Salem History Moment

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 photographed a UFO. The photos were printed in Life magazine by Paul and Evelyn Trent at their farm outside of McMinnville. On June 8, 1950, Powell's story of the incident—accompanied by the two photos—was published as a front-page story in the McMinnville Telephone-Register. The headline read: "At Long Last—Authentic Photographs Of Flying Saucer." This year they are celebrating their 26th Festival. To learn more about this event please visit: ufofest.com. In 1974, the National UFO reporting center was established in Davenport Washington. This is a non-governmental, non profit organization registered in Washington State. Additional sightings continued to be reported – such as the sighting of a UFO over East Salem reported in January 1979 as reported by multiple residents to the Capitol Journal, who said they saw a round glowing object with red flashing lights, hovering in the sky. If you want to learn more about the National UFO reporting center please visit: https://nuforc.org/

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 sesquicentennial and Congress authorized the minting of the Oregon Trail half dollar coin, to help fund the installation of markers along the Oregon Trail. Prior to the request by the Oregon Trail Memorial Association in 1926 there was a lot of public interest in the history of the Oregon trail – For example. in 1923 Paramount Pictures released the silent film “The Covered Wagon” about two caravans of emigrants traveling the Oregon Trail in 1848. You can watch the full silent movie on YouTube. To celebrate the Nation's Semiquincentennial (SemiQ) this year, the United States Mint is proud to unveil one-year-only changes to well-known American coinage, such as the circulating dime, quarter, and half dollar. You can find out more at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-programs/semiquincentennial/

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 small silk flag to keep. The Cherrian Band gave a concert in Marion Square Park The train arrived at Salem’s Oregon Electric freight depot at 2:00pm, which was located on Front Street, near where the Marion Street Bridge is today. To ensure its long time preservation, and it was transferred to the keeping of the National Park Service after World War II. In 1976 it was moved from Independence Hall to a newly constructed glass pavilion, and then to a larger Liberty Bell Center at Independence Hall National Historical Park in 1976. To learn more about the history of the Liberty Bell, and in particular more about how the Liberty Bell helped the Treasury Departments war bond drive in 1917, please visit smithsonianmag.com and search for “How the Liberty Bell won the Great War.”

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 downtown, but unfortunately no buildings remain. Archaeological excavations were conducted in 2017 and 2018 revealed a flat cement slab with three holes with a partial raised section along one edge and a marble tablet with a Chinese inscription. The inscription on the Shrine’s marble tablet has been translated to mean “To the Tomb of an Unknown Friend.” To learn more about this project please see our 2022 OHQ article. We believe the Shrine was constructed as a funerary table in order to provide the Chinese a place to leave offerings for their family members during their annual Qing Ming Festival, held every year in April. This celebration is similar to our Memorial Day that we celebrate in May. We worked with Salem’s Chinese community to reinstate our celebration of the Qing Ming Festival at the cemetery using the same funerary table they used in the 1800s. If you are interested in joining us this year, we will be celebrating The eighth annual Qing Ming Festival at Salem’s Pioneer Cemetery will be held on April 4, 2026 at 11:00. Please visit our website at cityofsalem.net to learn more.

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 had the right to vote! It took another 11 years for women nationwide to finally earn the same right with the ratification of the 19th Amendment.In response to being asked by the Capitol Journal on February 27, 1909 about how she felt about taking on the job - she was quoted in the saying: “I want to fill the governor’s shoes, and he really has a small foot, [but]I fear the principal trouble will be in trying to fill his hat.”To learn more and to see a photograph of Carolyn, please visit The Willamette Heritage Centers digital exhibit documenting her life.*This episode is a rebroadcast- originally aired in March 2025.

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 the success of Salem’s local fruit growing industry. In 2015 the first Cherry Blossom Day hosted by the Capitol Foundation was celebrated at the Capitol Mall on March 28, with a photo contest, arts and crafts, and a fashion show in partnership with Tokyo International University. The partnership in 2015 was with Tokyo International University (TIU), which is Willamette University's sister university in Japan. TIU was originally located in Kawagoe, Japan (Salem's Sister City). Starting in 2017, Cherry Blossom Day has been celebrated in Salem at the Capitol on the 3rd Saturday in March. On Saturday, March 21rst At the Capitol building, in the Rotunda there will be musical and dance performances and you can even enjoy a Japanese Tea Ceremony. To learn more, please visit: oregoncapitol.com/event/cherry-blossom-day-at-the-capitol/

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 women in our communities where women’s leadership was central to empowering people to connect to the landscape and their environment and learn from what they did and how they did it. Here in Salem, there were two such women, Elisabeth Lord and Edith Schryver who operated their Salem landscape design firm from 1929-1969. To learn more please visit lordschryver.org

