Butte failA History Spotlight
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M edford to B utte Falls
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I quick Info:
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Railroads: iilik "r-E. S»hS
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’ In 1904, the Medford & Crater Lake Railroad was incorporated and started construction of a railroad between those Pflinjs in 1905. Crater Lake
has always been a scenic landmark in the southern Oregon Cascades. The line ran into financial problems, and despite repeated attem pts to
reorganize construction, money to complete the line was never found. There were only a little over 20,000 people in all of Jackson County at
the time, and therefore economic justification for a passenger railroad was very difficult.
The Pacific & Eastern was incorporated in 1907 to construct a line from a point in California to pater Lake, as well as operate telephone and
telegraph lines. The backers of the line ware supposedly Portland business interests. Construction of this line was never started. However, due
to the financial problems of the M edford & Crater Lake construction, the company wound up as owners of the M&CL.
The area did have significant timber resources, but a railroad would have to be built to get them to a market. In 1908, business interests with
timber land ownership in the Butte Falls area purchased the Pacific & Eastern.
The Spokane Portland & Seattle purchased control of the Pacific & Eastern in 1909.
At the time, the Pacific St Eastern was projected as a key railroad In the Great Northern - Northern Pacific - Spokane Portland & Seattle -
Oregon Electric - Oregon Trunk railroad system, as that family of companies did not have a way of getting trains Into California. The line was
to be extended northeast to Bend and connect with the Oregon Trunk. At the time, the Southern Pacific line between Eugene and Klamath Falls
did not exist, and therefore there was no obstruction, other than the Cascade M ountains, to such a line. At the very least, the line was to
provide a link to the valuable fruit orchards of the Rogue River Valley in Southern Oregon, as well as valuable timber land around Butte Falls.
There were still various proposals for related railroad lines to extend into California, some using the Pacific & Eastern as a stepping stone Into
that state.
In 1911, the line was completed all the way to Butte Falls, about halfway to Crater Lake.
By 1919, plans for the connection at Bend has fallen through, and the line was determined to be unnecessary for the SP&S system. It was sold
to logging operations of the Brownlee-Olds Lumber Company. In 1924, the P&E became the Medford Logging Railroad. It eventually, extended
some 70 miles into the woods. Several of these lines are now logging roads, but with an old-school map, one can drive on a few pieces of what
was once part of the line.
In 1959, the line was cut back again to Butte Falls, and the entire line was abandoned In 1962 due to the development of better trucks and the
exhaustion of timber resources in the region. At some point this became part of the Medford Corporation. Towns on the line from Medford were
Davis, Agate, W hite City, Table Rock, Eagle Point, M ountain View, School Hou se Gap, Darby, Edsalls and Butte Falls.
Thanks to Brian Edwards for contributing information about this route.
From the Program Director
The Butte Falls Community School Partnership would like to thank all of our volunteers and
donors for all that they give to make what we do at The Landing possible. W ithout your help
and dedication, we would not be here!
A special
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thank you to the Oregon Community Foundation for the grant award of $20,000 to
continue to operate the food pantry program for another year.
W e would also like to thank The Ford Family Foundation, The Robert and Frances Family
Foundation, local donors, and an anonymous donor for their support with the funding for a
new HVAC system. Construction is due to begin mid August