Oregon is featured in more than 500 films, and a project by the state film office is marking movie locations with informational signs.
Baker County has three signs, all dedicated to the 1969 musical “Paint Your Wagon,” which was filmed here in 1968.
The markers can be found outside Baker Heritage Museum, 2480 Grove St., inside the lodge at Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, and outside the city hall in Richland, once the ground thaws (this one will eventually be placed at Richland’s future playground).
As the story goes – Gov. McCall appointed Warren Merrill, Oregon Film’s first director, in 1968 specifically to ensure that the permitting and transportation process for the Paramount feature shooting in Baker County went as smoothly as possible. This means as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the production of the film, we also celebrate 50 years of the Oregon Film Office. Continue reading... ““Paint Your Wagon” and Its Place in Oregon’s Cinematic History”
As Oregon Film starts to think about turning that wily age of 50 we are reflecting on some of the history that brought us to this point in our lifespan – and why not start at the beginning?
The story goes – after he made the beaches available to the public – Gov. Tom McCall needed just that little bit more to cement his legacy, so he assigned staffer Warren Merrill to help out a large Hollywood production creating No Name City at the confluence of two rivers in Baker County and, Lo and Behold, the beginnings of Oregon Film were born and so was…
