Detroit, Oregon, USA – Strong in the Heart of the Oregon Cascades
FIRE UPDATE • DETROIT STRONG!
POTABLE WATER – Marion Co. will be supplying potable water to Detroit for home use. They will be distributing water at the city park noon to 4pm. People should not expect to get water at all times as County personnel will be dispersing the water.
The MARION COUNTY RIGHT OF ENTRY FORM is available on the Marion County website. The form was due to be filled out by October 16th. Please CLICK HERE and follow the promptings to fill out the form online. If you have questions or want help filling out the form you can call Marion County Emergency Management at 503-365-3140.
EPA will complete the cleanup process in 2 PHASES:
PHASE 1 – EPA will survey your property and remove any household hazardous waste they find. This work is expected to begin in October 2020.
PHASE 2 – EPA will return to your property to remove remaining structural debris, including ash, asbestos, metals, concrete, danger trees and other wildfire debris. This work is expected to begin in November 2020. CLICK HERE for more information.
WILDFIRE RECOVERY UPDATE – TWO-STEP CLEAN-UP INFORMATION. This explains the two-step clean-up process and differences between using county/state-assisted cleanup or conducting cleanup on your own. CLICK HERE for full Report.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 10/13 – The meeting has been broadcast on FACEBOOK LIVE. To access the meeting go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nvkIQSvyyM&feature=youtu.be.
ODOT – OREGON HWY. 22, SANTIAM CANYON IS NOW OPEN TO ALL TRAFFIC. The speed limit is reduced to 40 mph between Gates (milepost 33) and Pamelia Creek Road (milepost 63). CLICK HERE for full Report.
The MARION COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT is organizing a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC). This is where residents can meet with FEMA (and other agencies) who can help them find programs that they may qualify for, to clear their property and rebuild. They also will try and answer your questions. Time and place is being scheduled now and will be posted as soon as available.
LOCAL SITES TO REGISTER WITH FEMA – Officials continue to urge residents to register even if you don’t think you want service. 1) Gates Community Church, 10-4pm; 2) Mari-Linn School in Lyons, 9-4pm; 3) Mill City Hall, 9:30-4pm; 4) Anthony Hall in Sublimity, 10-7pm.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DEBRIS REMOVAL: Protect your health, the environment, and the community’s ability to rebuild. CLICK HERE for more information.
INFORMATION FROM THE STATE: Debris Clean-up with Q&As can be found online here: https://wildfire.oregon.gov/cleanup
Read about Debris Removal and what is next for those who have lost homes or businesses.
CLICK HERE for English CLICK HERE for Spanish
Please CLICK HERE to read Michele Tesdal’s message that was put on Nextdoor Detroit. There is a lot of good information for those who have had serious property damage in the wildfires.
State and Feds are working on debris removal strategies.
The State of Oregon, along with federal, state, and local partners, are working on strategies to address the task of fire debris removal. Addressing the fire debris is broken into a two-step process. The first step is clearing properties of household hazardous waste to minimize exposure of hazardous materials to the public. The second step is general debris removal.
A signed access agreement is required so cleanup teams can do their work efficiently. It is critical that property owners complete access agreements so that cleanup work can begin. RIGHT OF ENTRY FORM is available to submit to your county online. To read full Report (Page 1) CLICK HERE.
WHY THIS PROCESS IS IMPORTANT. (Page 2) Please CLICK HERE to learn about the recovery process: 1) Save money, 2) FEMA Reimbursement/Eligibility, 3) Health threats, and 4) Disposal difficulty.
EVERYONE IS URGED TO FILE AND KEEP CONTACT INFORMATION UPDATED.
FILE NOW FOR FEMA DISASTER ASSISTANCE AND UPDATE INFORMATION TO AVOID DELAYS.
Please visit https://www.disasterassistance.gov, or call 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA). FEMA has staff on hand to help you through the registration process.
Click this link for the FEMA FACT SHEET: Eligibility and Appeals.
FRAUD SCHEMES: The FEMA website gives a great deal of information, but here are some things to look out for:
1) They will ask for personal information – Do NOT give your entire social security number. FEMA representatives may ask for the last four numbers.
2) FEMA does not charge fees for processing your application. Do not make any payments for this service.
3) FEMA representatives will ask you to confirm your address, not ask you for to give it to them.
4) FEMA will not contact you if you have not registered with them previously.
To contact the City of Detroit CLICK HERE for email access. Phone number 503.854.3496 is being forwarded.
Red Cross Cascade Division CLICK HERE for donation and shelter information.
History of Detroit
Photos by Rick Jolin
The original name of the settlement was “Coe”. In October, 1891, “Detroit” received its new name with the founding of a Post Office, and the significant number of residents from Michigan who were living in the area.
Detroit is located approximately 50 miles east of Salem, Oregon, at about 1680′ elevation on the North Fork of the Santiam River. For many years it was only accessed by railroad (constructed in 1889) and was intended for the rail to be extend through the state to Boise, Idaho. The old town prospered from logging, fishing, and the great outdoors. By 1907, it had a population of 53 residents, and in 1926 road access was completed from Salem.
From the 1930’s until 1941, it was home to the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps – Camp F-20) which was located one mile east of town. Detroit had service stations, a post office, schools, stores, taverns, a church, a hotel, a railroad station, and the Canyon Movie Theater (1947-1952). It also had regular bus service. The population in 1945 grew to 250 residents. By 1949 the community had an active fraternal order of Eagles (FOE).
The Army Corps of Engineers selected the site of the Detroit Dam in the 1930’s. The dam would put the town 100 ft under water. After WWII, a cease building order on the town site expired and construction of the dam commenced on April 1, 1949. At the time, it was the 4th highest concrete dam in the world with dimensions of 463′ high and 1523′ long, and cost $70,000,000 to build.
At peak construction, in 1950, there were 3,000 workers on the project. Worker housing was named Camp Mongold, with dorms for 800 single men and accommodations for 100 trailers. It would eventually house 1,200 people. Many contractors did not accept this housing, and alternate residences were constructed in Mill City for officials and employees.