Opal Whiteley Guided Tour

4. Across the street is the historic Burkholder Woods building that now houses two wonderful businesses, the Axe and Fiddle OPAL WHITELEY plus Kalapuya Books. There is also the Backstage Bakery in the rear of the building. The building was a variety store in Opal’s Library Birch Ave. L day and may have sold crayons for Opal purchased by George GUIDED TOUR 7 6 Miller, also known as the “man who wears grey neckties and is . kind to mice.” This is a great place to have a cup of good coffee d Gibbs Ave. or a bite to eat while browsing Kalapuya’s books and gifts. er R v Hw Ri Ash Ave. 5 y 9 5. Cottage Grove Church of Christ. This is the church Opal 9 attended when she lived in Cottage Grove. It was then called N Whiteaker Ave. the First Congregational Church and there were many Chris- H St. tian Endeavor meetings held here. The building was originally wood framed but was rebuilt in 1947 after a fire. 3 8 6. Cottage Grove Library and Community Center. Be sure and Main St. stop by here to see the lovely bronze statue of Opal done by local Main St. sculptor, Ellen Tykeson. This statue was dedicated to the library 4 1 2 by South Lane Mental Health in 1998. S 7. The Cottage Grove Museum. You are in for a treat at the Parking 9 CG Museum. Their excellent collection of items show what life 9 . y was like in the early days of Cottage Grove when Opal was a Hw Bohemia child and young adult. The building used to be Our Lady of 5th St Park 8th St 7th St 6th St. Perpetual Help Catholic Church built in 1897. There is a story that Opal visited the church as a young girl and fell asleep on one of the pews. The priest carried her to the house she was staying at nearby. Welcome to the Opal Whiteley Tour ! 8. Row River Trail Head. If you are going by foot, bike or horse- As a young writer, Opal Whiteley loved to give special names 1. All America City Square, also known as “Opal Park” is the back, this is the place to start your journey out to the “Fairyland” to animals, people and places. This tour takes you near many starting point for the Opal Whiteley guided tour. The mural of where Opal wrote much of her childhood diary. Opal grew up places she lived in and wrote about. There are also three cov- Opal in the park was painted by local artists Connie Huston and in lumber camps all along the railway. (Cont. on back) ered bridges to explore. Cottage Grove is often called the Howard Tharpe. The covered bridge in the mural is Mosby Cov- “Covered Bridge Capital of Oregon.” ered Bridge and will be seen later in the tour. The schoolhouse is Cottage Grove is the place that Opal called “the mill town.” Walden school. Opal attended school here when she wrote her Opal also thought of her home outside of town as her own spe- diary. cial “fairyland”. One of Opal’s gifts was to see the hidden beauty In Cottage Grove and magic in the everyday things around us. She taught this in 2. The Gold Mining Museum and CG Historical Society both her famed nature lectures and hikes. While much has changed occupy the building on 8th and Main Sts. The Gold Mining Mu- in nearly a century, many landmarks that Opal knew can still be seum has many artifacts from local historic mining claims. Opal’s Oregon and found. This tour can be taken by car, bike, or, on horseback on Uncle Henry owned one of first mining claims in the Bohemia the new Row River Trail Bike Path. area. The historical society is located in the rear of the building. Nearby Areas To experience the entire tour, follow the numbered items. Their many files contain all kinds of historic information on early These numbers correspond to descriptions on this and the Cottage Grove and the surrounding areas. other side of this brochure. Enjoy yourself and don’t forget to notice the beautiful country 3. The Bookmine store has been a long time friend of Opal’s, help- just outside of Cottage Grove. The many species of trees; na- ing to establish an Opal memorial in years past. The store carries tive firs, maples and oaks to name a few, were an integral part Ben Hoff’s book, “The Singing Creek Where the Willows Grow”. of Opal’s world. Birds, butterflies, bugs and fish still inhabit They also carry books as well as hand made gifts and Opal items. Opal at Walden School at about 7 or 8 years old. She brought this fairyland. her pet pig, Peter Paul Rubens to school here one day. Row 9. If going by car, drive east down Main St. under the overpass. 