Journey To The Center Of The United States (1959?)

this is Mark Hatfield governor of the state  of Oregon I have been asked here we are on the Pacific coast we have just finished  celebrating our 100th year as a state symbolizing the farthest reach of our nation  the very word Oregon evokes images of Western movement Frontier Lands End now it seems produce  is entitled Journey to the Center of the United States referring to the new center which has been  scientifically located in the northeast corner of Oregon when Alaska and Hawaii joined the union  the old geographic center was shifted to the Northwest we are very happy to have the center  of the 50 United States within our boundaries and it should give us all A New Perspective  on our growing Nation but I am not sure it adds anything to the image of Oregon as the  frontier as the land of the West the people of Northeast Oregon must have had the same  feeling for their Journey to the Center of the US pokes some good-natured fun at journeying  to the center of things you might even see some semblance to Jules Vern's Journey to the Center  of the Earth they are both unlikely stories after you get to our Center however you will see what  the land is really like this will Amaze you even more than any fantasy I know you will enjoy  making this journey be prepared to have fun four counties make up the northeast corner of  Oregon it is a land of many faces a land of many Traditions one of them is Cowboys it is  here that the real West Begins it is where it begins if you view it from the shores of the  Pacific if you're in Portland you have to go East to get into the West into the west of  Wide Open Spaces cow ponies tall mountain short horns white faces everywhere you go  you'll find cattle spreads and Wranglers at work the Mexican fence pliers have replaced  the six gun the Jeep stands in for the horse but not always you'll still find them sitting  tall and Easy in the saddle day in day out summer and winter this is the land of the  working Cowboy as as real as the land he is a part of real as the Traditions behind him the  towns many of them got their start as cow towns they grew up as cow towns and they're still  cow towns sometimes the cows take over the town now don't get me wrong not everyone around  here is a cowboy there are even some who don't like the critters well this is the beauty of  Northeast Oregon out here there are ways and places to get away from it all way away  you can set yourself up a camp in Hell's Canyon and there will be no noise to disturb  you except the fish chewing on your hooks hooking into a fighter like this is good for the soul in the High Country there is  hunting in the rolling country there are birds the land has much to offer for those who  want to get out into it when winter comes the whole landscape changes the air seems even  clearer and cleaner and the snow is awfully inviting inviting to the whole family and within  easy access by Family Car are the Anthony Lakes and tolgate ski areas where you'll find skiing  as it should be in fact the family car is the key to many forms of pleasure in Northeast  Oregon each turn in the road presents a new Vista a New Horizon there are over a dozen  state parks and Wayside stops each one is cool and green with plenty of space to pitch  a camp and live the leisurely Rhythm of the land you can live off the land too there are  fish in the Stream and homegrown watermelons for old-fashioned family picnics each Road each  park has a quality of its own has its own form of fun the back roads have a quality too they  beckon the curious and adventurous the land has many stories to tell it can tell of the old  stump Dodger The Narrow Gauge line between Baker and Sumpter mile upon mile of gravel on the  valley floor contains a story too it tells of this monster which chewed the valley up and spewed  out $30 million worth of gold for you're in Gold Country now and the roads lead to abandon mines  and ghost towns or the near ghost towns where there is still a faint glimmer of Life there is  still gold in this country as the old-timers say more in the Hills than ever's been taken out most  of it is sought by the weekend Miner who plays the game for the quest not the dust the rules and  tools are still the same pler SLO box shovel and the old standby the pan if you stand too close to  them you're liable to get bitten by the same bug you might even strike it rich meanwhile back  at the ranch there are some varment on their way to head them off at the pass they plan to  Hole up at the bar M Red's place Boulder Park Arrowhead or any one of the many guest ranches in  the area these are the spots to let time catch up with you to soak up some sun to give free rain  to the kids let them find out what cowboying is with the seat of their pants rather than  their eyeballs there are horses for all of them gentle horses and gentle slopes pretty soon the whole family will be in the  saddle taking the measure of the land above all this is Rodeo country rodeo at its  best world famous Rodeo the Pendleton Roundup and the small rodeos at Elgen Baker Union halfway and  the Chief Joseph days all have that real Western flavor that can't be imitated or staged it seems  like every Critter that gets into the arena just doesn't want to be ridden Rodeo is many things  it's pageantry it's spectacle it's tradition Rodeo is a sport the third largest attended in the  nation afficionados know that that was a hoolahan a first time Rodeo fan can tell you that  was a Miss Brahma Bulls they're from India but the writer is strictly American some  might be reminded of a Sunday afternoon in a Spanish Arena but not for long Rodeo is a  contest a contest of skill a contest of time a contest of muscles it's a way of proving  the Axiom the bigger they are the harder hard they fall sometimes it's kind of hard to  prove Rodeo has its roots in the working Ranch roping dogies is part of the scheme of things  out here people who live on ranches learn to do this learn to train their own horse same  horse same girl now she is Queen of the round up because Roundup Springs from  a community out in the real West four counties make up the northeast corner of  Oregon it is a land of many faces a land of many Traditions one of them is Indians