April 2, 2011---Silverton and Mt. Angel, OR---continued

Gee, I am so sorry since I have been with you. The Google company who sponsors this blog put a roadblock in my way by telling me that I have run out of space. I could continue if I sign up for more space. I had heard that some websites were starting to charge for certain services. Well, I finally got everything squared away and I should be back in business.

Here are some more pictures from Silverton---
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The Scotch collie separated from his Silverton family in Indiana on August 15, 1923 returned to Silverton alone on February 15, 1924



View of the Silverton River which runs through the town of Silverton



As we walked across the bridge which crossed the river we saw these two little kids looking over the river from a basement window. A neat scene to make you laugh

When we left Silverton we drove a few miles to another little town called Mt. Angel, Oregon.
Mt. Angel has many attractions but the glockenspiel is the biggest tourist attraction. It has some very nice restaurants, the Abbey, the Benedictine Sisters Convent, a large Catholic Church and very unique gift shops.



This is a pole showing all of the trades of a new town.

The Mt. Angel Glockenspiel rises 49 feet at the corner of Charles and Garfield streets in the center of town. The Glockenspiel celebrates the Native-German-Swiss-Bavarian heritage of the village.
What's unique about the Mt. Angel Glockenspiel is that it chronicles the history of the Willamette Valley and of Mt. Angel specifically. It's series of figures each symbolically or factually represent a part of this unique history.
The characters in the glockenspiel are
Kalapuya Brave---Native Americans traveling through the valley climbed the butte east of Mt. Angel to pray to the Great Spirit. They called the spot "Tapalamaho," the "Mount of Communion" or the "dwelling place of the holy spirit." Thus the first figure is a noble Kalapuya brave at prayer.
The second character was Mathias Butsch--The "Father of Mt. Angel, "Mathias Butsch arrived in 1878. One of the early leaders of the community, he was instrumental in building the first church, rail road station, and general store. Most important, he brought the Benedictine Monks to Mt. Angel.
The next character on the glockenspiel is Sister Bernadine Wachter. She arrived in 1882 from the convent of Maria Rickenback in Switzerland. She was the first Prioress of the Benedictine Convent and the new school. The sisters' beautiful grounds are locate in the shadow of Prayer Mountain.
The fourth characters are Robert and Katrina Zoller who were the first German Catholic settlers who came to the valley in 1867. Mr. Zollner obtained a homestead of 220 acres along Zollner Creek and encouraged other families to come to the area.
Number 5 on the board of characters is the Prior Adelhelm Odermatt (Mount Angel Abbey). Prior Adelhelm Odrmatt
came from Switzerland and established the Benedictine Monastery in 1882. It was he who suggested "Mount Angel" for the small community, the anglicized version of Engelberg, is Swiss home. It is fitting that he chose the top of Prayer Mountain to build Mount Angel Abbey. "Tapalamaho" remains a place for communion with the Holy Spirit.
Number Six - Papa Oom Pah --- Mt. Angel Oktoberfest.
The town flourished over the years and in 1966 the first Oktoberfest was celebrated.
Number Seven --- Bavarian Children
The grand finale happens on the third floor -- when a boy and a girl dressed in Bavarian garb, playing on a garden swing--- a sign of looking into the future.



A view of the restaurant-- apartment building which has the
Glockenspiel above the main door on the corner of the building.

The pioneers on the glockenspiel turntable

 

St. Mary's Church in Mt. Angel

After we left Mt. Angel we drove to Silverton State Park. It is a
great park with water falls.
Below is the falls.





A water fall in the Silverton State Park