Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests
Crooked River National Grassland

History - 1800 to 1899

1806

• March 30, 1806 - From a point near the mouth of the Willamette River, Lewis and Clark named Mt. Jefferson.

1826

• November 15, 1826 - Peter Skene Ogden and Hudson's Bay trapping party passed through Newberry Crater, becoming the first known Euro-Americans to visit the Newberry area.

1834-1835

• December 1834 - January 1835 - Nathanial Wyeth and trapping party came south down the Deschutes River in December. Harsh weather conditions and lack of game caused them to turn back at Pringle Falls on January 14.

1843

• December 1843 - John C. Fremont and U.S. Army expedition mapped the country from the Bend area, south past Benham Falls to the Klamath Country. Group included Kit Carson and Thomas "Broken Hand" Fitzpatrick. Group camped near Shevlin Park on Dec. 4.

1845

• Survivors of the Blue Bucket Mine wagon train came into the Prineville area from the east.

1846

• June 15, 1846 - "Treaty with Great Britain, In Regard to Land Westward of the Rocky Mountains." (Commonly known as "The Oregon Compromise" of 1846.) The 1846 Oregon Compromise settled British boundaries in the far Northwest, providing the United States with additional area of over 183 million acres of public lands, including the present states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and the western parts of Montana and Wyoming. (9 Stat.869)

1848

• August 14, 1848 - Established the Northwest Territory, extended to the Territory of Oregon, which included the area that later became the state of Oregon. The Statutes at Large (177 Stat. 329) state that all laws heretofore passed in said Territory making grants of land, or otherwise affecting or encumbering the title to lands, shall be, and are hereby declared to be, null and void; and the laws of the United States are hereby extended over, and declared to be in force in said Territory, so far as the same, or any provision thereof, may be applicable.

1851

• Survivors of the Clark massacre on the Snake River camped for several days on the Deschutes River at site of Bend.

1852

• John Diamond led a group exploring for a road from Eugene City to Fort Boise. Route crossed south of Diamond Peak and Crescent Lake.

1853

• The largest immigrant train to cross Central Oregon was the Elliott Cutoff Party. Elliot wagon train used the route established in 1852.

1854

• Macy wagon train used the route established in 1852.
• All lands east of the Cascades were included in Wasco County.

1855

• The Pacific Railroad Survey party under the leadership of Lts. Williamson and Abbot of the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers scouted for railroad routes along the Deschutes River west of Newberry Volcano. Accompanying the Survey as chief scientist was Dr. John Strong Newberry.

1859

• February 14, 1859 - State of Oregon Enabling Act enabled the people of Oregon to form a constitution and State government, and to be admitted into the Union on equal footing with the original States. The State of Oregon was granted title to all sections 16 and 36 which were unsold or otherwise undisposed of or the rights to select other lands in lieu thereof.
• February 14, 1859 - The Constitution of the State of Oregon was approved by the people of the Oregon Territory on November 9, 1857, and went into effect when the Enabling Act for the State of Oregon was approved.

1862

• Scott Trail constructed across Cascade crest near McKenzie Pass by Felix Scott and crew of 40 men.

1865

• Willamette Valley and Cascade Mountain Wagon Road completed across Cascade crest north of Mt. Washington.

1867

• Fall - A caravan of wagons laden with supplies for Indians on the Klamath Reservation made the first recorded passage of vehicles over the full length of the region now traversed by U.S. Highway 97. The wagon train was headed by J.W. Perit Huntington, superintendent of Indian Affairs in Oregon. Spent night of Nov. 4 at site of Bend.

1872

• McKenzie Salt Springs and Deschutes Wagon Road Company completed a wagon road across McKenzie Pass.

1877

• John Y. Todd purchased the Farewell Bend Ranch (future site of city of Bend) from Tom Geer for two saddle horses and $60 in cash.

1880

• Sept. 15, 1880 - T. Egenton Hogg incorporated the Oregon Pacific Railroad with the intent of constructing a railroad from Newport to eastern Oregon.
• Judge John Breckenridge Waldo begins his annual horseback vacations in the High Cascades of Oregon. He made annual trips from 1880 to 1907.

1882

• Crook County established with county seat at Prineville. Included present day Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties.
• July 1882 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped at Elk and Davis Lake.

1883

• Aug.-Sept. 1883 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped at Crescent and Davis Lake, Davis Creek, Crane Lake on Crane Prairie, Deschutes River and Lava Lakes. At this time the upper Deschutes was known as Deep River and Lava Lakes was known as Deep River Lakes.
• Sept. 9, 1883 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo climbed South Sister.

1886

• Aug. 2, 1886 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo climbed Middle Sister.
• Aug.-Sept. 1886 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped near Sisters, Lava Lakes, Crane Prairie, Davis Lake, Crescent Lake.
• Sept. 3, 1886 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo climbed Diamond Peak.

1887

• Aug.-Oct. 1887 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped near Sisters and at Davis and Summit Lakes.

1888

• Oregon Pacific Railroad laid one and a half miles of rails across Cascade crest at Hogg Rock. Packed in parts of boxcar and reassembled it and pulled it across summit with horses to keep their railroad franchise.

1889

• Aug.-Oct. 1887 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped at Crescent Lake.

1890

• July-Sept. 1890 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped at Sparks Lake, Lava Lakes, Odell and Crescent Lakes.
• Oct. 26, 1890 - Oregon Pacific Railroad Company defaults on loans and folds as company.

1891

• March 3, 1891 - The President was authorized by Congress to withdraw and reserve public lands with forests, to assure protection of federal timber lands and upland watershed areas. Care and conservation of such lands remained the responsibility of the Department of Interior. (561 Stat 1103)
• Aug.-Oct. 1891 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped in the Metolius Valley, at Lava Lakes, and at Odell Lake.

1892

• Aug. 1892 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped at Odell Lake.

1893

• September 28, 1893 - Proclamation established the Cascade Range Forest Reserve. (28 Stat 1240)
  This forest reserve included the part of the present day Deschutes National Forest west of the Deschutes River.

1894

• Aug. 1894 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped at Odell Lake.

1895

• July-Sept. 1895 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped near Black Butte.

1896

• Cache Creek Toll Station established. Closed in 1914.
• Sept. 1896 - Judge John Breckenridge Waldo camped at Odell Lake and Crane Prairie. Judge Waldo reported that Odell Lake was becoming very popular and that there were more than 30 people camped near the outlet.

1897

• June 4, 1897 - The Organic Administration Act of June 4, 1897, assigned responsibility to the Department of Interior for administration, conservation, and use of large areas of public lands with forests. The Act also designated National Forest Reserves. The large Forest areas were surveyed, protected, and managed by the General Land Office. (30 Stat, 11, 33-36)

1898

• April 29, 1898 - Executive Order eliminated some land from the Cascade Range Forest Reserve.
  Site of Crescent homesteaded by Charles and Eva Graves.

1899

• April 6, 1899 - Executive Order eliminated some lands from the Cascade Range Forest Reserve.
  First dam placed on outlet of Paulina Lake. Some of the water rights to Paulina Lake date from this time.