Cottage Grove is a city in Lane County,

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, United States. Its population was 10,643 at the 2020 census. It is the third largest city in Lane County. It is on

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Californi ...

Oregon Route 99 Oregon Route 99 is a state highway that runs between the southern border of Oregon, and the city of Junction City. Oregon Route 99 was formed from parts of the former U.S. Route 99; it shares much of its route with I-5, but much of it is also ...

, and the main Willamette Valley line of the CORP railroad.

History

Cottage Grove post office was established in 1855 east of present-day Creswell. It was named by its first postmaster, G. C. Pearce, whose home was in an

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

grove. In 1861, the office was moved to the present site of

Saginaw Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

; then in the late 1860s, to the southwestern-most part of present-day Cottage Grove, on the west bank of the

Coast Fork Willamette River The Coast Fork Willamette River is one of two forks that unite to form the Willamette River in western Oregon in the United States. It is about long, draining an area of the mountains at the south end of the Willamette Valley south of Eugene. Co ...

. When the

Southern Pacific The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...

railroad was built through the area in the 1870s, Cottage Grove station was placed more than half a mile northeast of the post office, on the river's east side. This was the start of a neighborhood dispute that lasted for nearly 20 years. The people living near the post office did not want it moved to the railroad station, so a new office was established at the station with the name ''Lemati'', a Chinook Jargon word that means "mountain". Lemati office ran from November 1893 to September 1894, but in March 1898 the Cottage Grove office was renamed Lemati, and ran that way until it was permanently renamed Cottage Grove in May 1898. The only existing covered railroad bridge west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

, the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

-listed Chambers Railroad Bridge, is in Cottage Grove. The city restored it in 2011, reopening it on December 3. Cottage Grove received the

All-America City Award The All-America City Award is a community recognition program in the United States given by the National Civic League. The award recognizes the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stronge ...

by the

National Civic League The National Civic League is an American nonpartisan, non-profit organization founded in 1894 with a mission to advance civic engagement to create equitable, thriving communities. The League envisions a country where the full diversity of communi ...

in 1968 and 2004. It has been recognized as a

Tree City USA The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...

by The Arbor Day Foundation for over a decade. In October 2008, it was the 17th city in the United States to be recognized as a Green Power Community.

Lemati

Cottage Grove was incorporated in 1887, but the people on its east side rebelled in 1893 and founded East Cottage Grove. The

Oregon State Legislature The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the H ...

changed its name to Lemati in 1895; the train station's signboard said "Cottage Grove", and "Lemati" in smaller letters. In 1899 an act was passed that consolidated the two towns as Cottage Grove.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Cottage Grove lies south of the confluence of the Row River and the Coast Fork of the Willamette River. This confluence effectively marks the southern end of the

Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley ( ) is a long valley in Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Willamette River flows the entire length of the valley and is surrounded by mountains on three sides: the Cascade Range to the east, ...

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above . According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Cottage Grove has a

warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 9,686 people, 3,895 households, and 2,469 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 4,154 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.3%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 1.3% Native American, 1.1%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 3.1% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.8% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 8.0% of the population. There were 3,895 households, of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.6% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age in the city was 38.3 years. 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,445 people, 3,264 households, and 2,183 families living in the city. The population density was 2,561.6 people per square mile (988.1/km). There were 3,430 housing units at an average density of 1,040.4 per square mile (401.3/km). The racial makeup of the city was 92.84% White, 0.15% African American, 1.21% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.55% from other races, and 3.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.94% of the population. There were 3,264 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.05. In the city, the population dispersal was 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,442, and the median income for a family was $37,457. Males had a median income of $30,775 versus $23,485 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $14,550. About 15.6% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 29.0% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

The largest festivals in Cottage Grove are Bohemia Mining Days (third weekend in July) and the Western Oregon Exposition Heritage Fair (third weekend in August).

