PODCAST · history
Salem History Moment
by Kimberli Fitzgerald
Weekly Episodes featuring interesting history about Salem, Oregon. Airs weekly on KMUZ radio in Salem. Sponsored by the Salem Historic Landmarks Commission.
Episodes
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National Historic Preservation Act at 60
60 years ago this month, Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act. On October 15, 1966, the NHPA was signed into law, establishing a framework for protecting the historic and cultural resources that tell our nation’s story. The efforts behind the adoption of the National Historic...
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Oregon State Fair
The first fair for the Oregon Agricultural Society was held at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds, near Oregon City on the 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th days of October in 1861. The Weekly Oregon reported on June 28, 1862 that the Board of Managers for the Oregon State Agricultural Society, meeting in Salem…
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Englewood Park
The HLC is currently finalizing a nomination for Englewood Park as a local Historic Landmark for its significance to our community. Englewood Park was originally part of a property platted in 1889, by the Salem Land Company. The property was originally owned by Thomas B. Kay- owner of the Thomas...
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The Great Fire of 1845
While looking into the history of wildfires in Oregon, I came across something called the “100 Fires Project” – created by the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. They have put together a historical timeline of 100 fires – telling the history of wildfire in the United States, and how these fires...
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Salem's Fallout Shelters
During the Cold War in the mid-twentieth century the federal government established the Federal Civil Defense Administration – through their Marion County arm –established an emergency management plan in 1958—the “Marion County Civil Defense Operations Plan”. Prior to that they encouraged people…
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Historic Preservation Month 2026
May is Historic Preservation month and Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month! This year Preservation Month takes on a new meaning. As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we’re looking to the places that bring its most powerful promise to…
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McMinnville's UFO Festival
May is when the annual "UFO Festival" in McMinnville is celebrated. This is the second-largest UFO festival in the nation after the one held in Roswell, New Mexico. The McMinnville UFO festival began in 1999 – and was a way to honor the 1950 sighting where two local citizens witness and...
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Oregon Trail Coin
America 250 (or the U.S. Semiquincentennial) commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, celebrated on July 4, 2026. It is a nationwide initiative to honor 250 years of American history. 100 years ago in 1926, the country was celebrating the...
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The Liberty Bell visits Salem, Oregon
In the summer of 1915 the Liberty Bell was brought to the west coast for the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco and as it made its way there it stopped here in Salem. Thousands of people came to see the Liberty Bell in Salem that day. Schoolchildren were presented with a…
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Salem's Qing Ming Festival
In 2017, as part of an effort to better understand the history of some of Salem’s underrepresented communities, the City of Salem’s Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) decided to learn more about Salem’s Chinese community. We discovered that Salem did, in fact, have a Chinatown located in our...
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Oregon's First Woman Governor
March is Women’s History Month. Caralyn (Carrie) B. Shelton, was the Nation’s first female Governor, who served right here in Oregon in 1909. She stepped into this role after Governor Chamberlain resigned and before Governor Benson could be sworn in. This was three years before Oregon women even...
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Blossom Day
The Third Saturday of March is Cherry Blossom Day at the Capitol- and this year’s daylong celebration will be on Saturday March 21rst, which also happens to be the first day of Spring. Creation of a blossom day in Salem first began in 1920 and was established by Salem’s Commercial Club to promote...
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Women's History Month- Lord and Schryver
March is Women’s History Month. The National Women’s History Alliance selects and publishes the yearly theme, and this years is: “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future”. The Alliance explains in order to plan for a brighter future, its important for us to look for examples of…
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Enchanted Forest
Roger Tofte who designed and built the Enchanted Forest south of Salem, died last month on February 13 at the age of 96. From 1964-1971 he built up Storybook Lane during his free time from his job as a draftsman for the Oregon State Highway Department. Tofte quit his job in 1973 to operate...
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Black History Month
Black History month is celebrated throughout the month of February. Carter G. Woodson. In 1912, Woodson became the second African American to earn a PhD at Harvard University. In 1915, Dr. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now called the Association for the...
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President's Day
Presidents' Day, observed on the third Monday in February, originated as a federal holiday in 1885 to honor George Washington's birthday (Feb. 22). Moved to a Monday in 1971 by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create three-day weekends, the holiday expanded to honor both Washington and Abraham...
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History of Valentines Day
Residents of Salem have celebrated Valentines Day since settling here in the mid-1880s. The tradition of sending ornate cards as part of the Valentine’s Day celebration on February 14 began during the Victorian Era. During this time, it was common for people from all social classes to express...
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Cascadian Earthquakes
134 years ago this week, on February 3, 1892 Salem experienced an earthquake. The following day, the Oregon Statesman featured an article on the front page titled: “Salem’s Earthquake Shock”. People in what is now Oregon experienced Cascadian earthquakes and tsunamis long before European…
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Who Discovered the North Pole?
