Applegater., July 01, 2009, Page 21, Image 21

Applegater Summer 2009 21
BACK IN TIME
McKee Bridge Park
BY EVELYN BYRNE WILLIAMS WITH JANEEN SATHRE
An early-day settler, James McLaren,
sold two mining claims to “Deb” and Leila
McKee in 1902 and the McKees built a
two-story house on the east side of the
Applegate River. They later ran a stage
stop there for travelers going to and from
the Blue Ledge Copper Mine. The McKee
Bridge gets its name because Deb McKee
donated the land it sits on. The bridge
crosses the river just above a well-used
camping area and swimming hole. Many
a miner would camp there on their way to
or from Jacksonville when doing a supply
run. The bridge building crew also camped
there and many times arranged to have
their meals at the McKee stage stop.
At that time the road from Ruch
to the Upper Applegate forded the river
a couple of times making spring travel
difficult or impossible. Sometime in 1903
or 1904, Jackson County made a new
road that stayed on the east side of the
Applegate River, doing away with the river
crossings. However, the East Side Road
at Dead Horse Hill was very dangerous
and with the increase of traffic, especially
from the Blue Ledge Copper Mine, the
county planned to build two covered
bridges. In 1917 the Cameron and McKee
bridges were finished and, even though the
road was not paved, travel to the Upper
Applegate became much easier.
By the 1930s the spot was a well-
established campground according to the
following by Maud Pool published in the
Medford Mail Tribune: “Big Applegate,
July 24, 1936. Camps Improved in Forest
Areas: At the campground at McKee
Fabric quilt block by Evelyn Byrne Williams.
Bridge, already equipped with a pump,
stone stoves and tables, the hydraulic
rams will be installed in the Applegate
for irrigation of shrubbery and a diving
board will be erected. Dee Mills is in
charge of this work. Both camps will be
enclosed with a rustic pole fence, with
cattle guards.”
I remember some of my teenage
friends came out one day to swim and
spend the night. We were the only ones
in the campground that night and we felt
as safe as if we were in our own homes.
We had blankets and quilts on which to
lie on the hard ground. By morning the
ground seemed much harder, but that’s
the way it was—no luxuries.
Again from the Tribune on August,
4, 1939, Maude Pool wrote, “McKee Park
Pool Will Be Lighted: McKee Bridge
forest park, one of southern Oregon’s
most popular free resorts, will have its
swimming pool in the Applegate River
equipped with electric lights within
a short time, according to local forest
service officials. CCC workmen at Camp
Applegate are constructing a water wheel
which will be installed in a farmers’
ditch running through the park. The
wheel will operate a generator, and it
is expected that the system will supply
sufficient electricity for six lights at the
pool. The work is under the supervision
of H. Barnhart, project superintendent at
Camp Applegate. An added improvement
planned for the immediate future in the
park is a sprinkling system to dampen
the grounds. Three thousand feet of pipe
have been purchased, and the water will be
piped in, although its exact source has not
been determined. It is thought probably
that the forest service will enlarge the
capacity of the park with the purchase in
the near future of an adjoining acre half
of ground.”
I don’t recall the swimming hole
ever being lighted at night as stated in the
1936 news clipping. However, the forest
service did build a nice bathhouse where
swimsuits could be changed—one end of
the building for women and the other for
men. It was located on the bank near the
ditch above the swimming hole. And at
one time there was a children’s playground
with swings much larger than the usual size
for school playgrounds. One could really
fly high. Perhaps my fear of heights is why
I don’t remember there being a slide, but
a cousin of mine says there was a fun one.
The slide was made even more fun after
he and the other boys used wax paper to
make it really slick.
There also was a large teeter-totter
that I rarely got on because I usually ended
up being on the upper end of it. The thing
I remember enjoying the most was the two
“swinging benches” that held three people
on each side. When the Grange had their
dances, it was a place for teenagers to gather
and chat during the night.
I also don’t remember when the
park became a day-use only park, but I
do remember Sunday afternoon trips to
McKee Bridge Picnic Grounds as a favorite
pastime for my family, who had little other
entertainment in this neck of the woods.
Even our dog took advantage of
the outing, although he was never really
invited to go with us. That dog just
happened to be there when we arrived and
acted as though we were strangers to him.
He would run away each time we tried
to catch him. Other people must have
thought we were trying to mistreat him,
but the next morning he would show up
for breakfast and was very happy to let
us see all of the garbage he had dragged
home from the park. We think he must
have known when the weekends came as
he rarely strayed from our farm during
the week.
Through the years the park has seen
many people enjoying the shade of the
tall pines and the cool water of the deep
swimming hole. Even though the park is
closed now for some needed renovation,
I am sure that it will continue to be a
wonderful place to enjoy the Applegate
River.
Evelyn Byrne Williams
with Janeen Sathre
541-899-1443
EXPIRES: 9-1-09