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In the 1920s and 1930s, Oregon's legendary bridge engineer Conde B. McCullough designed a first-rate collection of aesthetic bridges on the Oregon Coast Highway to enhance an already dramatic and beautiful landscape. The six largest of these, at Gold Beach, Newport, Waldport, Florence, Reedsport, and Coos Bay, eliminated the last ferries on the Oregon Coast Highway between the Columbia River and California. McCullough planned to build one bridge each year after completion of the Rogue River Bridge at Gold Beach in 1932, but the tightening grip of the Depression threatened his plans. In 1933, McCullough and his staff worked day and night to finish plans for the remaining five bridges, and in early 1934, the Public Works Administration funded simultaneous construction of them. The combined projects provided approximately 630 jobs, but at least six workers perished during construction. After the bridges were complete, Oregon coast tourism increased by a dramatic 72 percent in the first year.

The Columbia River Gorge is a land of scenic wonder, revered by tourists for its beauty and by recreationalists for its fishing, windsurfing, hiking, and rafting. The region is also a major transportation corridor, home to two vital east-west railroad routes: Burlington Northern Santa Fe on the Washington side of the Columbia River and Union Pacific on the Oregon side. Every day, dozens of freight trains—as well as Amtrak passenger trains—snake along on opposite banks of the wide river, and rail operations have become an integral part of the heartbeat of the gorge. The colorful images in this work celebrate the art and magic of the trains that move goods and passengers through this striking, rugged landscape.

The large number of immigrants traveling along the Oregon Trail bypassed Grant County because of its location. Most wagon trains used the northern route to the Columbia River. A few used the southern route toward southern Oregon. Grant County was left in between. When gold was discovered in the Canyon Creek area in 1862, the population swelled from scarcely 200 to more than 5,000, many of them Chinese. Today, Grant County's population is approximately 7,500, with John Day, the largest city, at slightly less than 2,000. From the 1860s to near 1900, gold and the mining industry reigned, as upward of $26 million worth of gold was mined. As the supply of gold diminished, so did the population, and timber became the number one industry. Settlers from the East saw potential in the large stands of tall, straight ponderosa pine, and many sawmills came into existence. The sawmills have since greatly declined, but other settlers discovered that the acres of bunchgrass provided excellent cattle feed. Today, cattle is king. In the spring, the cattle herds are moved off their winter grounds to higher elevations; in the fall, they are herded back into the valley. In the past, these movements often took them through the heart of many cities.

The Odd Fellows of North Portland were ordinary blue-collar workers who were able to have an extraordinary impact on their community through the tools they learned from organizing as a lodge. Lodges were a safety net for these workers, as they were one of the only sources at that time for insurance and sick pay. William Killingsworth, a charter member of Peninsula Lodge and whom Killingsworth Street is named after, believed this to be true, so he formed an investment company that began connecting the other North Portland communities via rails. As these communities were connected, Odd Fellows lodges sprang up. First was Peninsula Lodge No. 128. Then there were Woodlawn, Laurel Lodge, and Kenton Lodge, which later became Star Lodge, a lodge for police officers. Over the years, other lodges formed as well. Now, they have all closed except for Peninsula, which thrives because it was able to adapt to a modern approach for operating a lodge. 

Author David D. Scheer is a fifth-generation Odd Fellow and has been involved in the fraternity for 43 years. Bruce Haney is the author of two other Oregon history books. Many of the photographs come from the archives of the Museum of Odd History as well as the St. Johns Heritage Association and the Odd Fellows Grand Lodge of Oregon.

Settled in 1868, Prineville was the first community in Central Oregon.  Primarily focused on the livestock industry, the area experienced a period of vigilante action in the 1880s and sheep-and-cattle wars just after the turn of the 20th century. Prineville remained the predominant community in the region until about 1915, when major railroads arrived and passed over it. This book showcases key images of Prineville, beginning with its first-known photograph in 1881 up until the early 2000s. /Steve Lent has authored several books on local history and provides historical perspectives to both the past and present photographs.

First platted in the 1850s, and as legend tells it, named from an exclamation of settler William Clark waking to discover "what a Home, Sweet Home," this future lumber boom-town began as a stage stop on the road across the Cascade Mountains. With the arrival of the first freight train on April 1, 1932, Sweet Home became one of Linn County's most important industrialized towns. Crawfordsville, Holley, Fern Ridge, Liberty, Pleasant Valley, Foster, and Cascadia were all settled about the same time and became a part of greater Sweet Home. Following the decline of lumber interests, Sweet Home became the gateway to recreation and industrial activities of Eastern Linn County with the construction of the Green Peter Dam in 1962-63. Here is the story of Sweet Home and its surrounding communities, showcased in some 200 vintage images. These photos illustrate early pioneer stories, like that of Letty Sankey, the first female mayor, whose name was placed on the ballot by her father as a joke. They also show the development of the area through the hotels, mining and logging industries, schools, churches, and shared community activities.

History and legend mingle at Wilhoit Mineral Springs, a former health and recreation resort south of Molalla in Clackamas County. Although nothing remains of the rustic lodge buildings and campground today, tales of the healing soda springs enticed people to take the waters, and indeed they did. By the late 1800s, this call for relaxation, social camaraderie, and a healthy cure escalated into a large gathering ground and community resort. The rustic getaway lured wealthy city guests from Portland, Salem, and Eugene, as well as the average local family. Wilhoit Springs Park, open to visitors today, is part riparian wilderness and part oak savannah and contains a fortress of older trees in a verdant setting. Today, people can picnic, walk through the mossy woods and meadows, and explore the lush surroundings. There are two springs, one pleasantly soda and the other highly sulfur—each is accessible today.