Weird Oregon

"What is this? A center for Ants?" Twenty years ago, a certain fictional male model had a vision, and the iconic “center for ants” was born. Now, Eugene Oregon's own Hop Valley is reimagining what a modern center for ants would look like, and naturally, it’s a brewery. A Brewery for Ants if you...

1. The Corn Dog (Rockaway Beach, 1930s) George and Versa Boyington ran a small hot dog stand on the beach, selling the dogs to tourists and locals alike. When coastal rains inevitably came and ruined the buns, George came up with the idea of cooking a "bun" as needed. He created a...

"Hey Napoleon, gimme some of your tots!" Did you know that the crispy, golden tater tot found its humble beginnings right here in Oregon? More on that in a moment, but first, The Tater Tot Festival! The City of Ontario, Oregon will be holding its first annual minced-tuber-celebration on September...

Do you ever find yourself thinking, "I wish this mundane, run-of-the-mill hotel was more awesome"? Maybe you're wishing for someplace more retro, more treehouse, more Airstream, more historical. More SOMETHING. Look no further. We've got your checklist of some of the most downright...

The only real backstory you need is this: From 1964-1966, NASA trained Apollo astronauts on the rocky surfaces of lava-flow abundant near Bend, Oregon. Through his training there, astronaut Jim Irwin became well-acquainted with Floyd Watson, Bend's building inspector. When Irwin was selected for...