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
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and earn the chance to
WIN A $200 GIFT CERTIFICATE
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LANDSCAPE AND
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Grove Sentinel Facebook page at https://
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Open 7 days a week!
79149 N. River Road
Grove-Sentinel/ and upload a picture of
541-942-4664
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valid at the participating businesses. The
name of the winner will be posted on
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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