The Avery family, with roots in the Santiam Canyon since 1902, donated $35,000 to refurbish John Neal Memorial Park’s historic picnic shelter near Lyons.
Linn County, OR. — The Avery family, whose landholdings in the Santiam Canyon date to 1902, has contributed $35,000 to renovate the picnic shelter at John Neal Memorial County Park near Lyons (Linn County Government).
The shelter, built in 1971 as a tribute to brothers Waldo and Sewell Avery, stands as a symbol of the family’s long‐standing ties to the canyon (NBC16 News). The Avery brothers, midwestern industrialists and timber investors, originally acquired about 25,000 acres in the region (Linn County Government).
Though the family is geographically dispersed today, its commitment to the area remains strong. The donation was made during the Avery family’s annual meeting and property tour on September 19 (Linn County Government). Ellen Ferguson of Seattle described the family’s philosophy: “We are a major land owner, but we make the property accessible to the public … We want to be good partners” (Linn County Government). Pedro McMillan, residing in Colorado, added, “We’ve been here for 120 years … we enjoy gathering here every year” (Linn County Government)…