Old Mc Kenzie Fish Hatchery - History

History

On March 6, 1907, the State of Oregon purchased land along the McKenzie River between Leaburg and Vida for a fish hatchery. The state paid $518.07 for the land. The original hatchery building was built by C.J. Buley. The facility was opened on May 11, 1907. The hatchery superintendent's house and other support buildings were also constructed at about the same time. The original hatchery building was replaced in 1928, but the superintendent's residence and several other original buildings still exist at the site.

The hatchery facilities were used by the State of Oregon to grow trout and salmon until the early 1950s. Over the years, it grew to be a large operation. In 1951, the hatchery collected 1,530,560 fish eggs for breeding. The state then decided to replace the old hatchery with a modern production facility. Between 1952 and 1953, the entire hatchery operation was moved to a new facility about a half-mile downstream from the original site adjacent to the Leaburg Dam. The old hatchery was closed in 1953.

In 1986, Lane County commissioned a study to determine if the abandoned hatchery site should be developed. The study found that the old McKenzie hatchery had historic and natural value, and recommended that the site be developed as a public park. Because of its unique architecture and importance to the history of the McKenzie River Valley, the Old McKenzie Fish Hatchery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. In 2007, the Lane County Parks Advisory Committee endorsed a plan to expand the facilities at the site of the historic fish hatchery to include a small museum and an interpretive center.