Eagle's Nest Colony Art Collection April 17, 2008

Established in 1898 by famed sculptor Lorado Taft, the Eagle's Nest Colony members met each summer on the banks of the Rock River (in the area that is now Taft Campus). Artists, writers, musicians, playwrights and other talented individuals gathered to escape the city heat, enjoy the beautiful countryside and create. Although highly influential in the Chicago area, these artists were eager to share their works with the local community of Oregon. They persuaded the architects of the Oregon Public Library to include plans for an art gallery, which they used for art showings and lectures. In 1918, the colony members began donating works of art for a permanent collection. By the time the last founding member of the Eagle's nest Colony had died (1942), the library was in possession of 31 paintings and 25 sculptures -- most of which can be viewed during library hours.