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Cottage Grove

Willamette Valley

Discover the All-America City (1968, 2004) of Cottage Grove, Oregon, a charming, small town just twenty minutes south of Eugene - Springfield. Find live music, theatre arts, craft beer and eateries in this city that borders both Oregon Wine Country and the Cascade foothills. 

Cottage Grove is a quintessential American town, with a Main Street that seems made for the movies — no wonder it has attracted Hollywood since the '20s when Buster Keaton's "The General" was filmed here. Take a self-guided tour of the town's scenic murals, drive or ride a bike along the Covered Bridges scenic tour route or relax with boating, fishing or a swim in nearby lakes and rivers.

Expand your explorations in Cottage Grove to include the public golf course, the Cottage Grove Speedway, the Oregon Aviation Historical Society and nearby hikes to waterfalls.

Top Things to Do

Main Street in Cottage Grove
: Taj Morgan
Jan 03

Main Street in Cottage Grove

Stroll the historic stretch of Main Street through downtown Cottage Grove. Start at the Chamber of…

Please note: Throughout the spring of 2025, parts of Main Street will be under construction as part of an accessibility, safety and beautification project.

Where to Eat in Cottage Grove

Along with a local brewery, Cottage Grove has several diners and a pub with live entertainment. Nearby is Saginaw Vineyard and wine country with many more tasting rooms and vineyards.

Restaurants

Cottage Grove Events

Cottage Theatre presents outstanding Broadway productions and plays, drawing an audience from nearby Eugene - Springfield. The talent in this little town is amazing!

Additionally, enjoy live music at the craft breweries or nearby Saginaw Vineyard. Summertime features concerts and festivals in the park along with the annual Bohemia Mining Days, a multi-day community celebration of regional heritage with parades, historical reenactments and artisan vendors.

Cottage Grove Lodging & Campgrounds

Children gather around a gold panning demonstration.
: Greg Lee

Gold Panning at Bohemia Mining Days

About Cottage Grove, Oregon

History buffs are drawn to Cottage Grove because so much history has been preserved here. In the 1940s the army corp of engineers built two dams which created Cottage Grove and Dorena Reservoirs, now popular recreation sites. In 1994, the Cottage Grove Historic Downtown District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, alongside the community's numerous historic buildings and covered bridges. A large tract of downtown Cottage Grove is on the National Register of Historic Places. It includes such jewels as the Cottage Grove Armory among its historic businesses, churches and residences.

Bohemia Mining

In the mid-1800s gold was discovered in the Bohemia mountains above Cottage Grove. When mining dissipated in the 1920s, the mountains were left pocked with ghost shanty towns and abandoned mines. However, some ongoing mining patents and active claims still remain. Visitors exploring the area are urged to respect private property and to stay out of mines and buildings for personal safety. A better way to delve into the local history is at the Bohemia Gold Mining Museum which sheds light on this fascinating era. Also, every July the Bohemia Mining Days festival celebrates that historic era.

Covered Bridge Capital of the West

Cottage Grove has six covered bridges, including the only existing covered railroad bridge in the west — the 1925 Chambers Railroad Bridge which was restored in 2011.

Guide to Cottage Grove's Covered Bridges
: Turell Group
Guides & Lists

Guide to Cottage Grove's Covered Bridges

Who can resist the allure of historic covered bridges? Walk inside the cool, creaky chambers, damp from the water below, and peer through sunlit slats…

Film History

One of the most expensive, massive and dramatic train crashes in film history took place in Cottage Grove under the direction of director and actor Buster Keaton in 1926 — "The General". Despite the film's mediocre reception, today this silent, black-and-white classic is heralded as one of the greatest films ever made. See the former Bartell Hotel where Buster Keaton stayed while filming "The General". A mural depicting the movie was refurbished along the east side.

A film industry favorite, Cottage Grove has also been a backdrop in scenes from "Lost in the Stars" (1974), "Animal House" (1978), "Stand By Me" (1985), "Without Limits" (1996), "Ricochet River" (1997), "The Sisters" (2004) and "Zerophilia" (2004).

Remember the parade scene in "Animal House"? That scene was filmed along Main Street. Flashback to "Stand By Me" with a walk along the railroad trestle.  

"Animal House" Movie History
Guides & Lists

"Animal House" Movie History

National Lampoon's irreverent and slapstick comedy "Animal House" was filmed in the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region in the late…

Cottage Grove PDF Guides 

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