Indians are  there they in person in all their regalia and SP blender they are there in subtler ways too  like in the names on the land yumaa WWA imaha Looking Glass Joseph wild horses in The Meadows  and Hills speak of Indians too in their veins run the strains of the appolo the caus these were  the ponies of the Nez purse the ones that took them across the shining mountains into Buffalo  country thousands of Indians and horses would Rendevous in the old Oregon Country it was a  sight to behold today they still rondevo in the Oregon Country in the state of Oregon in  its northeast corner they are there on horses in their traditional costumes they are there  as a living memory a memory of a way of life that is not forgotten that can be shared by all  key to this way of life is a love of the land a belief that Spirits dwell in the mountains a  belief that these Spirits can be sought out in a personal Quest that they can be made friendly and  protective Spirits dwell in The Lakes too anyone who crosses their remote beauty is following an  Indian Path this is the Indian way it matters not if the face is pale the canoe a surplus raft  fishing is Indian business and there is a little bit of Indian in all of us Northeast Oregon is a  land in which it can grow the woods are full of spirits the woods are full of game they beckon to  those who will quest for them they will lead them into the High Country into the mountains it is  a good Quest there is an old Indian saying one shot meat two shots maybe two shots two deer Heap  good there are many ways to note the passage of time by a calendar or by the color of the land the  tingle of the air air or by what birds are on the wi hunting is Indian business and there is a  little bit of Indian in all of us something that lets us find beauty in the land find pleasure  in its Rhythm the rhythm of the land presents an everchanging picture with winter the land if  possible is even more beautiful the High Country beckons only the few indeed there are few Indians  who would answer this call but there is a little bit of Hillary and tensing in all of us enough to  let us know what it feels like to be on the top of the world many of us know the pleasures of a  downhill run like this the feel of dry powder snow and if winter comes can spring be far away can the snow on the mountains  withstand the bursting of the blossoms the warm breath of the shanuk that  turns the hills green again now the signs point the way to another top of the world for  the little bit of Hillary and tensing in all of us Hat Point is accessible by car it is a  prodigous drive there are no easy paths to a top of a world this one is unique for from  here you can look into the bottom of the world too you can look into Hell's Canyon the  deepest most fabulous canyon in the world a canyon of mystery inscribed with markings  From A Distant past echoing with distant sounds which today are the sounds of outboard  Motors a family boat has conquered one of the most feared rivers in the world completely  conquered it made it Sunday outing safe picnics are great but here are the boats and  here's the river and now let's have some fun there are other new sounds on the  river there are other ways to tame the Wild and turbulent snake it is  being quieted at Oxbow and at brown Le and behind the dams are the reservoirs mile  upon mile of placid River beckoning the water skier the fisherman The Tourist and where you  ask in this contemporary scene are the Indians they're here keeping up with it all taking it  all in their stride in fact maybe a little bit ahead of some of us Northeast Oregon is a land of  many faces new shapes appear in ancient riverbeds new names on the map McNary dam is one but the  old landmarks endure hat Rock still looks like a hat but there is a yacht club here where  there was only sand and Driftwood before the tradition of friendship runs deep out  here the natives be they Cowboy or Indian are friendly and helpful it's hard to get lost  in this country northeast Oregon is indeed of many faces you can buy a railroad ticket from  LR to Enterprise this ticket will entitle you to ride in the Caboose of a freight train here  is another route to adventure in Northeast Oregon it isn't exactly the accommodations of the Dome  liner but the view is just as good in fact it's a little better because of the leisureliness of  the pace you will follow the grand Rond river which was General Howard's route of March on the  nees Pur his march on Joseph and looking glass the schedule reads leave L Grand 9:00 a.m.  arrive Enterprise 1 p.m. it is now 5:00 p.m. the conductor expects to be an Enterprise about  11: p.m. tonight if schedules are important this isn't the trip for you but if you like the  unusual if you like good companionship buy a ticket to Enterprise here's the way to see the  country here's the way to see Northeast Oregon a way to get on top of it and see it all in one  big look in 45 minutes charter pilots in light ples can take you anytime any place you want to  go in Northeast Oregon this is a pretty remarkable feat Northeast Oregon is larger than the country  of Belgium just a bit smaller than Switzerland the wwas have been called the Switzerland of  America and from the air you can see why and if you wish your pilot can set you down in a  remote Landing Strip hidden in a valley set you down at a Guest Ranch which is access ible only  by airplane or by pack Horse by air you are 5 minutes away from the center of the United States  no electricity here no television but this rugged Elegance contains the essence of America and its  fron tier as symbolized by Reds Levis and ston and by the wings that brought you here back on  Earth again most roads lead to the center of the United States Le lead to Northeast Oregon whether  you come from the east or the west north or south 395 is the north south route us30 or 80n is  the East West Route but no matter what road you take you will be following the Oregon  Trail the trail of Adventure the trail of Discovery you have seen the center you  have seen the land you know how to get there I now would like to cordially invite  you to make your own personal Journey to the Center of the United States then visit the  rest of Oregon you may never want to leave