(Photo courtesy of Aracdia Publishing)

The idyllic community of Sunriver sits at the crossroads of Central Oregon. The region was inhabited as early as 11,500 years ago by native tribes. The first non-native explorers filtered through the area in the early 19th century, and homesteaders began farming the region in the late 1800s. During World War II, large tracts of land in the area became a training center for the US Army Corps of Engineers called Camp Abbot.

In 1965, developer John Gray and attorney Don McCallum announced plans to build a residential and resort community on the former Army site. Named for the area’s two main features, sunshine and recreational waters, Sunriver is a dynamic community. Today, permanent residents and vacationing visitors take advantage of Central Oregon’s recreational opportunities, including golfing, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing and snowboarding.

Local historian Tor Hanson has lived in Bend for more than 25 years. He is a board member of the Deschutes County Historical Society and editor of its newsletter, the Homesteader. Hanson holds a degree in information and public relations from Skurup Folkhögskola in Sweden and is a freelance writer for various magazines and newspapers. The images are curated from the Sunriver Owners Association (SROA), Sunriver Resort, Sunriver Chamber of Commerce, Deschutes Historical Museum and other sources.

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