event - $10 for wine & barrel tasting (11 in all), delicious food, music & you couldn't beat the view!

 There were a lot of people there but it didn't feel like it

 Lots of places to hang out and enjoy the view

 The vineyard and the Willamette Valley

Met Karlos and Susan and had fun talking to them

Willamette University - Salem

 Walked around the Willamette campus where a friend of ours went to law school

I loved this building! Eaton Hall was built from 1907 to 1908 and was home to Willamette's law school from 1923-1938.

 Eaton Hall

 College of Law

 The campus was beautifully landscaped

History of the school on the steps of Waller Hall

Capital Building - Salem

Willamette Mission State Park - 

 Willamette Mission is one of the most significant and beautiful historic sites in the Willamette Valley. The park occupies land where the first mission for American Indians was founded in 1834 by the Reverend Jason Lee. 

A landing for the Wheatland Ferry - the first to carry covered wagons 

across the Willamette River in 1844 - is in the park.

 I guess they still use the ferry...just not while we were there.

 Private farmers lease part of the park. The farmland helps 

maintain a sustainable habitat for wildlife.

 A huge field of daisies!

And a hops farm :)

So that was our adventure in the Salem area of Oregon. We had a blast visiting all of the state parks and small towns. Heading for Estacada, Oregon next!