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What's in a name?
In 1963 Shangri-La's founding families selected the name Shangri-La based on the utopian sanctuary described in the 1933 novel by James Hilton, "Lost Horizon".
In the novel, the main character travels to Shangri-La and finds inner peace, love, and a sense of purpose.
Closely aligned with the ideals and environment these families wanted for their children, the founding families set to work creating their own Shangri-La by pooling their private resources and purchasing a 30-acre rural property just east of Salem, Oregon.
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Still today, these ideals influence how services are delivered, and environments are created.
Shangri-La
noun
pronunciation: shang-gruh-lah
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1. an imaginary paradise on earth
2. a faraway haven or hideway of idyllic beauty and tranquility