How Orchard District got it's name

As the old cliché goes, what's in a name?

In the case of the Orchard District Neighborhood Association, a lot. When the time came for the forming neighborhood association to designate a name for themselves, the voting members felt it important not only to have a catchy name, but one that would reflect the history, boundaries, and character of the area they were to represent. It was not an easy task, considering that the areas boundaries include a state park, city park, residential neighborhoods, commercial business, and light industrial areas.
 

The idea for Orchard District came from the historical roots of the area west of Pilot Butte. Back in the 1930's the area behind what is now Wagner Mall was an apple orchard. The orchard was an agricultural experiment for a climate challenged area such as Central Oregon. Geographically, the area , being a short distance from the river, experienced "banana belt" like conditions. A "banana belt" refers to an area that has significantly warmer conditions than the surrounding territory, thus allowing certain plants to flourish while just miles away they may not. The orchard experiment ultimately failed, but left its mark on the history of Bend.

Remnants of the old orchard, including fruit trees and structures, still exist as a testament to the effort. The original orchard farm house and office are still standing and are currently in use as residences. Indeed the Orchard District Neighborhood Association by any other name would be as sweet, but will surely flourish in this banana belt.