Sen. Mae Yih, D-Albany, has introduced a bill, SB 952, to request lottery funding for the promotion of the Centennial celebration of the intercontinental auto race on the historical Santiam Wagon Road.
In 1905, the Oldsmobile Corporation, sponsored the race in commemoration of the 1805 Lewis and Clark Expedition.
“The promotion of the 1905 automobile race on Santiam Wagon Road will make history real for today’s Oregonians,” Sen. Yih said. “It is an experience I hope everyone is able to enjoy. IN addition, the videotaping of the reenactment of the race and the 2005 centennial celebration will greatly enhance tourism and economic development in the Sweet Home area.”
The cities of Sweet Home, Lebanon and Albany will benefit from the promotion of the celebration of the auto race along the historic Santiam Wagon Road as many tourists are attracted to visit the historic route, Sen. Yih said.
Visitors interested in retracing the tracks of the famous race can do so by starting at the U.S. Forest Service Lost Prairie Ranger Station, approximately 30 miles east of Sweet Home on Highway 20.
In recent years, Sen. Yih assisted in securing funds for a videotaping of a reenactment of the race, which ran from the City of New York and Portland.