SISTERS

POP. 960 SISTERS, OREGON ELEV. 3150

Indian trails from Warm Springs and the Deschutes and Crooked River country passed through the Sisters area and crossed the Cascade Mountains via the McKenzie and Santiam passes to the Willamette Valley. Fur trappers and explorers used the trails as early as 1825. Camp Polk was established on Squaw Creek, about 3 miles north of the present town of Sisters, in 1865, by volunteers from Polk County, in the Willamette Valley, on a mission to protect settlers in the region, and became the first settlement. It was on the wagon road from the Willamette Valley to Prineville. Camp Polk was abandoned in 1866, but in 1870, the site was homesteaded by Samuel M. Hindman, who operated a store and post office. In 1888, the post office was re-located to the John Smith store about 3 miles south of Camp Polk, at the junction of the McKenzie and Santiam roads. Postal authorities shortened the proposed name, "Three Sisters," to "Sisters." In 1901, Sisters was formally established.

Sisters gradually became a bustling little town. Stockman passing through town on their way to summer grazing on the grasslands to the east of the mountains would re-supply there, and much of the materials and supplies for the settlers of Central Oregon passed through Sisters. But as there was not enough arable land to support much of an agricultural community, "passed through" is just what most people did. That is until the growth of the timber industry in the area. Extensive tracts of Pine forest prompted the building of several mills near by, and Sisters entered a growth faze. By 1930, the population had grown from 200 to over 500. In 1946, Sisters incorporated.

In the 1950s, lumber production began to decline. In 1963, the last mill ceased operation and was dismantled. After that, the population began to decline, and Sisters became little more than a stop off on the road from the cities in the Willamette Valley to the more developed parts of Central Oregon.

In the 1960s, with tourism and recreation travel on the increase, Sisters realized it was in the middle of an area of great beauty with vast recreational potential. It developed the theme of early American architectural style, and made it part of the building code. Along with tasteful landscaping, it transformed the commercial district into a unique place to shop with many specialty stores, shops and galleries. The mill sites north of town have become an industrial park with a number of commercial establishments and light industries. Beautiful homes with breath-taking mountain vistas and plenty of elbow room are now scattered through the Pines.

Year-round recreational activities abound. From snow sports to golf, hiking and camping, mountain biking and fishing, bird watching and wild flower viewing, from horseback adventures into the wilderness to shopping, Sisters has it in fine style.

Visit Sisters on the web at: www.sisterschamber.com

Schools web site: http://www.outlawnet.com/outlaw/ssd/index.htm