The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The fledgling Sisters Country Historical Society (SCHS) held its first interviewing session with five older Sisters area residents last week to start collecting early history from this area.

Audio and visual recordings were made as well as copies of historical documents, newspaper articles and pictures.

The interviews are part of the “Wisdom of the Elders” project being undertaken by the Society. Georgia Gallagher, Edith Leithauser, Bernardine Lowery, Barbara Meyers and Naomi Smith recalled stories covering the past three generations in the Sisters area during a three-hour interview period.

“I remember 1940 when gasoline was 11 cents a gallon,” said Lowery. “We didn’t have television in those days. It was school, 4-H and church activities that filled our times.”

“We also enjoyed the dances on weekends when the CCC boys would come into Sisters,” said Meyers. The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) was housed in Camp Sherman at the present Riverside campground and other locations during the 1930s.

The group discussed the old library (c. 1939) and Grace Aiken, who was librarian in that period.

Georgia Gallagher and others remembered their school days in Sisters and playing girls’ basketball.

“I might have been center on the team,” said Gallagher.

“In those days guards had to stay in backcourt,” said Leithauser.

The early school building housed both middle and high school and the women had a picture from 1933 of the building.

The Sisters area was very much in the timber business in the first half of the 20th century. A picture of an early fire lookout tower was shared amongst the group.

“It is the desire of SCHS to participate in producing photo displays and historical films and have them available during this decade,” said Jean Nave, SCHS President. “Working with Sisters High School students and The Americana Project, this would culminate with showings as part of the 150 year celebration for the State of Oregon in 2009.”

SCHS is presently located in the new Arts Center building on Main Avenue in Sisters. For more information contact Nave at 549-8755.