“2,500 Attend Dedication of Dorena Dam Sunday,” The Cottage Grove Sentinel, 27 October 1949
A crowd estimated at 2,500 attended the dedication ceremonies at the Dorena Dam Sunday afternoon, which was the first unit of the Willamette Valley Flood Control Project completed in the post-war period. An interesting fact brought out during the speaking program was that favored by good weather, the Dorena Dam was finished a year ahead of schedule.
Starting at 11 a.m. about one hundred visitors were guests of the Cottage Grove businessmen at a cocktail hour and this was followed by a luncheon served at the noon hour at the mess hall to 160 people, mostly out of town visitors. The luncheon, sponsored by the Dorena Construction Co., was an invitational affair. The mess hall closed about a month previous was reopened for the occasion and the luncheon prepared and served largely by volunteer help, was especially appreciated by the visitors.
Two numbers by the high school band opened the dedication program. Elmo Chase of Eugene, member of the Willamette Basin Commission, made a brief talk at the beginning of the program introducing Marshall Dana, editor of the Portland Journal and master of ceremonies and explained that Mr. Dana was chosen for the occasion because he had been connected with and interested in flood control since before the inception of the flood control project.
The Rev. Hugh Penistone, representing the local ministerial association gave the invocation. Mr. Dana gave a brief resume of the background for the starting of the project and introduced H.E. Eakin, representing the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Eakin expressed appreciation of this community for the interest of the Willamette Basin Commission and for the work of the U.S. Engineers, in the completion of the first three flood control units.
Gov. Douglas McKay, a featured speaker on the dedication ceremony told the start of the flood control idea with the appointment of a committee in 1935 by Governor Martin. The outlook for any relief from floods was not bright at this time, but it was on the suggestion of Toastmaster Dana that the U.S. Engineers be invited to inspect the Willamette Basin which finally brought the result and passage of funds sufficient to make a survey. Governor McKay contended that the flood control backers were aided by providence in a minor flood which occurred at the time the engineers made their first inspection of the basin. He predicted that in addition to flood control benefits, the Willamette Valley would really come into its own through irrigation and that the state would continue its rapid growth.
Rep. Harris Elsworth of Roseberg reviewed the legislation necessary for setting up the flood control project, stating that although getting a project of this nature through congress looked like a time consuming ordeal, actually the time had been short in measuring an event of this sort. He took occasion to hit the CVA proposal, stating that the engineers were doing a good job of developing the Columbia River thus far and if the CVA proposal were passed, its operation would be left up to a board of three, none of whom might be resident of the Northwest or know anything about the regional problems.
