A woman strolls with her dog near a mural of Buster Keaton in Cottage Grove, Oregon, where fans recently gathered to celebrate the centennial of his classic film, The General. The event featured a conference, a look-alike contest, a 1920s-themed costume party, and tours of the film’s locations.
Buster Keaton, a silent film star known for his comedic genius, chose Cottage Grove for filming The General because the South, where the real-life train chase occurred, was not interested in revisiting Civil War themes. This past weekend, around 80 fans came together in the small rural city wearing porkpie hats and engaging in various activities, including dancing the Charleston to the tunes of a local jazz band.
Participants at the Buster Keaton Conference included Joy Blatchford and her son Aden, along with Katrina Nguyen and her husband Khoi, enjoying the 1920s dance atmosphere. Souvenirs like Buster Keaton keyrings were available for attendees.
These Keaton enthusiasts, known as “Damfinos,” reference a phrase used by Keaton when stumped by a question. “I wasn’t aware so many would know of Cottage Grove,” remarked Lloyd Williams, former president of the Cottage Grove Historical Society and lead organizer of the event.
The Buster Keaton look-alike contest drew people from afar, such as 21-year-old Chloe Fadem from Chicago, who wore a Keatonesque two-piece suit and a porkpie hat. She joined others like 13-year-old Aden Blatchford, a dedicated fan from Ontario, Canada, who even dresses as Keaton for Halloween. Aden compares silent films to comics, emphasizing the need to pay attention to on-screen text.
The contest’s winner, Liz Bartholomew of Portland, dressed as “Sherlock Jr.” and competed for fun and familial connection. Her enthusiasm for costumes and her mother’s love for Keaton brought her to the celebration.
Fans had the chance to meet Keaton’s relatives, including his granddaughter, Melissa Talmadge Cox, and nephew, Harry Keaton Moore Jr. Both relatives shared personal stories about Keaton while learning from the fans about his cinema legacy.
One of the event highlights was a bus tour to famous filming spots, concluding at the location of the train crash scene from The General. Keaton chose Cottage Grove after scouting inaccessible Southern locations and fashioned the town to represent the Civil War South, with a significant scene involving a real train crash staged for the film.
Lloyd Williams relayed how Keaton was “happy as a kid” with the production, which included a massive crowd watching the intricate train crash setup. The excitement of visiting these sites resonated with fans like Aden Blatchford, who felt a sense of magic standing where Keaton’s cinematic masterpiece unfolded.
Film student Chloe Fadem expressed her admiration for Keaton by planning to incorporate elements of his work into her future projects, inspired by the dedication she witnessed in his films.
Keaton’s legacy continues to influence and bring people together, with another significant event, the International Buster Keaton Society Convention, coming soon in Muskegon, Michigan.