Centennial Celebration of Buster Keaton’s ‘The General’

A woman strolls with her dog near a mural depicting Buster Keaton from his 1926 film, The General, in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Fans assembled in this town to honor the film’s centennial with events like a conference, a look-alike contest, a 1920s-themed costume party, and tours of filming locations.

The American South wasn’t receptive to comedy after the Civil War, prompting silent film star and comedian Buster Keaton to head west. Seeking a location for a film based on a real wartime train chase, he arrived in Cottage Grove. This past weekend, around 80 Keaton fans converged on this small rural city to celebrate the creation of his acclaimed film, The General. They donned porkpie or straw hats, shared their favorite scenes, and learned the Charleston while the Eugene-based band The Fat Dandelions played 1920s jazz into the night.

Joy Blatchford danced with her son Aden, while Katrina Nguyen and her husband Khoi joined in the 1920s-themed dance. Attendees perused Buster Keaton keyrings and other souvenirs on display.

The group, who call themselves the ‘Damfinos’, gathered to celebrate. The name references Keaton’s humorous response of ‘damfino’—short for ‘damned if I know’—whenever he lacked an answer. ‘I didn’t expect people from all over the country to know about Cottage Grove, but they did,’ remarked Lloyd Williams, former president of the Cottage Grove Historical Society and the primary organizer for the centennial celebration.

Khoi Nguyen took part in the Buster Keaton look-alike contest, delighting in the event. Among the fans, 21-year-old Chloe Fadem, hailing from Chicago, wore a Keatonesque two-piece suit. ‘I added a rainbow bowtie that isn’t accurate but I love it,’ she said as she prepared for the look-alike contest. Thirteen-year-old Aden Blatchford from Ontario, Canada, dressed as his idol for the third consecutive Halloween.

Aden, interested in silent films since age eight, likens them to reading comics. ‘With talkie movies, you can just listen, but with silent films, you must focus or you’ll miss essential title cards,’ he explained.

The look-alike contest winner was Liz Bartholomew, 37, from Portland. She impressed the judges dressed as ‘Sherlock Jr.’, complete with a fake mustache, magnifying glass, and a book titled How to Be a Detective. ‘Buster Keaton helps me bond with my mom,’ Liz said, smiling. ‘Winning feels rewarding.’

Fans forged connections with Keaton’s relatives at the event. Both Chloe Fadem and Aden Blatchford posed for photos with Melissa Talmadge Cox, Keaton’s granddaughter, who relates fond stories of her grandfather.

Talmadge Cox also gathered anecdotes about Keaton from fans. ‘I never saw his movies until he passed away. Seeing one in college was a revelation,’ she recalled.

Harry Keaton Moore Jr., Keaton’s nephew, was another special guest. He reminisced about growing up with his uncle in Los Angeles. ‘Buster didn’t enjoy driving, though it’s common in his films,’ Harry said.

Keaton Moore Jr. and fans embarked on a bus tour visiting locations from The General, concluding at the site of a famous train crash scene in the film. Keaton needed an authentic backdrop evoking Georgia and Tennessee for his story. Denied access in the South, he chose Cottage Grove in Oregon for filming.

‘He decided this setting was perfect,’ said Williams, noting how crews transformed the town into a Civil War setting. On July 23, 1926, a crowd of over 4,000 gathered to witness a real train crash for the film, creating a carnival-like atmosphere.

Reflecting on the event, Williams stated, ‘The shoot, costing over $40,000, was one of the most expensive of its time.’ The newspaper described the thrilling shoot, while a distressed onlooker mistook a dummy engineer as a real person.

Fans approached the location reverently, some comparing photographs to the present scene. Aden Blatchford, wearing a vintage outfit, expressed awe, ‘This place feels magical. Seeing where the iconic scene was filmed is amazing.’

Chloe Fadem, also enchanted, shared, ‘It feels like coming full circle, seeing in real life what was only in black and white before.’ She aims to incorporate Keaton’s work into her future film projects at Emerson College.

The next significant gathering occurs in Muskegon, Michigan, with the annual International Buster Keaton Society Convention, celebrating what would have been Keaton’s 131st birthday.