This sign is one of four in kiosk near entrance to Cascadia State Park.
Marker Name: The Early 1900s
Marker Text: Oregon immigrants began settling the Cascade area after the Santiam Wagon Road was built in 1865. The wagon road connected the Willamette Valley with Central Oregon on a route following the South Santiam River. The settlers discovered the nearby soda springs, and many people came to the area to drink the water. It was widely believed the soda water could cure a variety of ailments. In 1895, George and Jennie Geisendorfer purchased the springs and developed the Cascade Resort. Geisendorfer also built a bridge across the South Santiam River at the current bridge location to connect the resort with the wagon road.
The resort included a hotel, store, bath house, rental cabins, and a campground. George and Jennie Geisendorfer ran the popular resort for nearly 45 years. As many as 2,000 people would be at the resort on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy the soda water and mountain setting. Around 1915, room and board at the hotel cost $10 a week, cottages rented for $2 a week, and a camp spot was 50 cents a week. The Geisendorfers sold the resort to the State of Oregon in 1941.
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