Winter 2009

In This IssueWill Vinton comes to the Museum

The Oregon History Project launches Timeweb

Family Days begin at OHS

Oregon Is Indian Country exhibit goes on the road

Save The Date: 2009 Annual Meeting

Please join us for the Annual Meeting of Membership at 12:00 P.M. on Saturday, April 18, 2009, at the Oregon Historical Society. The Annual Meeting will be an opportunity to celebrate our shared accomplishments and learn about the year ahead. Activities include a tour of our research library and a bus trip to the Oregon Vault in Gresham for a behind-the-

scenes look at our collections.

What an amazing year we have experienced at OHS! Leaving aside the small matter of year-end snow, ice, landslides, and floods that plagued our locale, we welcomed 40% more people to our exhibits and programs than in 2007. Our school group programs grew significantly, too. Clearly, our strong series of exhibits, beginning with Abe Lincoln and continuing through Michael Curry’s amazing puppetry show, the Raymond Loewy design exhibit, and the current Carleton Watkins stereographic exhibit struck a chord with the public. Notable, too, was our successful collaboration with the Portland Art Museum on Wild Beauty: Photographs of the Columbia River Gorge, 1867 - 1957. More than a third of the images in the large exhibit came from the Society’s collection, and the two institutions successfully cross-marketed their related exhibits at reduced admission cost for visitors.

The year 2009 has already brought an ample share of challenges. Because of the sharp economic downturn, most not-for-profits are experiencing lower levels of private giving and serious threats to public financial support. With a major deficit facing state government for the 2009-11 biennium, the administration recommended a 60% reduction or $800,000 per year in the OHS appropriation—definitely not the Sesquicentennial surprise we were hoping for. The consequences could be severe.

OHS is private but state-chartered and charged in statute with collecting, preserving, and displaying items of historical significance to Oregonians. In return, the state recognizes, also in statute, an obligation to provide financial support. There is no other Oregon state history museum. In the last biennium, the state contributed about 28% of our total operating costs.

We will be part of the Governor’s CHAMP package for cultural organizations. Please let your legislators know that culture and history matter now more than ever.

George L. VogtExecutive Director

Our Mission

The Oregon Historical Society’s mission is preserving and interpreting Oregon’s past in thoughtful, illuminating, and provocative ways.

Hours

Museum10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday - SaturdayNoon - 5 p.m. Sunday Research Library1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday Open to Members only

10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday - Saturday Open to the general public Museum Store10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - SaturdayNoon - 5 p.m. Sunday

1200 SW Park AvenuePortland, OR 97205503-222-1741WWW.OHS.ORG

Columbia River Vistas: The Art of James Everett Stuart open through March 15

Born in Maine, J. E. Stuart came to California with his

parents in 1860. He studied art in San Francisco and first visited the Pacific Northwest in 1876. He moved to Portland in 1881 and operated a studio in Ashland in the early 1880s. Despite leaving Oregon in 1886, he frequently returned to the state, where he was drawn to the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood.

Although he favored colorful sunsets and picturesque landscapes, he was also noted for his documentation of the details of Indian life. This Oregon History Museum exhibit is a wonderful depiction of the artist’s work, which includes eighteen paintings of various sizes, ten of which are part of the Oregon Historical Society’s collection. The descriptions that accompany each piece come directly from the artist’s hand, as found on the back of each of his paintings.

1 Brain + 2 Eyes = 3D opens March 12

Follow the history and development of 3D photography from its early use in chronicling the American Civil War to its current use in the space program. For 160 years, the world of 3D imagery has been diverse and exciting. The exhibit will allow visitors to see vintage 3D cameras,

projectors, and viewing devices as well as the most up-to-date 3D cameras on the market today.

Will Vinton’s Animation Art Collection opens May 14

Will Vinton’s pioneering milestones in character animation productions have contributed immensely to animation history. He has helped launch the careers of countless other 3D animation filmmakers. Born in McMinnville,

Will Vinton has won virtually every film and television award given a filmmaker — several hundred in total.

