Trip Report

Twenty-five Obsidians and one guest set off by bus to Monroe. We had a beautiful day, if a bit chilly for our outing. Our first stop was the new Monroe City Library where we had our coffee break in the old train depot building which has been incorporated into the new construction- an amazing feat blending the old and the new into something serviceable, historically preserved, efficient and beautiful. An enthusiastic librarian, Lori Pelkey, pointed out some of the remarkable features including preserved wood surfaces and graffiti from the 1930s and the solar, air circulation system and lighting- all designed to make the space comfortable, efficient and cost effective. Shirley, from the Sweet Spot, a local bakery, added her welcome and brought us a delicious coffee cake.

Next we went to the old Monroe Union High School, now simply Monroe High School since the outlying districts all consolidated in the mid-1990s, for a tour hosted by Superintendent, Randy Crowson. Mr. Crowson shared the rich local history of the school. He told us of the programs that make Monroe students competitive in the workplace and in colleges and universities.

Taking a drive through the town, we soon entered the Christmas tree fields and saw why Monroe considers itself the Christmas tree capital of the world. In Alpine, we were able to travel the circuit of the Alpine Cemetery, with its beautiful views of the valley. We saw the Alpine Community Center, but did not go in, proceeding to the Bellfountain Park. One feature of the park is a picnic table that goes on and on... made in the steam lumber mill of Hull Oakes. The single slab table top, cut at the mill was donated to the community. Lunch was brief and very chilly, but the sunshine and the wildflowers were good compensation. From the park, we went to the Bellfountain Community Church where we met Greg Kline, the pastor who talked to us a bit about the local area, the church and the Bellfountain School, which is now also the property of the church. He explained about how the remarkable team of 8 young men from Bellfountain took the state basketball trophy in 1937. We got to see the trophy.

We proceeded to Finley Wildlife Refuge, where a nice young woman opened the gift shop for us. We walked the boardwalk there over the wetlands to the edge of a body of water. We could see some of the ducks and geese and enjoyed the much warmer sunshine. Back on the bus, we took Bruce Rd. past the southern edge of the Finley Refuge and saw the home place of Mary Lee Cheadle. Here we also got to see red-winged blackbirds in the rushes and many more birds, including white egrets. At points the sky was filled with geese.

Electing to extend our trip a bit, we headed north on Highway 99 W toward Corvallis; we took Peoria Road and found a forested portion thick with blooming trillium. Our trip ended at Shopko at 4:30 pm.