Weekend: La Grande, Oregon

Jason is finally coming to the end of his assignment working out-of-state and away from home in La Grande, Oregon on the campus of Eastern Oregon University.  Since he had to work part of the time this weekend, I decided to drive the three hours to see him and explore the place where he has been adventuring.

For dinner on Friday night, when I arrived, we went to the Ten Depot Street Restaurant, which is housed in a historic commercial building. Going there feels like entering a time-capsule with its old wallpaper, chandeliers, and pictures reminiscent of its time as a once-elegant hotel. The picture of me below, in the tarnished mirror, is a prime example of the antiquated wallpaper and design garnishing the hotel.

The next day, when Jason was busy with work, I explored the Eastern Oregon University Campus.

Inlow Hall- Eastern Oregon University

 I walked through Inlow Hall, a gorgeous building built in 1929 listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.  I was told that the building used to be a Theatre.  On the back side of the building is an extravagant staircase that sweeps down the hillside down to the street.  It would be magnificent, but the stairs are in complete disrepair, and the crumbling steps are blocked to would-be climbers.   Jason likes to play the game, "what-would-you-do-if-you-won-the-lottery."  If I won the lottery, and had more money than I new what to do with, I would get these stairs restored.

I spent some time reading in a cozy chair in the Pierce Library and then, tucked away in a niche of the Ackerman Building, I found the Stenard Memorial Garden, which I can only imagine would be perfect and green with foliage in warmer months.

The rest of the weekend we explored the country-side and spots around La Grande.

We drove East towards Cove and the Wallowa Mountains.

From Cove, we drove southwest towards Union, and then northwest towards Hot Lakes Spring, which essentially just consists of the Hot Lake Springs Resort. 

The Hot Lake Springs Resort, built in 1864, once was an entire town under one roof.  In 1934, a fire capsizes the town.  Years pass, and while many try, no one is able to successfully restore the building.  Finally, in 2003, restoration began, and now it is open as an art gallery, artists' studio, bed and breakfast, mineral hot-springs, spa and bath.  Peacocks roam the property, which really just adds to the charm of it all.  I'd like to stay there someday, but I've heard it is haunted.

 Lunch Break: Mount Emily Ale House.

North of La Grande, we drove up the Blue Mountains towards Mt. Emily and stopped to look down the mountain to the view below.  What we found instead was a morbid dump off the side of the road with multiple carcasses, from cows to cats, crushed beer cans, an abandoned Christmas tree, among other things.

To the southwest of La Grande, we were rained on at Morgan Lake and witnessed a herd of deer bound along the fields away from the lake and towards the cover of trees.

When it came time for me to leave, and drive away from the sunset back towards Boise, I really didn't want to go.