Oswego Lake Architectural Boat Tour
The 2022 Tour was a huge success! We must thank everyone who made this year’s tour possible: the generous boatowners and drivers, tour guides, volunteers, everyone who attended, Lake Oswego Corporation, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and the Lake Oswego Review for their support and, of course, to our wonderful sponsor, Terry Sprague, Luxe/ Forbes Global Properties.
The Society is an all-volunteer non-profit organization so 100 percent of the proceeds from this event benefit our mission: To preserve, protect and advocate on behalf of Lake Oswego’s built heritage and historic assets.
Two-hour cruise
The approximately two-hour non-stop cruise features classic and architecturally significant homes and historic sites along the shoreline of the main lake and Lakewood Bay. We also point out various architectural styles.
Years of research have gone into identifying the architects and original homeowners to create this informative and entertaining tour.
The tour departs from the docks at Sundeleaf Plaza near the Lake Theater.
Special thanks to Drew Nasto for these wonderful photos!
Did you know?
- Sucker Lake, the original name of Oswego Lake, was not named for anyone on the shore, it was named after a type of fish found in the lake waters.
- Before homes were built on the site, the Lake Grove Anglers’ Club held casting tournaments at the west end of the lake. The president of the organization was determined by who caught the largest bass; a 7 pound, 10-ounce fish elected the first president.
- Did you know there is a pig house on Oswego Lake? Actually, it’s a small, brick bathhouse with wooden doors, which was modeled after the 1932 Walt Disney cartoon The Three Little Pigs. Christian and Dorothy Kisky constructed it and when they hosted a theme party, Walt Disney himself provided a wolf and pig costumes for the occasion.
- Oswego Lake was created about 15,000 years ago by the Ice Age Floods, the same geologic event that created the Columbia Gorge; the lake is not man-made.
- The light on top of the 1931 Janzten Estate boathouse was once used as a beacon for airplanes back in the day when pontoon planes were allowed to land on Oswego Lake.
- In Lakewood, there are the remains of a quarry that supplied the basalt for Oswego’s first iron furnace, which began construction in 1866.
- Today’s “West Point” in the Lakewood neighborhood, was once known as “Palmer’s Point.”
- In the 1930s, the sand for the beach of Mary S. Young’s estate on Twin Points was imported from Gearhart, Oregon, not Hawaii.
- In 1929, an experimental “rocket boat” powered by gunpowder was tested on Sucker Lake. The Flying Lena, as it was called, ended its maiden voyage when the inventor jumped overboard to avoid injury.
- The promontory called “Diamond Head” was named and subdivided in 1948.
Sponsors
The SOCIETY is very grateful to Luxe Forbes Global Properties for their help making this event possible.
Volunteer
Let us know if you are interested in researching and helping to plan and organize the 2023 tour. Would you like to be a tour guide on the day of the tour? Please email us at 4lohistory@lakeoswegopreservationsociety.org.
Volunteer your boat
We’re looking for captains! If you have a boat on the lake and would like to volunteer to take passengers on the tour we’d love to hear from you. Volunteer time and any costs are tax-deductible. Drop us a line at 4lohistory@lakeoswegopreservationsociety.org
Waiver of Liability
Please note that by participating in this event, you are agreeing to a waiver of liability:
WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY: I for myself and on behalf of my heirs, assignees, personal representatives and next of kin, HEREBY RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS Lake Oswego Preservation Society their officers, officials, agents, and/or employees, other participants, sponsoring agencies, sponsors, advertisers, and, if applicable, owners and leasers of premises used to conduct the event (“RELEASEES”), WITH RESPECT TO ANY AND ALL INJURY, DISABILITY, DEATH, or loss or damage to person or property, WHETHER ARISING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES OR OTHERWISE.
BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT, I AGREE TO THIS RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT, I FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS TERMS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE, FREELY AND VOLUNTARILY, GIVEN UP SUBSTANTIAL RIGHTS.