8A | SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 |
VILLAGE from A1
comment on the future of
the resort, but a staff source
has reported that the new
owners have expressed in-
terest in replacing most, if
not all, hotel buildings with
apartments.
The RV park, main build-
ing with restaurant and
lounge and wedding garden
are reportedly to remain,
however it was stressed that
even these plans are likely
not finalized and should be
considered open to change.
As such, even those close
to the process can only
speculate on the property’s
future.
A ‘Monument to Wood’
The Village Green opened
on July 9, 1960, and quickly
attracted national recogni-
tion as a luxury hotel with
fine cuisine. Developed on
13 acres alongside the new-
ly-created Interstate 5, the
hotel put Cottage Grove on
the map and established for
itself a lasting legacy.
The Woodard family was
behind its inception.
In 1905, Walter Wood-
ard moved to the area from
Indiana and established his
family name in the lum-
ber business. In the late
1950s, he sold his lumber
company to Weyerhaeuser
and, with his son Carlton,
turned his sights toward the
hospitality business.
“I remember my father
(Carlton) saying there was
a sense of loyalty to Cottage
Grove, and that they would
have not attempted this
anywhere else,” said Casey
Woodward, grandson to
Walter.
Initial plans were to build
a hotel on some of Walter’s
land in what is now the
Village Shopping Center,
which would have caught
traffic through Highway 99.
Plans were halted, though,
when Walter learned that
the newly created Interstate
Highway System was due to
put a freeway through Cot-
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
tage Grove.
Though Interstate 5
wouldn’t be fully complet-
ed until Dec. 1, 1961, Wal-
ter moved to purchase 30
acres closer to the proposed
freeway. A portion of those
acres were set aside for The
Village Green.
Carlton Woodard was
also behind the decision
to create the motor hotel.
Carlton took great care in
selecting the right materi-
als — and people — for the
facility.
Manager (or “Greenmas-
ter”) Harry Ringland, for
example, was selected to
run the show. Ringland had
operated the famous Sarnez
restaurant in Beverly Hills.
The chef, Don Savoie,
was convinced to relocate
from the Commodore Grill
in Portland.
Chester R. Skinner,
great-grandson of the City
of Eugene’s founder Eu-
gene Skinner, served as the
maître d’.
Liberal use of wood prod-
ucts were used to give the
resort a rustic ambience, in
addition to stone, brick and
tile. Man-made products
like aluminum and plastic
were used sparingly.
The interior designer,
Arthur Morgan, was well
known in his field, having
also worked on landmarks
such as “The Terrace” in
the St. Francis Hotel in
San Francisco, “The Coffee
House” in the Hotel Benja-
min Franklin in Seattle, and
“The Cavalier Bar and Din-
ing Room” in Hotel Geor-
gia in Vancouver, B.C.
In Portland, he was be-
hind “The London Bar and
Grill” in the Hotel Benson,
“Hilaire’s Encore Restau-
rant,” and the “Stirrup
Room and Café Baron” at
the Multnomah Hotel.
Eugene architect Percy
Dwight Bentley designed
The Village Green’s unique
layout, stating at the time
that he and his firm were
proud to consider it one of
the most outstanding mo-
tor hotels in the region.
ed making off the facility’s
knobs and handles from its
gold-fixtured washrooms.
Manager Ringland at the
time said he was perplexed
how the thieves got away
with it without the use of
power tools, adding that
the golden temptations in
the Village Green’s wash-
rooms were “becoming
quite an overhead item.”
The construction of the
hotel even attracted the
attention of then-Oregon
Governor Mark Hatfield,
who visited to dedicate the
building in a “ribbon cut-
ting” ceremony shortly af-
ter its July 9 opening. How-
ever, the governor, instead
of cutting a ribbon, dra-
matically sawed through a
log to symbolize the area’s
lumber industry and salute
the substantial resort as a
“monument to wood.”
A Five-Star Legacy
Over its first couple de-
cades, The Village Green
made a name for itself with
national (and at times in-
ternational) draw, where
prestigious groups like the
Gourmet Dinner Club or
the Concours d’Elegance
Car Show could hold posh
events.
The Village Green re-
ceived its first Mobil Travel
Guide Five-Star Award in
1965 and it continued to
do so consecutively for the
see GREEN on A10
OLD MILL FARM STORE
-Est 1870-
We’re celebrating “22” years as the fortunate
owners of the OLD MILL FARM STORE,
Lane County’s oldest continuous running
business.
DAMIEN SHERWOOD/COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Some aspects of The Village Green are still rooted in
what feels a by-gone era.
