History of Lostine

Work got under way this week on the construction of a $12,000 bridge across the Lostine River, three miles above Lostine where a new private lake development has been projected....

Beaver State Constriction Co. of Salem ... have the dike building contract to impound about 100 acres of water on the west side of the river ... approximately 5000 feet of dike ranging up to 14 feet in height and enclosing two sides of the artificial lake ... 

In February, 1957 the escrow closed on the 606 acres I purchased from Melvin and Warner Crow. The lake was completed late November, 1970. In January, 1971 part of the dike gave out because of lack of compaction in the swampy area. In the summer of 1971 sheet piling was driven into the blow-out area and back-filled and compacted on both sides of the sheet piling. People in Lostine probably remember the occasion because the water coming down river smelled like rotten eggs. This was from the rotting vegetation being under water. 

Fish for the lake were bought from the Wynans Hatchery. Planted as 1 1/2 inch fingerlings in the lake early spring, these same fish would be 11-13 inches a little over a year later and 17-23 inches a year after that, on average. However, the largest fish caught by hook and line was 28 1/2 inches long and weighed nearly 8 pounds by Larry Jones of Lostine.

A new lake for Wallow County is forming now, upriver from Lostine about three miles. 

To form the Lake, a dike about a mile in length had to be constructed around the proposed site. The lake will be about a half mile long and will cover something in excess of 60 acres. At the deepest spot the lake will be about 8 feet in depth when filled.