13. Opal Whiteley spent her teenage years around Dorena. At R iv e Just outside town, Main St. becomes Mosby Creek Rd. Drive that time the town of Dorena stood where the lake is now. The r approx 2.5 miles to where Quaglia Road meets Mosby Creek. entire Row River Valley used to be called Star. The Star post Quaglia runs south from Mosby Creek. The south hills you office (where Opal’s mother worked) was closed in 1923. The see were what Opal called “the far woods”. This is the location community of Dorena is now found where the village of Star of the lumber mill where the Man Who Wears Grey Neckties used to sit. The newly restored Dorena Covered Bridge is a RR Trail worked and where the home of Sadie McKibben stood. The beautiful place to stop and enjoy the river at Rocky Point. Opal Currin Covered Mosby hhh RR Trail tree farm on the west side of the road was once part of Opal’s used to catch salmon here. Nearby is the Kirk Store, a good C re e k family farm. The only place where the singing creek can be seen place to buy refreshments. You can learn more about historic R k d Rd. il e . er a re iv r C on public land is where the small bridge crosses Quaglia Rd. Dorena at www.dorenahistoricalsociety.com. R T t ow . a R d R 12 R R R However, be careful because many large gravel trucks use this g n y 11 road, too. a L D Picture of an oak tree or o 10. Continue to the intersection of Layng Road, Mosby Creek re what Opal called a “chêne” 10 Mosby Creek na & Jenkins. This is Walden, where, as Opal says, “the road goes R Singing C Covered Bridge e (French) in her diary. Look he re s T r e three ways.” On the east side of the road is the Row River Trail- lina C eek ) e rv aro k o for a large oak grove on C i head, a lovely 13 mile bike and hiking path. It follows the old ( r the west side of Layng road 9 OP&E railroad line that Opal used to ride. Opal writes about where Opal went on her long the rail yard in her diary. ride on William Shakespeare. There’s a large oak on the W 11. From the place where the road goes three ways, turn left side closer to Row River Rd. Quaglia Rd. onto Layng Road. You will soon cross the covered bridge under which early pioneers over Mosby Creek itself. When Opal mentions the “riviére” she held church services. means Mosby Creek. Opal describes crossing this bridge on Page 178 (Chapter 14) of Benjamin Hoff’s 1995 paperback. Or, you can follow the old railroad line from here. Continue 1 mile The Far Woods down Layng Road to the Currin Covered Bridge. This one If you are lucky enough to find a mile drive from “the place where the road goes three ways” to Fawn Lily (right) around mid- spring- the Currin Bridge over the Row River is where Opal takes her time then you have come upon the long ride on William Shakespeare, the old logging horse. This place where Peter Paul Rubens soul beautiful story is in Chapter 14 (Pages 177 to 183) . Also, Opal does “love to linger.” This story ap- 13 noticed a meadowlark on her horseback ride. Keep a sharp ear pears in the diary on p. 226. Dorena because you just might hear one of their distinctive calls. Covered Bridge Western Meadowlark Right: Opal at about age 4 In the summertime beginning in May, you may see these but- To hear its call for appreciating or 5 years old. terflies that Opal mentioned in her diary and in “The Fairyland Thank you Around Us.” on your Cottage Grove, Oregon, our 1.The Yellow Sulphur butterfly prefers yellow Senna flowers in smartphone, natural world and the world “Now I sit here and print. fields and along roadsides. 2.The Tiger Swallowtail might be go to: of Opal Whiteley. For more The baby sleeps on. The http:// wind comes creeping under spotted resting on Milkweed plants. 3. The Painted Lady can be information about the life of seen resting on plants such as Thistle, Hollyhock, Cheeseweed, youtu.be/ the door. It calls, “Come, Opal Whiteley, go to: Opal- and Tree Mallow. lvAUgFb1cLY net.org or scan the QR at come, petite Françoise, or scan the right. come.” It calls to me to QR here.

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