Tucked away in the northeast corner of Oregon is the tiny town of Joseph. Back dropped by the snow-capped Wallowa Mountains, it’s easy to see why the area has been dubbed the “Little Switzerland of America.” But did you know it is also known as the “Bronze Valley of Oregon” thanks to its resident artists and bronze casting and fabrication facilities? Even if you’re not an art aficionado, you’ll still be impressed by the seven life-size, finely detailed bronze outdoor sculptures along Joseph’s “artwalk.”

Ramon Parmenter has this to say about his "Garden Walk" sculpture: "The beauty of the living form which God has made fascinates me -- how familiar it is, how common; yet in the interplay of muscle and torso, I find endless drama." This bronze statue weighs about 400 pounds. 16 look-alike statues, all with the same name, have been crafted so far. This statue was cast from 15 molds and takes it name from a place where the woman picked the flowers she is holding.

"Attitude Adjustment" is a bronze sculpture created by Austin Barton. It stands over 10 feet high. Before creating this piece, the sculptor acquired knowledge of the western way of life by breaking horses and working on farms and ranches for a living. The name of this piece refers to what happens when you take the “buck” out of horses.

 "All Around Cowboy" is another full size bronze sculpture by Austin Barton.

To get a better understanding of how an artist’s original wax or clay sculpture is turned into a limited edition work of art, take a tour of Valley Bronze of Oregon for $15 per person. Working in all ferric metals and precious metals, Valley Bronze is able to undertake a full range of casting projects, from small edition fine art sculptures to multi-million dollar ornamental monuments. Valley Bronze is considered the premier fine art foundry in the Pacific Northwest, and produced the finished cases that hold the Declaration of Independence in the rotunda of the National Archives building in Washington, D.C.

While visiting Joseph, you may also want to poke around the Wallowa County Museum and learn about the area’s founding families. Early settlers engaged in cattle, sheep, fruit and timber operations, later moving onto mercantile, banking and lodging. Platted in 1882, Joseph Oregon was the area’s first town, even before there was a county designated as “Wallowa.” Entered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, the museum’s extensive collection of artifacts and photographs also provides a good place to reflect on the Nez Percé Indians (Nimi'ipuu) who for centuries lived in the Wallowa Valley.

For a small town (approximate population 1,100), Joseph is not only big on bronze artwork, but it also hosts a variety of year-round western events such as the annual Blues Festival and Chief Joseph Days Rodeo. Joseph is also the gateway to the Eagle Cap Wilderness where you can camp, fish, hike and backpack in the summer and ski, snowshoe, and snowmobile in the winter.

For a list of RV parks and campgrounds in and around Joseph, Oregon, click to http://www.josephoregon.com/pages/businesses/rv_parks.htm