I’m going to cheat on this post. The photo included here is not a family photo (though it was in the family photo archives). Rather, it is on a commercial postcard published by the Pacific Photo Company, Salem, Oregon. There is no copyright notice on the postcard (I wish there were—it might give me a date for this photo), but even if the photo was copyrighted, that copyright would have expired long before now. So I think I’m safe to use it here.

This photo shows people drinking water from the mineral springs (more commonly known as “soda springs”) on the site that is now Cascadia State Park. The state bought the site for a park in 1941. (According to a March 2019 article in the Albany Democrat-Herald, the park may now be on its way to becoming a Linn County park.)

The history of this area as a picnicing, camping and vacation spot goes back to 1895 when George Geisendorfer bought the land after locating the soda springs known to old-timers in the area. Folklore has it that George was cured of some serious ailment after drinking water from the soda springs on a regular basis.

He wanted to share this healthful water with others, so built a hotel and health resort around the springs. Even without the soda springs, Cascadia was an ideal location to be in the hospitality business. On the Santiam Wagon Road it was one day’s journey by horse or wagon from Sweet Home, and likewise one day’s journey from Mountain House. But with the beauty of the area and the attraction of the health-giving soda water, Cascadia became more than just an overnight stop on the wagon road. As transportation improved, it became a destination of its own. According to an Oregon historical marker in the area, “By 1913, up to 1,000 people were routinely staying at Cascadia in summer, and most of them actually liked the strong taste of the waters.”

“All well and good,” I hear you saying, “but what does this have to do with family history?” Just this: when Mom (Florence McClain) was growing up, the family made regular trips to Cascadia in the summers. (I don’t recall exactly what “family” this was. Perhaps my older siblings will remember. My guess is that it was the Hammells.) This would have been about the time that Cascadia was at the peak of its popularity as a resort, as indicated by the historical marker.

Because of this experience with the soda springs at Cascadia as a child, Mom always wanted to stop there and get a drink whenever we were passing by (which wasn’t that often, at least in my childhood). I think it was a bit nostalgic for her. Through that, I, too, developed a taste for the soda water at Cascadia. (And it definitely is an acquired taste!)

In my earliest recollections of Cascadia, there were still remnants of Geisendorfer’s hotel and health spa around. Those are long gone now, and the state has since blocked access to the soda springs for health reasons (ironically). I was encouraged to read in the Democrat-Herald article cited above that Linn County would like to re-open access to the soda springs. I hope they succeed. I would enjoy the chance to taste the soda water again.

Unrelated to the soda springs (at least directly), I have vague memories of some sort of extended family gathering at Cascadia when I was quite young. I remember hiking up to some falls. Was the McClain Camp-Out held at Cascadia before it was at Longbow, or was this something else? Siblings, please help me out.