In all, it took more than
$1.5 million, million square
feet of lumber and nearly a
year to complete.
The final result was a
unique blend of informal
elegance and rustic appeal.
Interior décor was eclec-
tic, drawing on a variety
of styles of Americana, old
Europe and the Far East.
Streetlights from Copen-
hagen. Brass fittings from
Ireland. Wicker lights from
Hong Kong.
In the lounge, tables from
Italy. Screens from Moroc-
co. Cabin lights from an old
whaling ship.
A statue from Boston,
the Maiden of Good For-
tune (nicknamed the “Iron
Maiden”), graced the din-
ing room and achieved its
own popularity with cus-
tomers.
When the Village Green
advertised gold nugget
hunting for the nearby Bo-
hemia mines, it brought a
rash of bad luck on itself as
modern gold diggers start-
We would like to extend a hearty THANK
YOU to all the Grove community for helping
us to enjoy the whole stretch!
During these unusual times, if you are
uncomfortable, we can do business over the
phone, outside as before, and are willing to
be as accommodat-
ing as you need.
We look forward to
seeing you all soon.
You’re the best.
In Home Caregiver
Chuck & Debbie
All applicants will be considered for
employment without regards to race, color,
religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender
identity and national origin. All applicants
must have experience taking care of the elderly
as well as a great attitude. As a caregiver, you
must be able to pass a background check. For
more enquiry about the Caregiver job, you can
contact Mark (chillingtong@gmail.com)
Part-time - 5 hours per day
Monday-Friday - $20 per hour
Open Mon-Fri 10-5
Saturday 10-4
541-942-3042
327 S. River Rd.
Cottage Grove
Providing help for someone
with suicidal thoughts
When celebrity chef and travel television personality
Anthony Bourdain committed suicide in 2018 at age 61,
the world was taken aback because it seemed like Bour-
dain was on top of the world. Many well-known people
have committed suicide, including Robin Williams,
Chris Cornell, Margot Kidder, and Kate Spade. In 2021,
“Dawson’s Creek” writer Heidi Ferrer committed suicide
after a year-long battle with COVID-19.
Those close to people who have taken their own lives
often wonder what they could have done to help. Al-
though suicidal thoughts are not exclusive to the rich and
famous, the tales of celebrities who take their own lives
serve as sobering reminders that even those with fame,
money and success may still fall into depths of depres-
sion that can lead to suicidal thoughts.
Suicide is a public health problem that affects people
from all walks of life. Various factors can contribute to
thoughs of suicide, and promoting supportive behaviors
and improving education can reduce the numbers of
suicides and suicide attempts. Consider these statistics,
courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion and the Government of Canada.
• Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United
States.
• More than 47,500 Americans took their own lives in
2019.
• In 2019, 12 million American adults seriously thought
about suicide, and 1.4 million made an attempt.
• More than 10 Canadians die by suicide every day.
• Suicide rates are on the rise in the United States, in-
creasing by 33 percent since 1999.
• For every death by suicide, at least seven to 10 survi-
vors are signifi cantly affected by the loss.
While certain instances of suicide seemingly come out
of the blue, there are certain warning signs that may be
present. Recognizing these signs can help people get
prompt assistance. The National Institute of Mental
Health reports that the following are some signs that a
person may be having suicidal thoughts.
• Talking about wanting to die or wanting to kill them-
selves.
• Mentioning feelings of hopelessness or indicating there
is no reason to live.
• Speaking of great guilt or shame.
• Acting very anxious or agitated.
• Displaying feelings of unbearable emotional or physi-
cal pain.
• Searching for legal ways of killing oneself.
• Taking great risks that could lead to death.
• Using alcohol or drugs more often.
•
Saying goodbye to family or friends and giving away
important possessions.
• Displaying extreme mood swings.
Suicidal thoughts are an emergency and taking action
can save lives and prevent injuries. The Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration says if a
person believes someone may be thinking about suicide
the following actions should be taken.
• Call 911, if danger for self-harm is imminent.
• Ask the person if he or she is thinking about suicide.
Listen without judgment.
• Remove any objects that could be used in a suicide
attempt.
• Stay with the person until additional help arrives.
• Call SAMHSA’s National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
at 800-273-TALK or text the Crisis Text Line’s number
Little Caesars
“Help, Hope
& Healing
Since 1970”
24/7 Youth Crisis Line: 541-689-3111
Cottage Grove Rural Program Offi ce:
541-767-3823
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littlecaesars.com
(541) 942-2551
Main & Hwy 99
Cottage Grove