If you were paying attention in hop history class, you know that Lane County was once the hot bed for hop growing.
Oregon's first commercial hop-growing operation was started in Buena Vista (Polk County) in 1867, but by 1880 most of the state's hops were being grown in Springfield. In fact, the original Hop Valley Brewery and Restaurant was built on land that once was the epicenter of the hop-growing world. In addition to Springfield, hops were being grown in Santa Clara, Crow, Coburg and Goshen. (Legend has it this is where the phrase "a hopping place" originated, but it is our legend and thus is, more than likely, a complete fabrication.)