Location
Where is Tumalo?
Nestled next to the Deschutes River, Tumalo is a small farming community between Bend and Sisters. Once known as Laidlaw in the early 1900s, settlers moved to the area when developers promised to build the Tumalo Reservoir to provide the water the area would need to rival Bend. However, the Reservoir was unsuccessful and major industry decided to settle in nearby Bend with its railroad.
Today, Tumalo remains true to its roots retaining the rural lifestyle of ranches, hay fields, and small farms. Renamed Tumalo (a Native American word for icy water) in 1915, the small town retains its natural beauty and clean environment on the edge of the Central Oregon high desert. With a perfect view of the Cascades, plenty of water from winter snows, and warm sun-filled summers, Tumalo remains one of Oregon's small treasures.