Oregon may soon have some new public property: A stunning waterfall, beloved by generations, recently went up for sale in Redfin.
Abiqua Falls—known for its 92-foot (28 m) drop over a vertical basalt cliff—has been privately owned for more than a century but is open to the public. As its owner said, it is a non-profit organization that supports a community of Benedictine monks In the market Earlier this year.
The list has alarmed fans of the natural wonder. But at the end of the legislative session this month, a bipartisan group of lawmakers stepped in and approved $2.1 million to purchase the falls and surrounding land.
“It’s not every day you see a waterfall for sale on Redfin or Realtor.com without a price,” said Travis Williams, president of the Willamette River Conservation Fund, a conservation nonprofit. “The public was really confused and afraid that the site would be shut down.”
The waterfall is located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of the state capital, Salem, and about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Portland. It is reached via a bumpy, unpaved road and a short, steep walk – so steep that previous visitors have left ropes at some sites for help.
In a statement, Republican state Sen. Fred Girod, whose district includes the waterfall, said, “Oregon pledges that Abiqua Falls will remain protected and accessible for generations to come.”
Mount Angel Abbey acquired the waterfall in 1908 and transferred it to the Abbey Foundation of Oregon, a nonprofit organization that supports the abbey, in 2002, according to Amanda Stagenborg, the foundation’s director of communications.
“We just knew it was time,” she said. “There were a lot of people picnicking on the property, and while we welcomed that, we wanted to make sure proper management was overseeing it.”
She added that the institution put the property up for sale in an open auction in early February, which means there is no minimum or maximum bid. I accepted the offer made by the state under the bill that was passed.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department must complete due diligence, including a review of environmental and archaeological information, before moving forward with the purchase, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department spokeswoman Katie Gauthier said in an email.
She added that the property would not necessarily become a state park, which would require additional funds. It may be administered by a local or tribal government or other government agency.
“Abiqua Falls is a beautiful location but very remote and difficult to access, and we are concerned about the impact managing a property like this could have on our already stretched state parks system and our current budget shortfall,” Gauthier said.
Many people who commented on the Willamette River Preservation Trust’s social media posts about the issue welcomed the idea of the falls becoming public land, though some worried that a state takeover could lead to fees and crowds.
The fund, which made a bid shortly after the waterfall was listed for sale, supported the state’s move to acquire it, said Williams, the fund’s president.
“There’s a spiritual feeling about it,” he said. “It’s just wonderful.”