McCredie Springs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
McCredie Springs
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McCredie Springs Resort and sawmill in 1910
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 McCredie Springs
Location in Oregon
McCredie Springs
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Lane |
| Elevation | 2,064 ft (629 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
97463
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| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| GNIS feature ID | 114953 |
McCredie Springs is a place in Lane County, Oregon, in the United States. It used to be a popular resort. You can find it near Oregon Route 58, about 10.7 miles (17.2 km) east of Oakridge. It's also about 50.7 miles (81.6 km) east of Eugene. This area is inside the beautiful Willamette National Forest. McCredie Springs is famous for its natural hot springs, which are found along Salt Creek.
Contents
History of McCredie Springs
Early Settlers and Resorts
In 1878, a trapper named Frank Warner discovered a group of hot springs along Salt Creek. He decided to build a cabin there and live near them. Frank lived in his cabin until the early 1900s. At that time, the new United States Forest Service (USFS) asked him to leave the area.
Later, in 1911, a man named John Hardin took over the land. He claimed it for its salt, but his real plan was to build a resort. He leased the land from the USFS. Hardin named his new resort Winino Springs and opened a hotel there in 1914.
Baseball and Post Office
In 1916, Judge William Wallace McCredie bought a share of the resort. He used it as a training camp for his baseball team, the Portland Beavers, from Portland.
A post office called Winino opened near Salt Creek on July 8, 1924. People thought the name might come from a Native American language. However, its exact meaning was not known. The post office closed on December 31, 1925. This happened while the Southern Pacific Railroad was building its Cascade Line. Mail was then sent to a place called Railhead.
The resort soon became known as McCredie Springs. A post office named McCredie Springs operated off and on from September 14, 1926, until October 2, 1953.
Resort's Busy Years and Decline
During the 1930s, McCredie Springs was very popular. Five passenger trains from the Southern Pacific Railroad stopped there every day. By 1940, the resort community had 19 people living there. It also had cabins, a hotel, and a store.
Sadly, the hotel burned down in 1958. Then, a big flood in 1964, known as the Christmas flood of 1964, destroyed the bridge that led to the springs. After this, the Forest Service ended the lease. They removed the remaining buildings. Today, the area is mostly natural and peaceful.
McCredie Hot Springs
Location and Water Details
The McCredie Hot Springs are natural hot springs. They are located across Oregon Route 58 from where the old community used to be. You can find them right by the banks of Salt Creek. The exact spot is 43°42′14″N 122°17′14″W / 43.70389°N 122.28722°W.
The warm, mineral-rich water comes out of the ground at a rate of about 20 US gallons (76 liters) per minute. The water is very hot, reaching a temperature of 163 degrees Fahrenheit (73 degrees Celsius).
Mineral Content
The water from McCredie Hot Springs contains several natural minerals. These include sodium, potassium, and calcium. You can also find magnesium, iron, and aluminum. Other minerals present are silicon dioxide, boron, and lithium. The water also has bicarbonate, sulfate, chlorine, and fluorine.