Winter and Spring Exhibits at the Oregon Historical Society

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SUPREME COURT JUSTICE EDWIN PETERSON ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW

The Oregon Historical Society, with the help of law firm, Perkins Coie, has begun the transcription of retired Supreme Court Justice Edwin Peterson’s oral history. Jeffrey Dobbins, Assistant Professor of Law at Willamette University College of Law and Executive Director of the Oregon Law Commission, conducted Justice Peterson’s interview. Rob Aldisert, Portland Managing Partner at Perkins Coie, is overseeing the transcription of the twenty-plus hour interview.

This interview is an important component of the ongoing oral history project of the Oregon Historical Society and the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society. This project began in the 1980s and currently includes interviews with more than 140 individuals and law firms. These oral histories add

immeasurably to the rich history of Oregon’s bench and bar. Perkins Coie has generously provided support for this project.

OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECEIVES CONSERVATION BOOKSHELF GRANT

Treasured collections held by the Oregon Historical Society will be preserved for future generations with help from the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of conservation books, DVDs, and online resources donated by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Bookshelf focuses on collections typically found in history or art museums and in libraries’ special collections. It addresses such topics as the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally specific conservation issues.

Library News

OREGON IS INDIAN COUNTRYOHS recently launched a new a traveling

exhibit that tells the story of the nine federally recognized tribes of Oregon and the indigenous

peoples who occupied the region for thousands of years. Oregon Is Indian Country represents a

groundbreaking project, bringing Oregon tribes together to present information never before assembled in one exhibit. Oregon’s Indian history will be displayed using three large panel presentations titled The Land, Federal Indian Policies, and Traditions That Bind. Native voices, historical artifacts, photographs, and more are brought together to produce a powerful exhibition.

The exhibit will travel around the state during the first part of the year and will be on display at the Oregon Historical Society in the fall. To inquire about hosting the exhibit at your museum or library, call 503.222.1741. For an up-to-date schedule of appearances, visit our website at www.ohs.org.

OREGON: 150 YEARS OF STATEHOOD; 150 MILLION YEARS IN THE MAKINGGeological processes shape Oregon’s landscape and affect our natural and cultural history. The exhibit at the State Capitol in Salem illustrates how Oregon’s spectacular mountains, valleys, and coastlines have developed. They show that, like the Capitol building, Oregon’s geological landscape plays a major role in the state’s economy, culture, and history. Oregon celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2009, but Oregon’s landscape has been forming for a million times as long!

OHS is developing a traveling version of this exhibit and hopes to make it available to Oregon museums, libraries, and cultural centers later this year. Learn more about this fascinating exhibit at www.ohs.org.

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The Oregon Historical Society goes on the road; check out these new off-site exhibits

Timeweb

History comes alive with a new interactive online tool for teachers, students, and lovers of history. Timeweb, part of the Oregon History Project, uses over 800 records from the Society’s collection to tell the story of Oregon from early Native American settlement to the present. The site builds interactive timelines to create historical webs of ideas, events, and places. Users can create their own timelines and discover the past through the eyes of people who shaped Oregon history. An NEH We The People Project THE OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY WWW.OHS.ORG

TAKE AN INTERACTIVE LOOK AT OREGON HISTORY

This is a portrait of Paiute diplomat, translator, and activist Sarah Winnemucca (1844?-1891)

This 1943 photograph, taken by Ray Atkeson, shows Iona Murphy welding in an assembly building at the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland.

Latina baker: Photographer Paulina Hermosillo took this ca. 2000 photograph of a woman working at the Panaderia San Gabriel.

Election Day: This 1909 anti-suffrage postcard depicts a woman going to vote on election day while her “suffering” husband takes care of their children.

OREGON TIMEWEB

Sylvia Thompson at a celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Portland chapter of the NAACP in 1964.