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 Enchanted Forest full time with his family. They added rides and other improvements from 1973-20017. The Tofte family will continue to carry on Roger’s dream for Enchanted Forest. The Park opens on March 21, 2026 for the season. For more information please visit: enchantedforest.com

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 Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Under Woodson’s leadership, the Association created research and publication outlets for black scholars with the establishment of the Journal of Negro History (1916) and the Negro History Bulletin (1937). In 1926, Dr. Woodson initiated the celebration of Negro History Week, which corresponded with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, this celebration was expanded to include the entire month of February. To learn more about ASALH and Dr. Woodson’s legacy visit: https://asalh.org/about-us/our-history/

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 Lincoln ( whose birthday is on February 12).

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 feelings of friendship and love through the exchange of notes, small gifts, or hand-written verse. Elaborate postcards, and later folding cards, were hand-crafted at home or in small factories. These were often adorned with lace and ribbon, colored illustrations, and embossed borders. But that is only part of the story of the valentine. As the market for sentimental cards expanded, another variety of valentine grew popular. Known as the “comic valentine,” or “penny dreadful,” this card was intended to make its recipient mad. To learn about the history of Comic Valentines please visit: https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/comic-valentines

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 Americans settled in this area. In 1987- U.S. Geological Survey geologist Brian Atwater found the first on-the-ground evidence for a subduction zone quake in southern Washington. Based research and testing, magnitude of the quake at 9.0 and determined that the date and time of the event was nine o’clock on the evening of January 26, 1700. We are continuing to compile the scientific and archaeological evidence of the effects of these catastrophic events to better understand our history and prepare for the future. There are also compelling indigenous oral traditions and stories about significant earthquake and tsunami events in Oregon that speak to this resilience. Jason Younker, a member of the Coquille Indian Tribe has shared his story was published as part of the Summer 2007 Oregon Historical Quarterly Special Edition—Great Cascadia Earthquakes and Tsunamis.

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 he challenged the claim that Admiral R. E. Peary had reached it first. Cook wrote that Peary did not actually reach the pole, and that his logbooks documented that his location was actually far away from the actual North Pole. Dr. Cook stated that future explorations would demonstrate that his claim is accurate. In 1988, when a re-examination of his records commissioned by the National Geographic Society, a major sponsor of Perry’s expeditions, concluded that Peary's evidence never proved his claim and suggested that he knew he might have fallen short. If you want to learn more, in addition the books published by Cook and Peary- The Library of Congress has the Frederick Albert Cook Papers If you want to see a silent film created in 1912 by Frederick Cook – you can find it on YouTube- if you search for “The Truth About the North Pole”. Peary’s original papers, including his 1909 expedition diary are held at the National Archives in Washington DC.

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 their side. There is still evidence today of our connection to the steam engine. In 2016, ODOT found evidence of the foundation for the water tower- which provided water to run these engines.To see photos of the Salem 1885 steam engine derailment please visit Salem’s Oregon Historic Photo Collection site here.

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 people dead and injured. Professor Karenga looked for a way to unite the black community and reinforce family and community values found in the African culture. This year For Kwanzaa 2025 (Dec 26, 2025 - Jan 1, 2026), the overarching theme, set by founder Dr. Maulana Karenga, is "Practicing the Seven Principles in Dimly-Lit Times: Lifting Up the Light, Hurrying the Dawn," . If you want to hear a speaker -the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture is offering a free virtual event online on Sunday December 28th, the third day of Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa’s third day celebrates Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), the practice of lifting one another through shared work and shared purpose. This year, Brooklyn Ethical welcomes Dr. Myrah Brown Green, a renowned scholar, artist, and cultural preservationist, to guide us through the deeper meaning of this principle. Her insights into African diasporic traditions invite us to reflect on how Ujima shows up in our families, communities, and collective history. To register go to https://bsec.org/events/kwanzaa-2025/ I hope you have a Happy and Peaceful New Year.

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 funeral service held in the House Chamber. The casket was taken down the front of the Capitol steps. Patterson’s widow sold their farmhouse in Eola soon after her husbands death to Agnes Schucking and her husband. Agnes had become famous as Salem’s first cherry queen in 1903. In 1938 Agnes opened a store on the farm property that featured flowers and fruit grown on the farm- which soon became Eola Acres Florist. The Christmas season was important to Agnes. She sold wreaths made of Scotch broom with snowberries and used 11 different kinds of native greens with juniper berries and tiny hemlock cones. In 1950 Agnes chose to open their home to share their Christmas decorations… and this soon became a beloved annual holiday tradition from Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. In 1960 their Holiday House was featured in the Christmas issue of the national publication-the Florists Telegraph Daily news magazine. To learn more about the history of Holiday House and Governor Patterson, please visit willametteheritage.org

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 years after that initial lighting, and by 1951 it was 72 feet tall. On August 18, 1952 the 70 year old tree was pulled over by a bulldozer and was burned along with three other evergreen trees from this block. Even though the original tree is gone, Salem continues to use a living tree to celebrate the holidays.

