Place Preservation

River Cabin Histories - Tract O

The goal of the project was to produce a self-guided walking tour booklet with historical information on each of the 30 cabins on Tract O on the Metolius River. Each cabin owner was asked to research and compose a history of their cabin. The individual histories were consolidated into a booklet completed in July 2018. A presentation sharing the histories gathered for the booklet with the community was held in August 2018.

Campground Picnic Shelters Constructed by Civilian Conservation Corp

The Metolius Basin is considered a jewel of Oregon and was described as "a remarkable and a state treasure" when it was designated a Wild and Scenic River (WSR) in 1988. One objective of the WSR Management Plan is the preservation of the picnic shelters constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) during the 1930s. The CCC had a camp in the area from 1933 to 1942 and its crews constructed many facilities in the area.

In 2006 the CSHS, in conjunction with the Forest Service/Sisters Ranger District and the Friends of the Metolius, successfully completed roof repairs, replicating the doors and stove plates for the cooking facilities, and interpretive signs regarding the CCC for the 3 CCC-constructed picnic shelters on the Metolius River near Camp Sherman. In 2016 an effort began to restore the fireplace and chimney in the Camp Sherman campground CCC shelter to avoid future collapse of the fireplace and assure the continued viability and safety of the shelter. This project was completed in 2017. In 2018, chimney caps were installed on the Pine Rest Shelter and the Pioneer Ford Shelter fireplace chimneys, and additional restoration work completed on the Pine Rest Shelter fireplace mortar.

River Cabins Centennial Celebration

The Camp Sherman Historical Society organized a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the first three Forest Service leases for cabins along the Metolius River in August 2016. The first three cabins were located on lots H 1

through 3 (across the river from the store) and were built for Sherman County wheat farmers. In addition to the program, a booklet with brief descriptions of the histories of the other 27 cabins in Tracts F, H and I (in the vicinity of the store) was

created. The booklet is designed to serve as a guide for a walking tour of the three tracts. If you have ever wondered about these cabins as you walked along the river, this is your chance to learn about their histories. Each one has a story to tell.

Community Hall Restoration

The Community Hall was constructed by the community in 1948 (pictured below). In 2004, volunteers from the Camp Sherman community completed a major renovation of the Camp Sherman community hall. The project included excavations beneath the building to replace floor beams and sill plates, installation of a new heating system, and restoration and refinishing of the floor in the main hall. The fireplace and chimney were also repaired, and new front doors were installed. The projected was financed by contributions from the local community and a grant from the State Historic Preservation Office and a grant from the CSHS.