Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests
Crooked River National Grassland

History - 1930 to 1939

1930

• Carl B. Neal becomes Supervisor of the Deschutes National Forest (1930 - 1937)
• Population of Bend - 8848.
• Brooks-Scanlon logging railroad reaches Fox Butte area east of Newberry Volcano.
• May 14, 1930 - Public Law 214 added some lands to the Deschutes National Forest. (46 Stat. 278)
• September 1, 1930 - 11th Annual Shevlin-Hixon Picnic at Benham Falls with over 3000 people in attendance. Last annual picnic until 1950.
• October, 1930 - Portland and Southeastern Railroad filed for a right of way across "Hogg Pass".

Early 1930's

• Northern end of Century Drive added to Forest Highway Program as future route of Cascade Lakes Highway from Bend to Crater Lake.

1931

• Fire lookouts constructed on Lava Butte and Paulina Peak.
• November 1931 - Great Northern Railroad extends rails south to join Southern Pacific at Chemult, uses Shevlin-Hixon line from Bend to Lava (Benham Falls).

1932

• April 1932 - New railroad grade across Lava Butte Flows completed by Great Northern Railroad and put into use.

1933

• January 12, 1933 - Executive Order transferred some lands to and from the Fremont National Forest. (E.O. 5991)
• February 1933 - Skyliners propose a ski jump on Lava Butte. This was never built, instead a site was developed on upper Tumalo Creek.
• Early 1933 - Steep single-lane road constructed up Lava Butte.
• Late 1933 - New road up west flank to Newberry Crater completed.

1934

• Logging town of Shevlin moves from Lava Caves area to site three miles east of La Pine.
• Summer 1934 - Another study of Benham Falls reservoir area made. The results of the study again okays a dam above Benham Falls but a reservoir at Wickiup is decided on.
• Deschutes Lumber Company Sawmill constructed at Mowich on Little Deschutes.
• Construction of Willamette Pass Hwy. begins.
• Lookout tower constructed on Black Butte.

1935

• February 1935 - Howell Williams (Univ. of California) publishes his study of Newberry Volcano. First detailed study of the geology of Newberry.

1936

• March 1936 - Lava River Cave is extended 310 feet by excavation of sand fill.
• June 1936 - Deschutes Geology Club asks for protection for the Lava Cast Forest area.
• First auto travel across Santiam Pass via Clear Lake to Belknap Springs road and on to Eugene.

1937

• T.H. Burgess becomes Supervisor of the Deschutes National Forest (1937 - 1939)
• Summer 1937 - Paulina Lake Campground under-construction.

1938

• February 5, 1938 - Proclamation 2316 added some lands to the Deschutes National Forest. Federal Register correction dated 12/9/1938 3-FR 2885. (53 Stat. 2511)
• July 1938 - Robert Nichols (Tuffs College in eastern U.S.) studies Lava Butte and Lava Cast Forest areas with college field party.
• North Santiam Highway to Salem completed.
• Construction of Hoodoo Ski Area began.
• December 1938 - Funding for north end of Cascades Lake Highway (Forest Boundary to Devils Lake) allocated by Bureau of Public Roads. Newspaper articles and editorials about plans for Cascade Lakes Highway from Crater Lake to Bend (or Sisters via Three Creeks Lake). Crater Lake to Diamond Lake section already completed.

1939

• Ralph W. Crawford becomes Supervisor of the Deschutes National Forest (1939 - 1956)
• Paved road from Bend to Big Springs (12 miles) had been completed by county, grading was almost complete to Dutchman Flat. Planning under way for extending paved two-lane road to Elk Lake.
• South Santiam Highway to Albany completed.
• June 1939 - Proposal to divert water from Waldo Lake to Deschutes drainage for irrigation. Tunnel proposed from Waldo Lake to upper Salt Creek drainage. Water would go down Salt Creek to Gold Lake where another tunnel would take water to Odell Lake.
• July 1939 - Bureau of Public Roads and state officials tour Cascade Lakes Highway route and meet concerning road standards. Highway planned as double lane paved.
• Summer of 1939 - Wickiup Reservoir site logged off and logs floated down river to Benham Falls where they were loaded onto the Shevlin-Hixon railroad.