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Oregons New Film Museum to Showcase Animal House Sets in Cottage Grove Armory
Picture stepping into the iconic dorm rooms of Animal House, but inside a real Oregon armory. That’s the promise of a new museum dedicated to the state’s cinematic past, slated to open next year in the historic Cottage Grove Armory.
The project, backed by the nonprofit Oregon Arts and Film, received a $15,000 boost from the Woodard Family Foundation. The grant, presented in the lobby of Cottage Grove City Hall to Katherine Wilson and her husband Phillip, will fund the construction of six recreated bedroom sets that once appeared on the 1978 National Lampoon comedy’s screen.
Wilson, a veteran of more than 20 major film projects over the last five decades, has earned the nickname “The Godmother of Film in Oregon.” She described the money as the beginning of a 24‑year dream. With the grant in hand, she plans to build and decorate the sets in the armory’s basement within a 14‑month construction window.
During a 1977 on‑location shoot, Animal House filmed a memorable scene in which the Delta House misfits sabotage a parade. A building that now houses the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce suffered a smashed front window when a runaway car crashed through it. Wilson also noted that the University of Oregon campus served as the film’s fictional Faber College, a nod to a campus president, William Beatty Boyd, who had previously declined to allow The Graduate to be shot at the University of California‑Berkeley.
When Wilson showed a diorama of the museum’s planned layout to a reporter from KLCC, she revealed that the basement will house the recreated dorm rooms, a Native American art gallery, and props from other notable productions with ties to the area.
Oregon Arts and Film, a newly‑formed nonprofit, is championing the effort. Secretary Kurt Liedtke told KLCC that Cottage Grove has been an “epicenter” for filmmaking since the silent‑film era, citing Buster Keaton’s The General, Stand By Me, and Animal House as key examples of the town’s cinematic heritage. Liedtke added that the organization’s immediate focus is on Lane County but that it will eventually support projects across Oregon.
City Manager Mike Sauerwein said the museum is expected to attract many tourists, especially as its opening will coincide with a visit by the traveling mural group The Walldogs, who will paint 15 murals in downtown Cottage Grove.
Wilson reiterated that the museum will also feature a Native American art gallery and props from other notable productions with connections to the area.
Construction is set to begin in the armory’s basement, with the museum scheduled to open next year. The project is part of a broader effort to preserve and promote Oregon’s film legacy, which has included locations used in films such as The General, Stand By Me, and Animal House.
While the museum’s exact opening date has not yet been announced, local officials expect it to be a significant draw for film fans and tourists alike.
The Woodard Family Foundation, which awarded the grant, has a history of supporting arts and community projects in the greater Cottage Grove area. The museum’s development will be monitored by local media and the nonprofit, with further updates expected as construction progresses.
In short, the museum represents a tangible link between Oregon’s past and present film industry, preserving the legacy of a landmark comedy while providing a new cultural venue for the community.
The project, backed by the nonprofit Oregon Arts and Film, received a $15,000 boost from the Woodard Family Foundation. The grant, presented in the lobby of Cottage Grove City Hall to Katherine Wilson and her husband Phillip, will fund the construction of six recreated bedroom sets that once appeared on the 1978 National Lampoon comedy’s screen.
Wilson, a veteran of more than 20 major film projects over the last five decades, has earned the nickname “The Godmother of Film in Oregon.” She described the money as the beginning of a 24‑year dream. With the grant in hand, she plans to build and decorate the sets in the armory’s basement within a 14‑month construction window.
During a 1977 on‑location shoot, Animal House filmed a memorable scene in which the Delta House misfits sabotage a parade. A building that now houses the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce suffered a smashed front window when a runaway car crashed through it. Wilson also noted that the University of Oregon campus served as the film’s fictional Faber College, a nod to a campus president, William Beatty Boyd, who had previously declined to allow The Graduate to be shot at the University of California‑Berkeley.
When Wilson showed a diorama of the museum’s planned layout to a reporter from KLCC, she revealed that the basement will house the recreated dorm rooms, a Native American art gallery, and props from other notable productions with ties to the area.
Oregon Arts and Film, a newly‑formed nonprofit, is championing the effort. Secretary Kurt Liedtke told KLCC that Cottage Grove has been an “epicenter” for filmmaking since the silent‑film era, citing Buster Keaton’s The General, Stand By Me, and Animal House as key examples of the town’s cinematic heritage. Liedtke added that the organization’s immediate focus is on Lane County but that it will eventually support projects across Oregon.
City Manager Mike Sauerwein said the museum is expected to attract many tourists, especially as its opening will coincide with a visit by the traveling mural group The Walldogs, who will paint 15 murals in downtown Cottage Grove.
Wilson reiterated that the museum will also feature a Native American art gallery and props from other notable productions with connections to the area.
Construction is set to begin in the armory’s basement, with the museum scheduled to open next year. The project is part of a broader effort to preserve and promote Oregon’s film legacy, which has included locations used in films such as The General, Stand By Me, and Animal House.
While the museum’s exact opening date has not yet been announced, local officials expect it to be a significant draw for film fans and tourists alike.
The Woodard Family Foundation, which awarded the grant, has a history of supporting arts and community projects in the greater Cottage Grove area. The museum’s development will be monitored by local media and the nonprofit, with further updates expected as construction progresses.
In short, the museum represents a tangible link between Oregon’s past and present film industry, preserving the legacy of a landmark comedy while providing a new cultural venue for the community.