Museums and other points of interest

Cottage Grove is known as the "Covered Bridge Capital of The West" with six

covered bridge A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...

s near the city. Five of the six bridges, Chambers Covered Bridge,

Currin Bridge The Currin Bridge is a Howe truss covered bridge near Cottage Grove, Oregon, United States. It crosses the Row River. The Currin Bridge was built in 1925 to replace another bridge built in 1883. The lowest bid received by Lane County for constr ...

Dorena Bridge The Dorena Bridge is a covered bridge near Dorena, Oregon, Dorena in Lane County, Oregon, Lane County, Oregon in the United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure crosses the Row River near the upper end o ...

Mosby Creek Bridge The Mosby Creek Bridge, also called the Layng Bridge, is a historic Howe truss covered bridge located near Cottage Grove, Oregon, United States. The bridge crosses Mosby Creek and was constructed in 1920, making it the oldest covered bridge in ...

, and Stewart Bridge, are listed on the

. Centennial Covered Bridge is a replica bridge constructed from materials salvaged from dismantled bridges. The Swinging Bridge is a historic suspension footbridge. It is home to 21 murals throughout downtown reflecting the community's history. The Cottage Theatre and the Opal Center for Arts and Education offer excellent live theatre productions year-round. Cottage Grove has four museums: * Th
Cottage Grove Historical Museum
filled with vintage photographs and artifacts, including a coat worn by a survivor of the RMS Titanic 1912 shipwreck * The Bohemia Gold Mining Museum, illustrating the area's

gold mining Gold mining is the extraction of gold resources by mining. Historically, mining gold from alluvial deposits used manual separation processes, such as gold panning. However, with the expansion of gold mining to ores that are not on the surface ...

history in the nearby Bohemia Mining District * Th
Oregon Aviation History Center
preserving Oregon's rich aviation history, including some vintage aircraft restoration projects. * The Dr. Snapp House, with artifacts of early medical practices; built in 1886 by one of the community's first doctors, the Queen Anne-style home is owned and maintained by th
Prospectors and Gold Diggers Club

Film location

Several films have been filmed in Cottage Grove: *

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

's '' The General'' (1926) in town and the surrounding countryside; it included a spectacular locomotive crash, and the wrecked train was a minor tourist attraction until it was dismantled for scrap during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

* ''

Emperor of the North Pole ''Emperor of the North Pole'' is a 1973 American action adventure film directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Keith Carradine, and Charles Tyner. It was later re-released on home media (and is more widely known) und ...

'' (1973) * Parts of ''

Animal House ''National Lampoon's Animal House'' is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney and Chris Miller. It stars John Belushi, Peter Riegert, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom, Thomas Hu ...

'' (1978); its 25th-anniversary release was celebrated by the citizens with a

toga party A toga party is a Greco-Roman-themed costume party where attendees wear a toga (normally made from a bed sheet) with sandals. The costumes, party games, and other entertainment often adhere to the Roman or Greek theme. Toga parties are associated w ...

on August 30, 2003, on Main Street, where the movie's climactic parade sequence was filmed * (1986) Portions '' Stand By Me'', along the railroad tracks east of town (now the

Row River National Recreation Trail Row River National Recreation Trail is a rails to trails conversion in the U.S. state of Oregon. It follows the Row River for between Cottage Grove, Oregon, Cottage Grove and Culp Creek, Oregon, Culp Creek, passing by Dorena Lake, and provides a ...

, a bicycle and walking trail) * ''Ricochet River'' (1997) starring

Kate Hudson Kate Garry Hudson (born April 19, 1979) is an American actress and businesswoman. She has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award and a Satellite Award, as well as nominations f ...

Sports

Cottage Grove has two golf courses. Middlefield is owned and operated by the City of Cottage Grove. It is a challenging 18-hole executive course surrounded by mature landscaping and next to Interstate 5. Middlefield also has a disc golf course. Hidden Valley is a privately-owned 10-hole course nestled along the northern slope of Mount David featuring numerous gigantic oak trees and bounded by Bennett Creek and the Coast Fork of the Willamette River. Coiner Park offers tennis, pickleball and basketball courts. South Lane School District has a newly renovated aquatic center and its high school athletic facilities are often used for regional and state athletic events.