100 years ago this week, the front page of the Capital Journal had an article titled: “Cook insists on discovery of the North Pole”. The article describes a letter written by Frederick a. Cook (who wrote the letter from a federal prison Leavenworth where he was serving time for mail fraud) where…
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1885 Salem Train Wreck
The first week of the New Year on January 5th in 1885 there was a train wreck just south of the first Salem Train Depot as it was crossing the wooden bridge over south Mill Creek during a snow storm. While the steam engine made it over the bridge, the passenger coaches derailed and tipped on…
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Kwanzaa 2025
Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 to January 1rst and is an annual celebration of African American culture, and was created by activist Maulana Karenga in 1966, a Professor of black studies at California State University at Long Beach after the 1965 Watts riots in Los Angeles left many…
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Oregon Governor Patterson and Holiday House
Governor Isaac Patterson died on December 21 1929 right before the holidays. He was considered a popular and well-respected figure by rivals and supporters alike. After his sudden and unexpected death at his farm in Eola, he was laid in state at the Oregon Capitol Building on December 23rd with a...
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Salem's First Outdoor Christmas Tree
Salem’s first outdoor Christmas tree was set up on the lawn of the Marion County Courthouse in December 1913 and was reported to be the first outdoor tree in Oregon (and perhaps the nation) to be decorated with electric Christmas lights. This tree served as Salem’s Christmas tree for 38 more…
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The Ancient Highway
100 years ago today, on December 9, 1925- the front page of the Capitol Journal had an article advertising a new film called “The Ancient Highway” at the Oregon Theater, which was located in the Oregon Building on the sw corner of High and State. While the movie isn’t available, the book…
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Human Rights Day
International Human Rights Day is December 10th. Human Rights Day has been observed annually around the world since 1948, and originally began with a Declaration of Human Rights that was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10th 1948 that set out, for the first...
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The Turkey Trot
Historically the turkey trot was a popular dance that was done to fast ragtime music. Many people felt the dance was scandalous and it was banned in many places around the country. Today, Turkey Trots are more commonly walks or runs held around Thanksgiving. The first Turkey Trot Run was held in...
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Spotlight on West Salem
Few people realize that West Salem was an independent town for over 30 years. From its early development in the mid-19th century—when valley homesteaders grew wheat, hops, and fruits—to the founding of Fairview School in 1868, the opening of the Center Street Bridge across the Willamette River in...
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Veterans Day
Veterans Day was first known as Armistice Day and celebrated on November 11 to commemorate the end of World War I, which ended on t the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. In the United States, November 11th was celebrated to honor Veterans of World War I until June 1, 1954, when...
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Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage month. Native American Awareness Week began in 1976 and recognition was expanded by Congress in August 1, 1990, designating the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month. If you are interested in participating in events to Celebrate…
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Spotlight on Nell Sykes
Nell Sykes was a Salem schoolteacher, who lived at 1251 Center Street NE here in Salem during the 1920s. She was a teacher in Salem Public Schools - dietician who served the American Red Cross Commission to Siberia between 1918 and 1920. To see a photo of Nell in the Library of Congress prints…
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Celebrating 100 Years of Salem City Planning
October is National Community Planning month where we celebrate the role that planning plays in creating great communities. Our first planning commission was established in 1925 after a significant period of growth. Please join us as we celebrate Community Planning month, and the role that…
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Indigenous Peoples Day
The City of Salem has celebrated Indigenous People’s Day since 2021 to honor Native Americans and recognize significant indigenous people and their contributions to our community. Chemawa opened in Salem in 1885, and while it has a difficult history, this school currently focuses on fostering...
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Spotlight on Salem Human Rights
This weeks Salem History Moment highlights the work the City has completed this year on Human Rights in Salem, including a historic research report about how Salem’s policies have impacted underserved communities since 1857. We also share the results of Salem’s Human Rights Commission’s annual...
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Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15th is the start of National Hispanic Heritage month. This week in September was consciously chosen to coincide with Independence Day celebrations in several Latin American Countries. Here in Salem,O regon’s Latino Leadership Network, celebrated the 16th anniversary of the annual...
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Salem's Capital Pride in the Park
Salem’s 47th Annual Capital Pride in the Park Festival will be held on September 20th, to celebrate the LGBTQIA2S community in Salem. In the past few years, the Grand Ronde Museum has held several art exhibits honoring queer indigenous history including an exhibit about Shimkhin, a Two Spirit...
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Salem's Art Fair
The first Salem Art Fair sponsored by the Salem Art Association was celebrated in 1949. The first Art Fairs in Salem were celebrated at Willson Park, near the Capitol Building before they were held at Bush’s Pasture Park. However, before SAA’s Art Fair there was an annual Salem Art Fair held in...
