Fun, Facts & Fiction!
Tours
Covered Bridges
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Bus Tour: 1.5 hours, 27 miles $25
Find out why Cottage Grove is called “The Covered Bridge Capital of the West.” Make sure you have your camera handy for this picturesque tour!
- Explore five covered bridges, all within 10 miles of downtown.
- Walk across the only remaining covered railroad bridge west of the Mississippi River!
- Find out why the covered bridges were called “sparking parlors” in the early 1900s.
- Hear about the town whose location is now at the bottom of Dorena Lake and where Dorena got its name.
- Discover lots of other landmarks along the way, as you take in the natural beauty of Cottage Grove.
Legendary Locals
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Bus Tour: 1.5 hours, 10 miles $25
Get to know the remarkable cast of characters who have left their mark on Cottage Grove. From the whacky to the mysterious, these legends will share lots of little-known facts about their illustrious lives.
- Meet Titanic survivor Marion Wright Woolcott and hear her harrowing story. Even see the iconic coat she wore when she was rescued!
- Peek into the life of Opal Whitely—child prodigy, mystic and author—and her world-famous childhood diary. From singing to earthworms to enchanting French royalty, Opal’s life is still shrouded in mystery.
- Greet Eva Davenport—the “Queen Bee” of Cottage Grove who held court over the town’s illicit hives of pleasure.
- Hear from Rev. David Olson, the Pastor who hatched a fake oil well scheme that cost many residents their life savings.
- Trek back to 1863 with Bohemia Johnson, the fortune hunter who discovered gold in the Calapooya Mountains.
Historic Downtown
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Walking Tour: 1.5 hours, 1 mile $20
Stroll through the National Historic Downtown District, along Main Street and its storied alleyways. This is where history comes to life!
- Take in the six painted murals and the colorful stories behind them.
- See examples of timeless architecture, from art deco to wood-frame.
- Hear about the time capsule hidden in one of the bridges.
- Hear how the post office was stolen in the Slabtown – Lemati feud.
- Find out why the town has earned “Tree City USA” and “All-America City monikers.
- Discover the best restaurants and shops in town.
- Meet the people who make life here so special!
Hollywood Films
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Bus Tour: 1.5 hours, 35 miles $25
Board the FUN! bus to discover why Hollywood loves Cottage Grove! Seventeen (and counting) movies have been filmed here, from The General with Buster Keaton to Animal House with John Belushi.
- Visit locations for four of the films : The General, Animal House, Emperor of the North Pole, and Stand By Me.
- Get to know silent film star Buster Keaton (named for a tumble he took down a flight of stairs) and his life’s work—including The General, which was filmed right here.
- Get behind-the-scenes snippets you won’t hear anywhere else, including how a farmer saved the parade scene in Animal House.
- See where the most expensive scene in silent-film history was made.
- Feel like a kid (even if you are a kid) when you visit the railroad bridge in the opening scene of Stand by Me.
- Learn about lots of other Cottage Grove landmarks and the stories behind them, from Opal Whitely’s stomping grounds to the innovators who used helium balloons to haul logs.
Reserve Online
Sign up for one or two of our guided tours! You’ll experience what makes Cottage Grove so special with a friendly, professional tour guide—a local ready to make sure you have fun. (Umbrellas and bottled water included!)