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 published in 1925 written by James Oliver Curwood is. The novel is set in the years following the First World War, and describes the adventures of Clifton Brant, a young war veteran, and his adventures in the vast northern forests of Quebec. This book is in the public domain – you can find it for free – at your local library or for purchase anywhere you normally get your books. A book review in the Capital Journal in July 1925 by Mark Royle stated: “The Ancient Highway is about as good a road as any imaginable for a holiday excursion. James Oliver Curwood leads you out of the turmoil and fret of modern America and into a different world and bracing adventure in French Canada.

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 time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected. This declaration stated the rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. It is available in 577 languages, from Abkhaz to Zulu, making the UDHR the most translated document in the world. To read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights please visit un.org and search for Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On December 2, 2002, 23 years ago today, Governor John Kitzhaber issued an apology for Oregon's forced sterilization of institutionalized patients and Proclaimed December 10th Human Rights Day in Oregon. This year, in 2025, our community is again struggling to come to terms with how to best support those people and families who are suffering because their basic rights are not being respected and honored. In Salem, Senator Deb Patterson will be hosting the 34th annual “Salem Speaks Up” to honor International Human Rights Day. This is an open mic event, and intended to offer people an opportunity to share, and discuss how best to understand, care and do more to bring everyone together in a community of Peace. The event will be held on December 10th from 7-9pm at the Westminster Presbyterian Church at 3737 Liberty Road S.

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 Salem in 2002, and the Salem Parks Department held their annual turkey trot on Saturday November 22, 2025. On Thanksgiving Day, Salem’s Run’ucopia will be holding a walk and run starting at Riverfront Park.

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 1886, the rail line in 1909, and a city charter in 1913 to the surrender of that charter to Salem in 1949, the West Salem area forged its own unique identity. Today, West Salem is a thriving community full of cherished memories alongside physical reminders of its independence, such as the Art Deco–style city hall and jailhouse. To learn more you can check out the West Salem Images of America book by Lynn Mack, Deb Meaghers and Kimberli Fitzgerald published in 2011 by Arcadia Publishing about the history of West Salem, which includes some great historic photos.

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 November 11th became a day to honor American Veterans of all wars.The Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs is hosting the Statewide Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, in front of the Oregon State Capitol on Court Street NE in Salem. This event will feature remarks by dignitaries and special guests along with ceremonial elements including a color guard, singing of the national anthem, a wreath laying and the playing of “Taps.” For more information please visit: https://www.oregon.gov/odva/

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 indigenous heritage this month – there will be restoration Pow-wows for both the Siletz and Grand Ronde – The Siletz are celebrating their 48th annual restoration pow wow and the Grand Ronde are celebrating their 42nd. For more information on these pow wows, please visit each of the respective tribal websites – ctsi.nsn.us and grandronde.orgOur Historic Landmarks Commission and historic preservation staff have completed research into the early residents of Salem who have documented their experiences and relationships with the indigenous people who had been living in the Willamette Valley since time immemorial. One of these people we’ve researched is Lewis Judson whose recollections of the early history of Salem can be found in of the 1955 Marion County History Volume 1, published by the Marion County Historical Society in their article: “Remembrances of Lewis Judson…”compiled by George G. Strozut, Jr. . Judson recalls the numerous deaths at Chemawa Indian School before the turn of the century (usually caused by tuberculosis). The OPB Documentary “Uncovering Boarding Schools: Stories of Resistance and Resilience” follows the journey of Klamath Tribes member Gabriann “Abby” Hall as she uncovers the hidden stories of her family’s experiences in Native American boarding schools in Oregon, stretching from the first generation forced onto a reservation to the present era. To learn more about Boarding schools in Oregon you can view the OPB documentary available on the PBS App, the PBS website, or on OPB TV.

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 and photographs online catalog from April 10, 1920, please visit their American National Red Cross photograph collection. If you want to learn more about the work of the American Red Cross in Russia during their Civil War, please take a look at Julia Irwin’s article titled “The Great White Train” in Science Direct’s Endeavour journal, Volume 36 no. 3.

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 planning plays in creating great communities at Salem’s 4th Annual Planner Palooza on October 15, at 4:30 p.m. at Fork Forty Food Hall at 440 State Street. Meet your city planners, learn about planning and win prizes.To learn more about how Salem planning and policies have impacted underserved communities please see our Historic Research report .

