Episode 07: Tofte
What if I told you there was a place in the Pacific Northwest, where children could let their imaginations run wild. A place where mystery and adventure mix and become a place to be free. That place not only exists, but I've been there. It's called Enchanted Forest.
The Creator
Roger Tofte, born in 1930 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, moved to Astoria, Oregon when he was 5 years old. In his junior year in high school, he moved to Silverton, Oregon where he graduated from Silverton High School. Roger then spent time in the Navy during the Korean War. After the war, he married Mavis Bjorke in 1954 and had a little jewelry store for about a year in Camas, Washington. Making no money in the jewelry business and with the birth of his first child, Roger took a steady job with the Oregon State Highway Department as a draftsman and artist.
ENCHANTED FOREST
Ten years later, in the 60's, Roger, now the father of four young children, realized there was very little for a family to see and do together in Salem. He formulated the idea for a theme park where he could use his creative talents and though he had very little time or money to make his dream a reality, he persisted anyway. He purchased the original 20 acres of land off Interstate 5 for four thousand dollars, in monthly payments of fifty dollars and began construction in 1964, one bag of cement at a time. He repaired watches in his spare time to help finance his project and worked on building the park after work and on weekends. The Tofte's own backyard became filled with storybook figures and small buildings as Roger also used every spare second at home to work on his dream.
Everyone but Roger thought it was silly to think that this idea could work. Roger's friends and co-workers used to tease him about his work on "Idiot Hill." That also seemed to be the bank's idea. Close to opening, Roger and Mavis needed $2,000 to put on the last touches to the park in order to be able to open, but had run out of every last dime. Their own bank would not loan them the money, because, of course, the Tofte family didn't have any cash. Only one bank took the chance on them and loaned them the money.
Opening
Roger originally thought it would take only two years to build the Storybook Trail, which was the first section that he needed to complete before the park could open. Finally, after seven years, at 2:00 on Sunday, August 8, 1971, Roger and his wife Mavis hung up a piece of butcher paper saying "OPEN" on the fence and the first visitors entered the park. Admission was one dollar for adults and fifty cents for children and starting wage was $1.65 per hour, five cents above minimum wage. There were 75 people the first day and 1,000 people the next Sunday. Roger's dream was finally a reality with Roger as the creator and Mavis as the business partner.
The Fun
I was in Kindergarten on a field trip my very first time at the park. The year was 1985. I don't usually remember much of my younger childhood but I do remember enjoying the many tunnels and play areas at Enchanted Forest. Over the years the park has expanded with the latest additions coming in 2017 with a carousel with not only horses, but ostriches, bunnies and a pig. Throughout the park are various sections that have unique themes. From Storybook Lane to Western Town, there's fun for everyone. For the believers they have a Haunted House that has even been featured on paranormal television shows. Other features include The Ice Mountain Bobsled Roller Coaster, the Big Timber Log Ride, the Water Light Show which is inside one of the restaurants that is choreographed with music and lights. Lastly, is the Challenge of Mondor, a beautiful, slow moving adventure ride. Mondor the Wizard sends riders on a quest through forests, caves and castles to save the happy little Drumlins. Riders use infra-red guns to fight the creatures of the dark and the dragons of the Black Draco under the control of the Evil King Zardon
Conclusion
I have been bringing my boys here for the last few years and they have enjoyed it as much as I did when I was their age. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Enchanted Forest took a fall like many other businesses did during that time. To make up for it, they are currently selling bricks, engraved with your families name to place throughout the walkways in the park. When someone buys a brick, it will forever remain in the park. They also have a gift shop where you can buy paintings that were done by Roger Tofte himself, along with clothing and miscellaneous items.
