When This Oregon Lake Dried Up In 2015, The Relics Of An Eerie Ghost Town Emerged

What did the drought of 2015 in America’s western coast reveal? Drought is always a bad news, but this time around, Oregon in Marion County found a long-lost story of its past. They were re-introduced to the 60-year-old railroad town that was very much active once upon a time. Oregon is mainly known for its natural beauty where millions of tourists come flocking to enjoy the golden beaches and lush green beauty around the area. One of the most admired tourist attractions is the Detroit Lake with 32 miles shoreline. It is also the supplier of water to the neighboring city of Salem. The story of Detroit Lake dates back to 1953 when a dam was built on the Willamette River to control the flood. The lake met with its ominous past in 2015 when the water went down to its lowest level bringing out the remains of the past. The inhabitants abandoned Old Detroit when the dam was built. In 1880, the town had started its journey with people who were working on the Oregon Pacific Railroad. Initially, the plan was to carry trains that would ultimately connect to the Transcontinental Railroad, but the project came to an abrupt halt. However, the population was thriving in Old Detroit with a hardware store, cinema, a school, and a church. The Santiam River often posed to be a threat to the farmers due to its flooding nature, so the Congress decided to build a dam on the river. Eventually, when the work of the dam started, the villagers started shifting to a new area. The dam started its operation in 1953 and at that time, it was the fifth biggest dam in the country. Now steering back to the story of the remains of Old Detroit, a 19th-century wagon surfaced when the water went down. Dave Zahn, a Marion County Sheriff’s deputy, discovered a wagon that dates back to 140 years. A plaque on the wagon revealed the name of the manufacturer as the Milburn Wagon Company. The company was based in Ohio and was one of the biggest manufacturers of wagons at that point in time. Cara Kelly, an archaeologist, was concerned about the fate of the wagon and requested residents to stay away from touching the remains. An octagonal pit was also discovered, but sadly, the use of it couldn’t be explained. According to Kelly, the wagon might not belong to the place and it might have traveled to this place from somewhere else due to the heavy floods. This is how a reservoir preserved old relics under its water for years.