| Until
the winter of 1824, the Bend area was known only to native Americans
who hunted and fished there. In that year, members of a fur
trapping party led by Peter Skene Ogden visited the area. John
C. Fremont, Dr. John Strong Newberry and other Army survey parties
came next. Then pioneers heading further west went through the
area and forded the Deschutes River at Farewell Bend.
Actual settlement did not occur until
the early 1900s with the founding of the Pilot Butte Development
Company by Alexander M. Drake. A small community developed
around the bend in the river and in 1904 a city was incorporated
by a general vote of the community's 300 residents. On January
4, 1905 the city held its first official meeting as an incorporated
municipality, appointing A. H. Goodwillie as the first mayor.
Twelve years later, Deschutes County was formed from the western
half of Crook County and Bend was designated as the county
seat. In 1929, Bend amended the charter and adopted the manager/council
form of government.
The settlement was originally known as Farewell Bend.
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