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Sisters Oregon Real Estate

The town of Sisters derives its name from the three prominent Cascade peaks that grace the southwestern skyline: Faith, Hope and Charity, collectively known as the Three Sisters. A very old story suggests that the mountains were named in the 1840s by members of a Methodist mission based in Salem.

The town was officially christened when the post office at Camp Polk, some three miles to the north, closed in the 1880s. The new post office moved south to the store owned by John Smith, and local residents were invited to submit names for the new facility. Jacob Quilberg's entry was accepted by the Post Office Department, and the handful of wood frame buildings lying at the junction of the Santiam and McKenzie roads became known as Sisters.

For over half a century, the area's economic dynamo was the logging industry. Sawmills, large and small, prospered in the rich forest land surrounding the town. The future of the little town at the foot of the Cascades looked bright indeed. But two fires in the 1920s threatened to reduce this blossoming community to little more than ashes and fond memories.

In May of 1923, local store owner Frank Leithauser noticed smoke coming from an untended garage near the center of town. The garage housed equipment that was being used for work on the McKenzie Highway. Flames spread quickly, igniting at least 10 of the town's wood frame structures in less than 20 minutes. There were fewer than 10 men in town to fight the blaze because everyone else was in nearby Redmond to attend a track meet. After an intense battle, the flames were knocked down. It was estimated that several hundred people from the area gathered to watch the blaze, which could be seen for miles.
People in the surrounding countryside initially thought it was a forest fire.

In September of 1924 the town was again set upon by flames. Mrs. C.L. Gist lit a fire in the kitchen range of the Gist Hotel preparatory to fixing dinner for her guests. She went to the garden behind the hotel to pick strawberries. When she returned, the entire kitchen was ablaze. A defective flue was the apparent culprit. Half of the town burned.

Sisters weathered many ups and downs in subsequent years to become the bustling and thriving community it is now — a destination for folks seeking life in small town surrounded by natural beauty.

By John Hayes

Bend Home Sales, LLC
John Melton
Broker / Consultant

Direct: 541.350.6500
Email: John Melton

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