Ashwood, Oregon: A Haunting Glimpse into Central Oregon’s Past
In the heart of Central Oregon, Ashwood stands as a silent sentinel of a bygone era. Once a bustling town, it now lies in ruins, a ghost town echoing with the whispers of history.
A Brief History
Ashwood’s story begins in the late 1800s when it was founded as a homesteading community. Its proximity to the Deschutes River and the promise of fertile land attracted settlers looking to make a new life in the wilderness. By the turn of the 20th century, Ashwood had blossomed into a thriving town with a school, post office, and several businesses.
The Decline
However, Ashwood’s glory days were short-lived. The town’s fortunes waned as the timber industry declined, and the construction of nearby highways diverted traffic away from its once-bustling streets. The closure of the post office in the 1970s marked the symbolic end of an era. Today, Ashwood stands as a shadow of its former self, a place where time has seemingly stopped.
Exploring Ashwood
Visiting Ashwood is like stepping into a time capsule. The dilapidated buildings that line its streets are a testament to its past, with some structures dating back to the early 1900s. The old schoolhouse, in particular, is a hauntingly beautiful relic, its walls covered in graffiti and its windows long shattered. The eerie silence that envelops Ashwood is broken only by the whispering wind, lending an almost otherworldly quality to the experience.
The Legends
Of course, no ghost town is complete without its legends. Ashwood has its fair share of ghost stories, from phantom footsteps echoing in the night to whispers of long-lost settlers still roaming the area. While skeptics may dismiss these tales as mere folklore, they add an extra layer of intrigue to this already enigmatic place.
