8A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL MARCH 8, 2017
Cottage Grove: A Look Back
The current population of Cottage Grove stands at 9,795. Once the city hits 10,000, a slew of chang-
es must be made to accommodate the new population as mandated by state law. Our water system will
be updated, our trash collection will change and our neighborhoods will grow just a bit more. But
before we offi cially reach that magic number of 10,000, let's take a look back at how we got here. Over
the next year, The Sentinel will feature this column once a month examining the milestones that made
Cottage Grove the vibrant, historical town it is today. With the help of the local historical society and
the stories of those before us, we will visit the decisions, construction and consequences of the city's
growth. From its beginnings as Slabtown to the mining craze, to the impact of particular local families
and their contributions, to the installation of Interstate 5, local chain stores and the contruction and
housing crash. In 30 years, Cottage Grove has developed its own style and voice but in the days before
we fi nd ourselves stretching towards the future again, let's take a look back at how we became Cottage
Grove: The city on the verge of 10,000.
I
n the beginning, there
was
Slabtown
and
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Lemati. The settlements
were on opposite sides of the
Willamette River and a number of other things.
The railroad was on one side, the post offi ce on
the other and compromise nowhere in between.
From 1893 to 1899, the city we now know as
Cottage Grove was split into two distinct entities:
Slabtown and Lemati. Slabtown formed on the
west side of the Coast Fork of the river and en-
joyed fi r planks as sidewalks which also served
as the originator of its name. Lemati did not enjoy
such luxuries and was a muddy mess of fl ooding
where today's Main St. is located. That is, until,
the railroad came to town.
Now the proud owners of the newest technology
in transportation, Lemati now had access to trav-
elers more readily than their rivals in Slabtown.
The east side group, however, had the post offi ce.
That is, until it was hoisted up and stolen to cross
the border and settle in Lemati.
The fued between the two towns grew to a fe-
ver pitch as development continued. The west
side piped in its water but refused the east side to
develop a water service of its own.
All of this, of course, was in the shadow of
the original clearing of the land that came to be
known as Slabtown and Lemati.
By Caitlyn May
Before settlers began fi ghting over water and
post offi ces in the mid-1800s, there was an exist-
ing community in the pre-slab roads of Cottage
Grove.
The Kalapuya Tribe of the Pacifi c Northwest
was living in the area along the shores of the Coast
Fork, Silk Creek, Row River and the Willamette.
While history dubs the Kalapuya as a "passive"
tribe that adopted settlers customs, diseases such
as measles and dysentary as well as traditional
means of removal saw their numbers decrease.
Old stories of the tribe note the belief that there
was a particular tribal village near Bennett Creek
just northwest of Cottage Grove.
While the tribes met a familar fate, the feud be-
tween Slabtown and Lemati fueled local lore and
provided yarns as colorful as more famous west-
ern family disputes.
After growing weary of the conversational
moniker "East Cottage Grove," the east side opted
to go to Salem to try and have its name changed
despite objections from the west side.
Eventually, the two towns came together to
form what we now know as Cottage Grove.
Stay tuned next week for a deep dive into the
city's introduction to the railroad and the mining
days that followed, allowing for Cottage Grove's
fi rst entreprenuers to spring up; some of their
earnings still seen in Cottage Grove today.
Before it was Cottage Grove, it was two divided towns with a feud that was worthy of Hollywood. Slabtown and
Lemati fought over water, the railroad and the postal services before eventually coming together to form Cottage
Grove proper as we know it today. Photos courtesy of the Cottage Grove Historical Society.
SENIOR MEALS
Grab a BITE of
Cottage Grove
Week of March 6 to March 11
3677.)
Suggested donation $3.00
SENIOR MEALS PROGRAMS
Offering Meals on Wheels and
Cafe 60 at the following locations:
Anyone age 60 and older is served, regardless of income, sug-
gested donation is $3.
Guests under age 60 are welcome to attend for $8 per meal.
THURSDAY, March 9: Beef Chili with Beans
FRIDAY, March 10: Macaroni and Cheese
TUESDAY, March 14: Breaded Baked Fish w/Tartar Sauce or
Italian Herb Chicken
Cottage Grove Riverview Terrace
925 W. Main St., Cottage Grove
Noon: Tues., Wed., Thurs.
Creswell Cresview Villa
350 S. 2nd St., Creswell
Noon: Mon., Wed., Fri.
R
estaurant
G U I D E
FIESTA CANTINA SPECIALS
M-MARGARITA MONDAYS
T-TACO TUESDAYS W/FRESH MADE TORTILLAS
W-WELLLS DOWN CALLS UP
TH-TRIVIA NIGHT
FRI. & SAT. DJ & DANCING
SUN FOOTBALL PRO SPECIALS, GIANT TV
THURSDAY, March 9: Roast Turkey w/Gravy or Salisbury
Steak
FRIDAY, March 10: Broccoli Cheese Omelet Bake or Chicken
Pastina
MONDAY, March 13: Cowboy Campfi re Sew or Chicken
Tetrazzini
TUESDAY, March 14: Chicken Lo Mein or Beef Chili w/Beans
WEDNESDAY, March 15: Chicken Patty w/Gravy or Home-
style Pork Patty w/Gravy
EL
TAPATIO
Mexican Restaurant & Cantina (541) 767-0457
Drain/Yoncalla area
Served at 400 Main St., Yoncalla.
(For Douglas County Meals on Wheels eligibility, call 541-440-
Get our 3-Bed,
2-Bath, 4-Door,
V-6 discount.
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1481 Gateway Blvd
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Bus: 541-942-2623
www.bjornninsurance.com
Put auto and home together
for hundreds in savings.
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1590 Gateway Blvd. • Cottage Grove
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