The history behind the Mitchell Recreation Area in Bly, Oregon is a sad one. It is actually about the tragedy that the Mitchell family experienced on May 5, 1945 when they set out on a picnic in the area. One of the children found a Japanese balloon bomb that quickly exploded and killed the five Mitchell children and their mother.

Also known as the Mitchell Monument, the Mitchell Recreation Area was then constructed by the Weyerhaeuser Corporation who owned the property at the time. They constructed the monument in 1950 with a marker saying that it is the ?only place on the American continent where death resulted from enemy action during World War II?.

Aside from the monument, the Mitchell Recreation Area is also a day use picnic area, where visitors can also hike, fish, and view wildlife. It is open from May to October yearly.