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Back to School
This week many children, college students and teachers are heading back to school. In Salem in the 19th century the first schoolhouse was a log cabin, and the school year was shorter than it is now, and only for elementary school. By the turn of the century, Salem had grown to have five schools,...
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Spotlight on Oregon's State Fair
The first fair for the Oregon Agricultural Society was held at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds, near Oregon City on the 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th days of October in 1861. The Weekly Oregon reported on June 28, 1862 that the Board of Managers for the Oregon State Agricultural Society, meeting in Salem…
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Spotlight on Englewood Park
Englewood was the first Park to be purchased by the City in 1926 and how this came about was a bit of a controversial story. Regardless of this controversy, Salem’s first park had been acquired and in 1936 the first Parks Committee was established by the Council. Elisabeth Lord, of Lord and...
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Spotlight on Prohibition in Oregon
100 years ago this week, on July 29, 1925, the first man from Marion County entered prison for violating prohibition laws. He was the first to be sentenced to the Oregon state prison. Amy Platt wrote “The Moon Shines on the Moonshine” An Oregon Bootlegging Story for the Oregon Historical Society…
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Spotlight on Coast Guard SPARS
During World War II there was also a Women’s reserve of the US Coast Guard during World War II called SPARS – this was an acronym derived from the Coast Guard’s motto “Semper Paratus” – meaning always ready. SPARs was established in 1942 along with the Army WAC and the Navy WAVES. To learn more...
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Spotlight on Guide Dogs for the Blind
Guide Dogs for the Blind is the Largest guide dog school in North America. Since their founding in 1942, they have raised and trained over 16,000 Guide dogs. Their services are provided free of charge to their Blind clients, including personalized training and ongoing support. Their work improves...
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Spotlight on Oregon's UFO Festival
May is when the annual "UFO Festival" in McMinnville is celebrated. This is the second-largest UFO festival in the nation after the one held in Roswell, New Mexico. The McMinnville UFO festival began in 1999 – and was a way to honor the 1950 sighting where two local citizens witness and...
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Spotlight on Salem's Lord & Schryver Conservancy
April is World Landscape Architecture Month (WLAM). Elizabeth Lord and Edith Schryver practiced landscape architecture together in Salem, Oregon, from 1929 to the 1969. Their firm was the first office of professional women landscape architects on the West Coast. In Salem, the Lord and Schryver...
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Spotlight on Salem's Chinese History: Helen Ng Mun Tayne
On April 5th we celebrated our 7th annual Qing Ming Festival. Qing Ming is an annual celebration where we honor the Chinese who have lived and worked in our community. This year Salem’s Mayor, Julie Hoy read the Qing Ming Proclamation and swept the Chinese community funerary table at Pioneer’s...
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Salem's Chinatown
Salem had a Chinatown downtown from the late 19th Century through the early 20th Century. Salem's Chinese contributed significantly to Salem's community and culture during this period, with George Lai Sun serving as a key leader in this community. While Salem's Chinatown is no longer extant...
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Willamette University's First Teacher: Chloe Clarke Willson
March is Women’s History Month. 2025’s theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.” Chloe Aurelia Clark was a Methodist Missionary who initially came to Oregon in 1840 and served as a Missionary teacher in Nisqually, Oregon City and Salem. Chloe reflects the...
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The Nation's First Woman Governor
Show notes: March is Women’s History Month. 2025’s theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.” Caralyn (Carrie) B. Shelton, was the Nation’s first female Governor, who served right here in Oregon in 1909. She stepped into this role after Governor Chamberlain...
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Women's History Month
March is Women’s History Month. 2025’s theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.” Nell Sykes was a Salem schoolteacher, who lived at 1251 Center Street NE here in Salem during the 1920s. She was a teacher in Salem Public Schools - dietician who served the…
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UFO Sighting
In the Spring of 1964 an 11 year old boy named Charles from Salem Oregon sent a hand written letter to Cape Kennedy in Florida. The Chief of the Aerial Phenomena Branch at the Airforce wrote back to Charles in October of that year, and the sighting became part of the thousands of reports…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Weekly Episodes featuring interesting history about Salem, Oregon. Airs weekly on KMUZ radio in Salem. Sponsored by the Salem Historic Landmarks Commission.
HOSTED BY
Kimberli Fitzgerald
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Salem History Moment have?
Salem History Moment currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Salem History Moment about?
Weekly Episodes featuring interesting history about Salem, Oregon. Airs weekly on KMUZ radio in Salem. Sponsored by the Salem Historic Landmarks Commission.
How often does Salem History Moment release new episodes?
Salem History Moment has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Salem History Moment?
You can listen to Salem History Moment on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Salem History Moment?
Salem History Moment is created and hosted by Kimberli Fitzgerald.
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