A new Oregon Film Trail sign will be unveiled in Depoe Bay (4 PM, Thursday, December 19th, 2019). The sign honors the town harbor’s starring role as a location in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. The Depoe Bay Chamber is hosting an unveiling of the newest sign on the Oregon Film Trail in the World’s Smallest Harbor – between dock 1 and 2. A reception will follow at Dockside Charters harbor location. This sign marks an important filming location related to the classic feature film, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and features a few facts and anecdotes about the film as well as a reference to two other films shot close by (The Burning Plain and Sometimes A Great Notion).. The Depoe Bay harbor featured prominently in the film when Jack Nicholson’s character, Randle “Mac” McMurphy, staged an escape from hospital and led his fellow patients to the harbor where they commandeered a fishing boat and took it out for a day’s fishing. Dockside Charters provided the picture boat for the film when it was shot in March 1975.
This newest sign on the Trail comes on the heels of two others (relating to the same film) that were installed in Salem last month; one at the Oregon State hospital and the other at the Department of Correction’s, “Dome Building.” Visitors to Depoe Bay will be able to stand next to the sign and see the picturesque harbor in front of them. This sign is a collaborative partnership between the Oregon Film Office (partnered with the Oregon Made Creative Foundation) and the Depoe Bay Chamber of Commerce and has been funded in part by a grant from Travel Oregon. Additional funding came from the Oregon Coast Visitors Association.
Dating back to 1909, Oregon has a rich and interesting film history with over 450 feature films & television shows that have utilized thousands of locations around the state for a wide variety of production backdrops. Today, Oregon continues to be a destination for creative media producers from around the world. From Emmy winning television productions, to Oscar-nominated feature films; world-class animated films to award-winning interactive games – Oregon is a brand unto itself.
Oregon Film, in partnership with the Oregon Made Creative Foundation, created the Oregon Film Trail featuring signage located at strategic points around the state. The creation of the Trail aims to strengthen the correlation between the film/TV industry, economic development, and tourism as well as celebrating unique Oregon locations that are iconic in their own right.
Depoe Bay Chamber Executive Director, Laura Furgurson, is very excited about this partnership with the Governor’s Office of Film and TV. “Depoe Bay is honored to be a part of the Oregon Film Trail and we know our residents and visitors will enjoy sharing these fun film memories with their families and friends. We’re looking forward to additional efforts to commemorate other filming in our community.”
Fans of other movies such as Twilight, Point Break, The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, Sometimes a Great Notion, Free Willy, Short Circuit, etc., have been coming to the coast since these films were first released and some of these Trail signs can be seen at; Gleneden Beach, Ecola State Park (2 locations), Astoria and Hammond Marina in Warrenton.
“We continue to be amazed by the response this program is having,” said Tim Williams, Executive Director of Oregon Film, “we get new suggestions every week and we keep adding them to our fast-growing list. Oregon has so many iconic locations that this Film Trail will continue to grow.”
Phase two of the Oregon Film Trail is in the research and initial development phase and aims to encompass a Trail map and a digital experience which the many Oregon Film Trail partners will be able to utilize for their own promotions as well as to entertain and educate visitors and Oregonians alike.
The Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Oregon Film Office developed the initial Oregon Film Trail concept and identified the Astoria movie locations as the first signs to be rolled out on the Trail earlier this year with help from the Oregon Film Museum. Additionally, Oregon State Parks partnered with Oregon Film with the Oregon Made Creative Foundation to install a sign at Gleneden Beach State Recreation Site, three subsequent signs in Brownsville were also unveiled with partners; the City of Brownsville, the Linn County Historical Museum, Brownsville Chamber of Commerce and Oregon Made Creative Foundation, and a further sign on the north coast at the Hammond Marina, Warrenton was installed with partnership from Hammond Marina, the City of Warrenton, the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce and funding from the Oregon Coast Visitors Association. Two more signs were recently unveiled in Salem at the Oregon Museum of Mental Health and the Department of Corrections, with support from Salem resident, Erik Andersson,Travel Salem and paid for in part by a grant from Travel Oregon. Additionally, last month two signs and a map panel were unveiled at Ecola State Park and Indian Beach in partnership with the Oregon Coast Visitor’s Association and State Parks. Other signs are in the process of being installed in other locations around the state.
New locations are being explored and identified all of the time from Ashland to Joseph, Athena to Cottage Grove and Eugene to St. Helens. Suggestions are always welcome ([email protected]).
About Oregon Made Creative Foundation: The OMCF is a program of the Charitable Partnership Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. It was founded through the efforts of Oregon Film (a/k/a the Oregon Governor’s Office of Film & Television) as a stand-alone non-profit foundation focused on providing opportunity and grants for #OregonMade creators through strategic partnerships and creative connections. www.oregonmade.org
About the Depoe Bay Chamber of Commerce: The Depoe Bay Chamber of Commerce was established 71 years ago to serve the local community and area businesses. They host a variety of large community events, such as their annual Salmon Bake and Crab Feed, which attract thousands of visitors each year. The Chamber also hosts the local Visitor Center, and provides tourism marketing and information in-person, online and in printed publications. The non-profit organization recently received $40,000 in marketing funds via Travel Oregon and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association.
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