Brogan wrote East of the Cascades in 1964, an important source of information on the geology, geography, and history of Central Oregon.

As a young man, he worked on ranches in the area around Ashwood and Antelope, Oregon, and then as a sheep camp tender in the Cascade Mountains near the McKenzie Pass.

While in Eugene, he applied to the University of Oregon in order to take advantage of a state education program that paid veterans $25 a month for college expenses.

[2] To earn spending money and gain reporting experience, Brogan began writing geology related articles for the Eugene Register-Guard.

That same year, Brogan received the University of Oregon Distinguished Service Award, an honor he shared with Senator Wayne Morse.

As the newest member of the staff, Brogan was assigned the task of taking daily weather measurements and reporting the information to Portland.

[3][5] In 1966, when the National Aeronautics and Space Administration brought twenty-two astronauts to Central Oregon to practice Moon walking in the volcanic areas around Bend, Brogan was asked to be their outback guide.

[2][10] Brogan was interested in a wide range of scientific subjects including geology, paleontology, geography, astronomy, meteorology, forestry, and the environment.

Bob Chandler, owner and publisher of the Bulletin, spent years trying to persuade Brogan to compile his extensive knowledge of Central Oregon into a book.

Today, East of the Cascades remains an important source for information on the geology, geography, and history of Central Oregon.

The viewpoint in located at a high point along the Trail of the Molten Land near Lava Butte in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument south of Bend.