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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (July 17, 2019)
8A | WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2019 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL BMD from A1 the 1959 celebration which put the festival on the map with its faux western storefronts, pa- rades and high turnout. It was also the inception year of the Prospectors and Gold Diggers Club, the production engine be- hind the festival. Bohemia Days began as a summer celebration to pay homage to the history of mining on the near-by Bohemia Mountain, as well as the rich heritage of the area. “There was a lot of col- orful and really unique history about Cottage Grove from its agricultur- al, Oregon Trail pioneer settling in this area, from the discovery of gold in the mining district in the 1850s,” Weeldreyer said. It wasn’t until sometime in the mid-1960s that “Bohemia Mining Days” was permanently adopted as the festival’s name. In 1970, the festival and Cottage Grove made na- tional news when Jerry Lewis accepted an invita- tion to participate in the small town’s festival. A local seven-year-old boy, Scotty Swift, had been selected that year as the national poster child of the Muscular Dystro- phy Association and was flown to New York for a taping and photo shoot which included Lewis. As that year’s Bohemia Min- ing Days Parade Grand Marshal, Swift (with some prior coaching from the Cottage Grove Mayor Bill Whiteman) invited Lew- is to sit beside him in the parade. News of Lewis’ atten- dance soon spread and Cottage Grove found itself packed to the brim with adoring fans. “It was probably the highlight of our 60 years, was having such a famous person come to town and for such a sweet reason,” said Weeldreyer. Over the years, a num- ber of attractions have come and gone. One per- formance troupe in par- ticular, though, achieved legendary status. The Lemati Gang, a fiction- al group of outlaws who would enact shootouts and train robberies, was a festival staple for decades. Led by Whiteman, the troupe was so successful that it became its own separate nonprofit and took their performances on tour around Oregon. However, rising insurance fees and maintenance costs caused the gang to finally hang up its hats and gun holsters in 2002. This year, the infamous gang has been resurrected by Mayor Jeff Gowing, a previous performer him- self, who will play sher- iff to the gang in their scheming shenanigans opposite the Bohemia City Marshal played by City Councilor Bob Ehler. Though there are no plans to bring back past eccen- tric performances, the gang will march in Sat- urday’s grand parade and entertain the crowd. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to get back in and do it,” said Gowing. Other returning attrac- tions will include a his- torical treasure hunt, a gold panning booth, the Bloomers Parade, an an- tique engine display and an ugly dog contest. perform Native volunteers. And the board American story- just works itself to death telling, providing a trying to make sure that long-absent Native all the moving parts are American presence moving in the right direc- at the festival. tion at the right time for The three-day the right reason.” festival will en- Weeldreyer pointed to compass Bohemia, the addition this year of Coiner and Trail- Sylvia Kitterman taking head Parks, fea- over social media and vol- ture a total of 13 unteer coordinating as go- performers on the ing a long way to increase Main Stage, a car- the headcount. nival, parades and a “I think that this is the slew of other events biggest and best produc- and attractions. It’s tion team I’ve ever worked an immense feat with,” she said. “The rea- of volunteerism, son that we do this and in- which has required vest all this time is because COURTESY PHOTO diligent recruit- it gathers our community The “Time-Traveling Train” is just one of the many attractions during this year’s 60th ment efforts. together in one place, at anniversary BMD Festival that is both fun and educational, highlighting the Cottage “That has been one time — and it show- Grove area’s historic past. our Achilles’ heel,” cases our community to said Weeldreyer, our visitors that come.” The Prospectors and mia City Players. At the day, Kalapuya Tribe El- “is not having enough Gold Diggers Club will Heritage Stage on Satur- der Esther Stutzman will also be celebrating its 55th “Breakfast on Bohemia AT THE Proud Sponsor of the Mountain” at 6 a.m. on July 21 in the Bohemia Summer Reading Program Mining District, in which Bonus Lego Club the club simulates and with Movie “Coco” S serves a “high country” U Wednesday, July 17th, 2:30-4pm JOIN ... breakfast from the early FOR Teen Hangout Night: mining days. Board Games, Movies, Art! New attractions will Tuesdays: 5-8pm include covered bridge Stop Motion Movie Making! tours, a Civil War encamp- Learn to make short videos! ment, a living history vil- Kids: 7/10 @ 2:30pm • Teens: 7/15 @ 5pm lage kid zone, a “Bohemia Crafternoons! Create and socialize with other “crafters”! Mines” documentary and Thursdays: 3-5pm • Saturdays: 1-3 pm an Opal Whiteley play performed by the Bohe- 2775 Row River Rd, Cottage Grove 700 E. Gibbs Ave, Cottage Grove SUMMER LIBRARY 541-942-4415 • bradschevy.com Post a picture of your garden (vegetable, fruit or fl ower garden) on our Facebook page and earn the chance to WIN A $200 GIFT CERTIFICATE CONTEST RULES: Visit the Cottage We have 2x12 Rough Cut Cedar for Raised Beds in stock! LANDSCAPE AND BUILDING MATERIALS Grove Sentinel Facebook page at https:// www. facebook.com/pages/Cottage- Open 7 days a week! 79149 N. River Road Grove-Sentinel/ and upload a picture of 541-942-4664 your vegetable, fruit or fl ower garden to the photo album section of the page. In the comment space, describe what makes you so proud of your garden. The person who receives the most “likes” by August 7, 2019 will win the $200 in gift certifi cates valid at the participating businesses. The name of the winner will be posted on our Facebook page on August 14, 2019. Participants must be 18 years old or more. Previous winners, employees of this newspaper and participating businesses and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate in this contest. HORNERS INC. FOREST & GARDEN EQUIPMENT 79132 Hwy. 99 North Cottage Grove 942-5781
