Cottage Grove and it’s surrounding area have a significant and interesting history. Our goal is to preserve and share that history. Here are some significant pieces that are part of our wonderful history.
Came to town in 1925 to film his masterpiece, The General. The General is still listed in the top 100 best films of all time by the American Film Institute.
This mysterious woman spent much of her childhood in logging camps around Cottage Grove. She would later become a mysterious figure who decades after her death remains a topic of debate and controversy.
Once seen all over the land, Cottage Grove home to six covered bridges and is considered the covered bridge capital of the west. These structures were built to increase the longevity of wooden bridges by protecting them from the frequent rains of the northwest. Those remaining instantly transport visitors back to earlier days and nostalgic contemplation.
The McFarland family was one of the earliest European settlers in what is now Cottage Grove. Lands that used to be part of their donation land claim are still significant parts of our community including Mt. David, named after their son. Their family cemetery is the resting place for many of the early pioneers as well as at least four Native Americans who remained after most were forced onto reservations.