Dexter: the Colorful Neighbor of Eugene, Oregon

Dexter is a satellite town of Eugene and close enough that when the comedy classic Animal House was filmed in the university town, the venerable Dexter Lake Club took a star turn as the roadhouse where Otis Day and the Knights memorably performed. The Parvin covered bridge in town has its own history and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Planning a visit? Stay at Dexter Shores RV Park.

The Army Corps of Engineers has created two reservoirs, Lookout Point and Dexter, that provide nearby water recreation and state park facilities. Just up the road is the 209-acre Mt. Pisgah Arboretum, a living tree museum featuring riverside paths through evergreen forests and wildflower meadows on the slopes of Mt. Pisgah. Each fall the Arboretum hosts the Mushroom Festival with over 400 varieties of wild fungus starring in the celebration.

Make sure to check out the Butte Disappointment, a nearby landmark along the Willamette River, which got its name when father and son settlers mistakenly guessed which river bank they stood on. The first settlement here took the same name, but changed it when the post office opened; “Dexter” was the brand of cookware used by the postmaster.