Tour of rural Hillsboro, from Helvetia to Scholls, appeals to the senses
A better plan might be to slice off chunks of the formally named Vineyard Valley Scenic Tour, targeting perhaps a handful of special stops in any single outing. A visit to Hillsboro could encompass one such chunk.
Below are six jewels strung along the section of the route beginning in Helvetia, just north of Hillsboro, and ending at Gramma’s Farm Store in Scholls.
They are only a sampling. The route, which is clearly signed for drivers unfamiliar with the area, is dotted with family farms, nurseries, honey stands, cafes, historic churches, historic markers and scenic viewing areas. No fewer than six wineries are on or near the route.
These six stops, however, provide an excellent entree to a side of greater Hillsboro that will take most by surprise.
Don and Nancy Miller started raising Christmas trees in 1992 on their hillside acreage in Helvetia, a patchwork of fields and forests named by Swiss immigrants in the late 19th century. Nancy, charmed by the beguiling colors and heady scents of lavender, a fragrant member of the mint family, spearheaded the plunge into the herb five years ago.
Things have grown prodigiously ever since.
Every Saturday and Sunday, starting in mid-June through July, visitors can watch lavender distillation demonstrations. The process, taking place in a glass separator, steams delicate lavender buds to release water and essential oils from the plants. The farm is open weekends until the harvest is done; Nancy Miller anticipates that will be early August this year, but call to be sure.
The farm’s Lavender Festival in mid-July has taken on a life of its own. Last year, more than 2,000 lavender-lovers journeyed to the farm to walk through the adjoining gardens and marvel at the splash of color that one-third of an acre of lavender can conjure.
“It comes down to this,” Miller said. “The scent of lavender is just amazing and the colors so beautiful. It really is a joy to share it with so many people.”
With more than 1,000 baseball caps all but obscuring the ceiling and a large pitcher of beer constituting the most expensive item on the menu, what is not to like about the Helvetia Tavern?
An eclectic blend of area farmers and Intel engineers talk quietly in a comfortable, well-lit setting that has been dispensing burgers and fries since 1946. And not just any burgers, mind you. It takes only the briefest glance at the no-frills menu, in fact, to see that the Helvetia Tavern is “Home of the Jumbo Burger!”
As for the hats overhead, the tradition started when a previous owner couldn’t stand the looks of the ceiling, said longtime manager Mike Hutchins. “Now, people bring new ones in constantly,” he said. “We’ve just about run out of room up there.”
A large new patio out back has made the Helvetia Tavern a prime spot for wedding rehearsals.
“We don’t advertise a heck of a lot,” Hutchins said. “We’re more a word-of-mouth kind of place.”
The eight-sided steeple of the formally named Tualatin Plains Presbyterian Church has graced western Washington County’s landscape since its completion and dedication in 1878.
A historical marker at the head of the church’s tree-lined gravel driveway indicates that legendary mountain man Joe Meek is among those buried here. A 5-foot-tall stone marker on the graveyard’s east side anchors the spot. Seven Civil War veterans lie here, along with eight of the church’s 12 original members who organized the congregation in 1873.
The structure itself was built in the Carpenter Gothic style of architecture, sometimes known as Rural Gothic. It allowed more freedom of design than authentic Gothic and was often applied to wooden structures built by house carpenters.
In a startling sign of how much things have changed in Washington County in the century-plus since construction, the acre of land for the church and graveyard was acquired for $25, with original landowner Jacob Hoover donating a second acre for free.
Some may confuse alpacas with their Peruvian-bred cousin, the llama, but don’t make that blunder around Greg Mecklem, longtime owner of this 85-acre operation near Hillsboro.
“They are drastically different,” Mecklem says patiently. “Llamas are pack animals. Alpacas are raised for the luxurious fine fibers of their coats, which are prized in Italy and Japan.”
Think long, sweaty trail hike versus “cashmere” and you’ve nailed the difference.
Visitors are urged to call ahead for appointments. From summer well into autumn, shearing and birthing are commonplace.
Birthing pens situated along the roadway, meanwhile, are popular with drop-in visitors.
“We have folks from area senior centers come up twice a week to see how the new babies are doing,” Mecklem said. “It’s quite a kick.”
Bill Fuller first planted grape vines on a scenic hillside south of Banks in 1973, making Tualatin Estate Vineyard one of the oldest and largest continually operating vineyards in the state. Willamette Valley Vineyards, at Turner just off Interstate 5, bought the property in 1997. Today, nearly 200 acres of vines cover the slopes.
Tasting-room views of surrounding hills and valleys are a delight for visitors, who often are first-timers to the area, said Mari Yeckel, a vineyard spokeswoman.
“A lot of the out-of-towners have no idea how to pronounce our name,” she said, laughing. “It’s usually ‘Will-a-METTY’ or ‘Too-a-LATIN.'”
Those more familiar with the spot often bring picnic lunches to enjoy on the spacious grass areas that surround the tasting room.
“The average stay is over an hour,” Yeckel said. “It’s just a very comfortable place to hang out.”
Gramma’s Farm Store (Schlichting Century Farm)
Although the farm has been in the Schlichting family since 1878, the 70 acres that produce caneberries, strawberries and numerous varieties of flowers sold at Gramma’s Farm Store are under new management this year.
Brother-and-sister team Nancy and Tom Brugato are offering everything you could want at a roadside produce stop — specially labeled jams and jellies, fresh-cut flowers, decorative hanging baskets, tomatoes and even U-pick offerings for those who want to pluck their own fresh blackberries, raspberries and strawberries.
A large new awning around the store this year will give families a place to get out of the sun while enjoying local produce.
“One of our big draws here are our sunflowers,” Nancy Brugato said. “They’re incredible.”
— Dana Tims
