By Ron Brown

LAKEVIEW, Ore. -- For nearly 90 years, an unusual geological feature has been attracting tourists and travelers to southeast Oregon. It's a one-of-a-kind sight in the Northwest that springs from discoveries made by Native Americans and Hudson's Bay trappers hundreds of years ago.

Hot springs are not unique to eastern Oregon. They seem to be everywhere in the desert country, from Klamath Falls to Idaho and Nevada. The geyser just north of Lakeview, however, is something you don't see every day and maybe nowhere else in the entire Northwest.

White explorers in the 1830's noted the springs and Native Americans using them as therapeutic treatments for all sorts of ailments. It was about 1920 that Harry Hunter, a land developer from Minneapolis, realized the potential of the site for a health resort. It was the search for more hot water that led to the geyser.

"So they were out there with their drilling rigs to get another hot water well to feed the place," explained Jim Gullickson, who runs the Hunter's Hotsprings Resort, "and when they did that they struck a geyser! And it started going off! There were actually three of 'em they hit back in the 20's, and one of 'em kept going, which is old Perpetual today! It's an old well casing, but it's a geyser. It's uh, it's man-made, but it still has the uniqueness that it takes the blend of cold water and hot water down below to hit the flash point to create the geyser, whether it's natural or man-made, you still have to have the exact combination of both waters to do that. So it's pretty unique!"

With the geyser, it became even more of a tourist attraction, including the area's first airport, bringing in curiosity seekers and those who enjoyed hot mineral baths. Some big changes in the 1940's included adding a restaurant and bar. The water is so hot it has to be mixed with cold water to swim in.

The geyser at Hunter's Resort has been going on now for nearly 90 years. Those who are re-developing the lodge say they hope to make this one of the real attractions of Southeast Oregon. There's also a greenhouse for growing herbs and vegetables for the restaurant. The barroom floor is geothermally heated and the bar foot-rail is also warmed by natural hot water!

A new sign on the highway will give real time readings on the water temperatures, while colored lights will highlight the geyser at night, but when Gullickson took over the resort three years ago, the geyser had stopped. It has since been repaired, and spouts about every 80 or 90 seconds. With new facilities and a new vision for the old health spa and resort, Jim Gullickson hopes to make this a tourist destination once again.

For more information about hunter's hot springs resort, you can contact them at 541-947-4242 or go to their website at www.huntersresort.com.