The Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint is a
state park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...
on the
Crooked River in
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
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It is on the border of
Deschutes and
Jefferson Jefferson may refer to:
Names
* Jefferson (surname)
* Jefferson (given name)
People
* Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States
* Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...
counties.
History
The facility is named in honor of
Peter Skene Ogden
Peter Skene Ogden (alternately Skeene, Skein, or Skeen; baptised 12 February 1790 – 27 September 1854) was a British-Canadian fur trader and an early explorer of what is now British Columbia and the Western United States. During his many expedi ...
who first entered the Crooked River Valley while leading a
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...
trapping party in 1825. Although no mention is made at the park itself, it was also the site of one of Oregon's most sensational murders, which led to the conviction of
Jeannace June Freeman Jeannace June Freeman (1941/42 - 2003) was the first woman ever sentenced to death in the U.S. state of Oregon, and remained the only woman sentenced to death in Oregon until 2011. Her conviction was upheld by the Oregon Supreme Court, though she wa ...
of first degree murder. She was the first woman ever sentenced to death in Oregon, and remained the only woman ever sentenced to death in Oregon until 2011. Her conviction was upheld by the Oregon Supreme Court, though she was not in fact executed.
Features
Located north of
Redmond along on
U.S. Route 97
U.S. Route 97 (US 97) is a major north–south route of the United States Numbered Highway System in the Pacific Northwest region. It runs for approximately through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, primarily serving in ...
, Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint is a rest area and viewpoint with limited (but available) parking for trucks and vehicles with trailers. Facilities include restrooms, picnic tables and dramatic viewing of the Crooked River canyon, as well as a views of the
Crooked River Railroad Bridge The Crooked River Railroad Bridge, part of a BNSF Railway line between the Columbia River and Bend, Oregon, crosses Oregon's Crooked River Canyon in southern Jefferson County. The bridge is above the river and when it was completed in 1911, it ...
, the
Crooked River High Bridge
The Crooked River High Bridge is a steel arch bridge that spans the Crooked River gorge in Jefferson County, Oregon. The bridge was designed by Conde McCullough and was completed in 1926. Shortly after its completion, Oregon State Highway Divisi ...
, and the
Rex T. Barber Veterans Memorial Bridge
The Rex T. Barber Veterans Memorial Bridge is a concrete arch bridge in the western United States; it spans the Crooked River gorge in Jefferson County in central Oregon. Designed by T. Y. Lin International, the bridge was completed in 2000 ...
. The area is very popular with photographers. The developed area is on the west side of U.S. Route 97, but is accessible easily to both north and southbound traffic with a drive through parking and loop exit for both trucks and trailers.
The viewpoint is also the site of a memorial honoring
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 ...
flying ace
Rex T. Barber
Colonel Rex T. Barber (May 6, 1917 – July 26, 2001) was a World War II fighter pilot from the United States. He is best known as a member of the top secret mission to intercept the aircraft carrying Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in April ...
.
See also
*
List of Oregon state parks
References
External links
*
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Parks in Deschutes County, Oregon
Parks in Jefferson County, Oregon
State parks of Oregon