1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000TERRITORY & STATEHOOD

INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION

DEPRESSION & WAR

METROPOLITAN EXPANSION

CONTEMPORARY OREGON

FROM 14,000 YEARS AGO TO TODAY

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New AcquisitionsARCHIVES FROM THE VANCOUVER AVENUE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OHS is honored to serve as the repository for photographs, records, and artifacts of the Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church. Long a spiritual and social center of the Portland African American community, the church was founded in 1944 by Reverend Oliver B. Williams.

PORTLAND PIONEER FAMILY ARCHIVESThis collection of original photographs, diaries, letters, and other documents help tell the story of some of Portland’s pioneer families. Donated by the late Mary Couch Robinson Butler with the help of OHS board member, Bill Failing, the materials include references to the Burns, Corbett, Couch, Failing, Hoffman, Reed, Robertson, and Wood families.

THE JOB SNELLS DIARYThis diary consists of approximately eighty pages wherein Job Snells relates his travels from Minnesota to the Oregon gold rush in the John Day/Canyon City areas in 1862. This is especially important as there are very few such diaries about the central Oregon gold rush.

SETTEEAccording to its donor, former OHS executive director, Thomas Vaughan, the settee was received from Mary Winch, a descendant of Dr. McLoughlin, who said it belonged to him.

FERRAND & VOTEY OAK 15-STOP ONE MANUAL REED PUMP ORGANThis pump organ, dating from 1852, has been in the chapel at the St. Mary’s Academy in The Dalles, Oregon. It was donated by Bill Wynn.

FABRIC BANNERThis “Our Mosier Boys Service & Honor” flag is dated May 13, 1918. It was donated by Mrs. John Shaw.

WOODEN CRADLEAccording to the donor, the cradle was probably built in the mid 1870s. It had been stored in a private home in Forest Grove and was donated by Candy and Jim Puterbaugh.

New Monthly EventsFAMILY DAYSBeginning in January, the third Saturday of every month will be Family Day at the Oregon Historical Society. Family Days will often feature special programming for children and adults, including craft projects, special speakers or presentations, and guided tours of current exhibits. Check the OHS website for up-to-date information and schedules for each Family Day. On Family Day, admission for two children will be free with each paid adult admission to the Museum.

HISTORY PUB NIGHTSJoin the Oregon Historical Society and the Holy Names Heritage Center at McMenamins Kennedy School for your monthly dose of history. Our new History Pub series takes place on the last Monday evening of every month and will feature speakers on a wide range of topics. History Pubs are free to the public, and food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Information regarding each History Pub will be available on the OHS website at www.ohs.org.

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Doris Kearns Goodwin on Abraham LincolnFebruary 18, 2009Doris Kearns Goodwin has been reporting on politics and baseball for over two decades. Mrs. Goodwin is a world-renowned historian, author, writer, and NBC commentator. She has worked as a consultant and on-air personality for PBS documentaries on Lyndon Johnson, the Kennedy family, Franklin Roosevelt, and Ken Burns’ The History of Baseball. She was also the first female journalist to enter the Red Sox locker room.

Robert K. Sutton, Chief Historian, National Park Service, on the Civil War in OregonMarch 24, 2009Robert K. Sutton is the current Chief Historian of the National Park Service. Prior to this, he served as the Superintendent of Manassas National Battlefield Park and directed the Historic Preservation and Historical Administration public history programs at Arizona State University. He has published several books, articles, and reviews on public history. One of his primary interests is preparing for the Civil War Sesquicentennial.

Charles Wilkinson, Professor, University of Colorado, on Siletz Tribal HistoryApril 21, 2009 Portland, April 22, 2009 SalemProfessor Wilkinson has received teaching awards from his students at all three law schools where he has taught, and the Universities of Colorado and Oregon have given him their highest awards for leadership, scholarship, and teaching. The National Wildlife Federation presented him with its National Conservation Award, and in its 10-year anniversary issue, Outside magazine named him one of fifteen “People to Watch,” calling him “the West’s leading authority on natural resources law.”

