Cottage Grove in Lane County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)

The General

1926

— The Oregon Film Trail —

The General Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, April 11, 2026

1. The General Marker

Inscription. This location played for Marietta, GA and was used for multiple locations in this Buster Keaton silent classic, including the film’s opening scene. Keaton utilized parallel tracks to get moving sequences and action shots on the train.

Did You Know?
At the end of the film, the town “set” was redressed to play for Chatanooga, TN in the final sequence of this Civil War era movie.

Erected by Oregon Film, OregonMade Creative Foundation. (Marker Number 25.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Entertainment. In addition, it is included in the Oregon Film Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1926.

Location. 43° 47.928′ N, 123° 3.219′ W. Marker is in Cottage Grove, Oregon, in Lane County. It is on East Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1498 E Main Street, Cottage Grove OR 97424, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North

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America,

in the Cascade Range,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Liberty Bell (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Hiroshima Peace Tree / Peace Pole Project (about 600 feet away); Billowing Steam to Bicycles (approx. ¼ mile away); Stewart and Hinds Building (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bohemia Mining Museum / E Clampus Vitus (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lena Flaiskey Becker (approx. 0.4 miles away); Animal House (approx. 0.4 miles away); Bank Building (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cottage Grove.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, April 11, 2026

2. The General Marker

View of marker looking west along the Roe River Trail (former railroad).

Photographed by Buster Keaton Productions

3. The General

View of movie scene in 1926 along with a current view of the site looking north. Current photo taken by an anonymous user on the Jetsetter mobile app.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 16, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 29 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 16, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.