Parks and recreation

Dorena Lake Dorena Reservoir (also Dorena Lake) is a reservoir on the Row River in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located east of Cottage Grove. The Dorena Dam in front of the reservoir was completed in 1949 as one of the 13 dams of the United S ...

and Cottage Grove Lake are near the city and offer picnicking, camping and boating facilities. The Row River National Recreation Trail is a 14-mile, paved, multi-use trail that begins in Cottage Grove's Historic Downtown District and follows the route of the now-abandoned Oregon Pacific & Eastern Railroad line, along the scenic shores of the Row (rhymes with 'cow') River and Dorena Reservoir. Rental bicycles are available near Trailhead Park.

Education

The

South Lane School District South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...

serves Cottage Grove and the surrounding area.

Cottage Grove High School Cottage Grove High School is a public high school located in Cottage Grove, Oregon, United States. History The new school building, opened in 2003, replacing the old high school building which had been built in 1939 and held its first classes in ...

, Al Kennedy High School, Lincoln Middle School, Bohemia and Harrison elementary schools and the Academy for Character Education are in the city. Dorena School (K-8) and the Child's Way Charter School (5-12) are rural schools located in the Row River Valley east of Cottage Grove. London School (K-8) is a rural school located south of Cottage Grove Lake.

Lane Community College Lane Community College is a public community college in Eugene, Oregon, with additional facilities in downtown Eugene, Florence, Cottage Grove, and the Lane Aviation Academy at Eugene Airport. Lane serves more than 26,000 credit and non-credit ...

has a Cottage Grove satellite campus offering credit and enrichment courses.

Media

Since 1909, the ''

Cottage Grove Sentinel The ''Cottage Grove Sentinel'' is a weekly newspaper serving the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon, United States. It was established in 1889 and is owned by News Media Corporation. News Media bought the ''Sentinel'' from Lee Enterprises Lee Enterp ...

(''circulation of 3,331) is the city's weekly newspaper. KNND is its local radio station.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Air

Jim Wright Field is a public

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...

serving small general aviation aircraft, located one mile (1.6 km) east of Cottage Grove.

Bus

Lane Transit District The Lane Transit District (LTD) is a public agency that provides public transportation in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The transit district serves the Eugene and Springfield metropolitan areas, including the neighboring cities of Coburg, ...

runs bus service to nearby Eugene and Springfield. South Lane Wheels offers a shuttle and door-to-door service in Cottage Grove.

Notable people

Dennis Dunaway Dennis Dunaway (born December 9, 1946, in Cottage Grove, Oregon) is an American musician, best known as the original bass guitarist for the rock band Alice Cooper (1962–1975, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021). He co-wrote some of the ...

Diane Downs Diane Elizabeth Downs ( Frederickson; born August 7, 1955) is an American criminal who murdered her daughter and attempted to murder her other two children near Springfield, Oregon, in May 1983. Following the crimes, she made claims to police ...

Dyrol Burleson Dyrol Jay Burleson (born April 27, 1940) is a retired middle-distance runner from the United States. He attended the University of Oregon, where he ran track under the coach Bill Bowerman. Burleson lettered in track and field in 1960, 1961, and ...

* Everett W. Holstrom * Richard Swift *

Opal Whiteley Opal Irene Whiteley (December 11, 1897 – February 16, 1992) was an American nature writer and diarist whose childhood journal was first published in 1920 as ''The Story of Opal'' in serialized form in the ''Atlantic Monthly'', then later that ...

* Tulku Jigme Thrinley Rinpoche (notable Buddhist teacher in the Vajrayana tradition)

References

External links

Entry for Cottage Grove
in the ''

Oregon Blue Book The ''Oregon Blue Book'' is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon prepared by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. The ''Blue Book'' comes in both print and on ...

''
Cottage Grove
in the Oral History Archive {{Authority control Willamette Valley Cities in Oregon Cities in Lane County, Oregon 1855 establishments in Oregon Territory Populated places on the Willamette River Populated places established in 1855 Railway towns in Oregon