Cascadia State Park Location - Oregon Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This sign is one of four in kiosk near entrance to Cascadia State Park.

Marker Name: Location

Marker Text: Cascadia is located in the western Cascade Mountains at an elevation of about 900 feet above sea level! The Cascades were formed millions of years ago by volcanic and glacial activity. The steep ridges and deep valleys were cut over thousands of years by rivers and streams such as the nearby South Santiam River. When Euro-Americans began settling the area in the 1860s, the hillsides were covered with dense stands of fir, hemlock, and cedar trees. Most of the trees present today replaced the original stands that were harvested earlier in the 20th century. Big leaf maple, salal, sword fern, and vine maple grow along the rivers and streams. Deer are common in the area, but the once abundant Roosevelt elk were eliminated after pioneer settlement. Construction of Foster Dam at Sweet Home blocked the annual migration of salmon that at one time filled the river.
Cascadia became famous throughout the Willamette Valley for water produced by a nearby soda spring. The spring water contains a variety of minerals including calcium, potassium, and iron. The water was thought to have medicinal qualities. Many people came to bathe and drink the waters in hopes of being cured of their ailments. Currently, water from the spring is available on a limited basis dependent on biological purity.

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