David McCullough on George WashingtonMay 12, 2009David McCullough has been widely acclaimed as a master of the art of narrative history. He is twice winner of the National Book Award, twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Mr. McCullough has written several books, including John Adams, 1776, and Truman. His work has sold nine million copies in ten languages. Mr. McCullough is also a skilled lecturer, having spoken at the White House, before a joint session of Congress, and abroad.

Individual or series tickets can be purchased online at www.ohs.org, by phone at 503.224.4400, or in person at any Ticketmaster outlet or the following locations: Oregon Historical Society, 1200 SW Park Avenue, Portland, OR 97205 Portland Center for Performing Arts, 1111 SW Broadway Avenue, Portland, OR 97205

Join Us For the 2009 Sesquicentennial Series Of The Mark O. Hatfield Distinguished Historians Forum

Statehood Weekend at OHS

On Saturday and Sunday, February 14th and 15th, OHS will be hosting a birthday party for the state of Oregon. This sesquicentennial celebration will feature a showing of OPB’s the Oregon Experience, presentations from Portland State University staff, guided exhibit tours, engaging activities for the kids, birthday cake, and more. Admission to the museum will be free all weekend. Bring friends and family to this celebration of Oregon’s history.

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OHS AnnouncementsNEEDS LISTThank you to those who donated camping equipment after our last request. We’re looking forward to displaying some of the items in our new permanent exhibit. We still need:

•GrandPiano—SteinwayBorDorcomparable7to9footgrand •PhotosorhomemoviesofcampingandrecreatinginOregon

•Distinctiveclothingfromthe1960s,1970s,or1980s

•Photosofpeopleattendingevents&festivalssuchastheOregonShakespeareFestival,thePendletonRound-Up, Baker City Miners’ Jubilee, etc. The event should be obvious from the photo.

MADISON ROOM REMODELOHS is pleased to announce that the newly renovated Madison Room is once again open to the public. With the generous help of the Benjamin Shapell Family Manuscript Foundation, the space has been transformed into an effective meeting and gathering area and will feature manuscripts and other items from both organizations’ collections.

The renovated Madison Room and other spaces at the Oregon Historical Society are available for private events and meetings. To receive information about rentals or to arrange a site visit, please email our event coordinator, Bettina Calaba, at bettina.calaba@ohs.org or call 503.306.5281.

HISTORIC PHOTOS ONLINEPurchase historic photographs for your home, office, or publication. The Oregon Historical Society now offers a new way to access and purchase photographs from our extensive collection. Our new site allows users to browse and order high-quality digital prints for personal use or publication. Choose from over 400 digital images of the beautiful Pacific Northwest landscape and rivers from some of the region’s most famous photographers, including Carleton E. Watkins, Fred H. and Oscar Kiser, and Benjamin Gifford.

1200 SW Park AvenuePortland, OR 97205

NONPROFIT ORG.US POSTAGE

PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 710

PAID

Special thanks to our current Corporate Heritage Council Members and 2009 Exhibit Sponsors.

Bank of OswegoBecker Capital Management

City Center ParkingFood in Bloom

Ford Family FoundationGiustina Land & Timber Co.

Heathman HotelHoffman CorporationJackson Foundation

James F. and Marion L. Miller FoundationMichael Curry DesignMilne Real Properties

National Endowment for the ArtsNorthwest Natural

The ODS Companies

Opus Northwest LLCOregon State Library - LSTA

PCC Structurals, Inc.Pendleton Woolen Mills

Portland General ElectricR. H. Parker/United FoundationSamuel S. Johnson Foundation

Schnitzer Investment Corp.Spirit Mountain Community Fund

Starker Forests, Inc.Stoel Rives

The StandardTonkon Torp LLP

Union Pacific FoundationWildhorse Foundation