Bend in Deschutes County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
The City of Bend
Pilot Butte Park
In the beginning...there were old growth trees.
The small community, first called Farewell Bend from the nearby big bend in the Deschutes River, could have been called “Pilot Butte” if the 1901 recommendation of Postmaster William Statts had been approved by the U.S. Postal Service. Incorporation in 1905 made the name Bend official.
Bend was first settled as a farming and ranching community around the end of the 19th century. Grass for summer forage and native meadows provided hay for the winter feeding of livestock. Irrigation canals were dug, spreading water to surrounding crop lands.
A.M. Drake, founder of Bend, and his Pilot Butte Development Company were logging and sawing lumber from trees in and adjacent to Drake Park in 1902. By 1918 two of the largest pine sawmills in North America were operating in Bend, in time to help supply World War I lumber demands. Bend soon grew from a village to a major Oregon city. For the next 65 years, its economy relied mainly on lumber manufacturing.
In 1928, Pilot Butte was given to the State of Oregon as a memorial to Terrence H. Foley by three former business associates who purchased the Butte for that purpose. Mr. Foley had been a major force behind almost every community activity from 1910 to 1925. Today it is a popular scenic viewpoint and part of the Oregon State Park System.
Erected by Oregon State Parks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1901.
Location. 44° 3.636′ N, 121° 16.986′ W. Marker is in Bend, Oregon, in Deschutes County. Marker is on Pilot Butte Summit Drive. Marker is located at the Pilot View Scenic Lookout. Pilot Butte Park can be reached from Greenwood Avenue (U.S. 20). Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bend OR 97701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. "The Westward Movement" (here, next to this marker); Oregon's Fabled "High Desert" (within shouting distance of this marker); O'Donnell Field (approx. 1.1 miles away); A.J. Tucker Building (approx. 1.4 miles away); Wright Hotel (approx. 1.4 miles away); Deschutes County Courthouse (approx. 1.4 miles away); Colonial Inn (approx. 1.4 miles away); "Klondike Kate" House (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bend.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on February 7, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 597 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 7, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photo showing a full close-up of the marker. • Wide area view of the marker and its surroundings. • Can you help?