Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests
Crooked River National Grassland

History - 1960 to 1969

1960

• Pavement now extends from Bend to Elk Lake and two-lane road grade complete to Deschutes Bridge.
• The"Have Gun Will Travel" TV series filmed six sequences on the Deschutes N.F., including at Fort Benham.

1961

• July 1, 1961 - Proclamation 3423 transferred land from the Deschutes National Forest to the Winema National Forest. (26-FR 6799 & 6802)
  Lands along southern part of Deschutes National Forest (up to 13 miles south of today's southern boundary) were transferred to the new Winema National Forest.
• Two half hour episodes of "Have Gun Will Travel" were filmed at Dutchman Flat and Fort Benham. Four other sequences were filmed at central Oregon locations.
• August 1961 - Natural gas pipeline construction revealed archaeology site near Lava Butte.

1962

• Fort Rock State Park was established.
• The Clear Lake Cutoff from Belknap Springs to Hwy. 20 completed.
• June 1962 - The U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved the change from Mud Lake to Hosmer Lake to honor Paul Hosmer who died recently.
• Summer of 1962 - A small visitor center was built under the lookout at Lava Butte.
• A fire which started near the river came within 100 yards of Fort Benham. The fort was torn down a few years later due to the scenic damage to the area from the fire.

1963

• Irish and Taylor Road still provides the only roaded access to Waldo Lake.
• Three Trappers Bridge (on Rd. 40) across Deschutes built.
• Spring 1963 - Fort Benham torn down.
• September 1963 - Mural painted above windows in Visitor Center on Lava Butte by Mrs. A.L. Schatz of Bend.

1964

• Benham Falls Bypass canal proposed across Lava Butte Flows.
• August 1964 - New lookout built on Paulina Peak (the third one).
• August 27, 1964 - Astronaut Cunningham tested the mobility of a moon-suit on the Big Obsidian Flow.

1965

• August 1965 - The Lunar Geological Field Conference visited Newberry Volcano.

1966

• Paved Century Drive Loop completed with extension of Cascade Lakes Highway pavement south to junction with Fall River Road south of Crane Prairie.
• July 27 to July 29, 1966 - Twenty-two astronauts train in Central Oregon area. Sites visited included Lava Butte, Lava River Cave, and Newberry Crater.
• October 1966 - The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries used Tumalo Tuff from west of Bend to demonstrate that water could possibly be obtained from rocks on the moon.

1967

• March 1967 - Lava Cast Forest flows dated as 6,150 C14 years old by Peterson and Groh.
• May 1967 - U.S. Forest Service created the 8,983 acre Lava Butte Geological Area. Big plans for recreational and interpretive development.
• The movie "The Way West" filmed on Deschutes N.F.

1968

• Paulina Peak lookout abandoned and destroyed.
• July 1968 - The Andesite Conference visited Newberry Volcano. Fifty-four international geologist attend.
• August 1968 - Occupation of Fort Rock Cave dated to 13,200 C14 years.

1969

• Earl E. Nichols becomes Supervisor of the Deschutes National Forest (1969 - 1980)
• April 1969 - Construction of Lava Lands Visitor Center began.
• July 1969 - First Apollo landing on the Moon. Armstrong and Aldrin walk on moon. Many astronauts for the lunar landing missions, trained in Central Oregon in 1964 and 1966.