Resort History
Centuries ago, water once covered the vast Sunriver area. Eventually, that water broke through its natural dam, leaving behind a dry lake bed that slowly developed into one of the Northwest's most beautiful meadows, in which is nestled our luxury hotel in Oregon. The meadow became a gathering place for Native Americans living in the region and later for trappers, settlers, and explorers, including John Fremont and Kit Carson, who led expeditions along the banks of the Deschutes River in the 1800's. In 1943, the US Army claimed the meadow as training grounds and called it Camp Abbot, after a Pacific Railroad surveyor, Lt. Henry Abbot.
In 1965, John D. Gray, founder of Omark Industries, and Donald V. McCallum, a Portland attorney, announced their plan to build a gem among resorts and hotels in Oregon. They gave this resort the name Sunriver to reflect the most characteristic features of the area. Sunriver would be a resort and residential community in Oregon with carefully defined parameters: a finite number of homesites would be apportioned, complete municipal services would be offered, and a luxurious lodge would anchor activity for the entire development, maintaining European standards of hospitality. More importantly, the natural environment would not be compromised. Guided by the vision of Gray and McCallum, architects drafted a master plan and on June 28, 1968, Sunriver Realty sold the first homesite at Sunriver. The result has been the development of a true diamond among Oregon resorts. Sunriver is a place of casual but luxurious comfort surpassing all other hotels in Oregon and Pacific Northwest vacation destinations.
In 1993, the current owners, Sunriver Resort Limited Partnership, began an extensive capital improvement program to bring our Oregon resort gracefully into the 21st century. Since then, Sunriver has become the Pacific Northwest's finest resort community, offering the very finest in Oregon hotel rooms and vacation rentals, resort activities, amenities, and facilities, while retaining all the very best traditions of the past. With a strong emphasis on preserving its natural surroundings, Sunriver has realized a unique balance between development and nature. It has created a place in Oregon where many come to visit on vacations to the Pacific Northwest and the lucky ones come to stay.