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 student achievement while honoring tribal cultural identity. Historically, Chemawa Indian School’s Athletic program was very successful, with teams like their Baseball Team successfully competing throughout Oregon and Washington. These teams had many skilled Indigenous athletes such as Reuben Sanders, who was inducted into Oregon’s American Indian Hall of Fame in 1999.To learn more and to see a drawing of Reuben please visit: https://www.aiahof.com/reubensanders.phpTo learn more about Chemewa’s Athletic programs and see David Lewis’s article about Reuben Sanders please visit Oregon Encylopedia.comhttps://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/sanders_reuben_c/

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 Community Belonging Survey, Salem Police Department’s new use of force policies as well as the results of this year’s Freedom Forum’s annual State of Free Speech survey.For more information:To find our Historic Research report on underserved communities please visit City of Salem.net and you’ll find it on the Equity Roundtable page.The 2025 Human Rights Commission Community Belonging survey is here.You can find the City of Salem Police policies here.The Freedom Forum’s 2025 State of Free Speech survey is here.

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 Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast & Summit at the Salem Convention Center on September 15.The Urban Art Fest was held on September 21rst at Riverfront Park hosted by Latinos Unidos Siempre (LUS) – they had graffiti artists at work, live music, and they dedicated the People’s Art festival to our immigrant community. Our City Council issued a proclamation on September 22nd for Hispanic Heritage Month. Stelo is presenting an exhibition about the cultural practice of charrería a Mexican equestrian tradition- similar to our rodeo – the exhibit features immersive murals and photography. This exhibit runs through October 11th. To learn more please visit: https://www.steloarts.org/stelo-events/charreria

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 healer who lived in the 19th Century. Two Spirit is a term used by some Native American communities to describe individuals who possess both male and female spirits. These individuals have been revered and respected in many Native American cultures for their unique gifts and abilities. Salem’s Capital Pride in the Park festival will be held at Riverfront Park on September 20th from 11:00am to 6:00pm. If you want to learn more about Salem’s event in September please visit: https://salemcapitalpride.org/pride/

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 November from the late 1930s through the early 1940s. These were held at the Salem community Art Center and this Art Center was funded by the federal government through the Federal Art Project which was a New Deal program established in 1935 which funded the visual Arts in the United States. It was one of five projects sponsored by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and was the largest of the New Deal Art projects. The 76th annual Salem Art Fair’s opening night is on September 11th at Bush’s Pasture Park and the Fair will be running from September 12th-14th. For tickets and more information please visit salemartfair.org

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, but they were all of wood, and susceptible to fire. By 1909, the Salem community voted to fund the construction of its first brick school, Garfield school, in order to reduce the risk of fire. While Salem had passed school levy to set aside taxpayer funds to pay for schools, in rural areas across Oregon in the early part of the 20th century one room school houses were still common. The Criterion Schoolhouse (now here in Salem) is an example of this type of school in our community. If you’d like to learn more, please visit https://oregonstatefair.org/attractions/criterion-school/

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 on June 16, 1862, decided to hold the second State Fair at the Fairgrounds of the Marion County Society on the first Wednesday in October for four days. The location near Oregon City was problematic, due to its proximity to the river and flooding. The Weekly Oregon reported on September 20, 1862 that the issue of selecting a permanent location for the State Agricultural Fair was considered at the regular biennial session of the Society at their September 17-18th meeting in 1862, and the Marion County Society Fairgrounds was selected as the permanent location for the Oregon State Fair, where it has been held ever since. There are three designated historic buildings on the Fairgrounds including the Criterion Schoolhouse, the Horse Stadium and the Poultry Building. This year’s fair will be the 163rd year it has been held in Salem and it will run through September 1rst. For more information please visit: oregonstatefair.org

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 Schryver, was one of three members who were appointed to manage Salem’s first 8 parks. Englewood Park Forest Festival is coming up soon, on August 9, 2025, which started in 2017! To learn more about how the Englewood Park Forest Festival came about you can visit kmuz.org and listen to a Willamette Wake up Interview recorded on August 10 2017 with Laurie Loomis Dietz and Ruth Roberts, Lord and Schryver Conservancy. This year’s annual festival will be held on August 9, 2025 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. To learn more, please visit englewoodforestfestival.org.

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 in 2020 and she shares a story about a bootlegging adventure on the Oregon coast in 1932 which went awry and resulted in a prison break. To read more about this caper in 1932 as well as many others you can find their story (including mug shots) on the Oregon Secretary of State’s website called Booze and the Big House.

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 about the history of the SPARS, please visit the United States Coast Guard webpage and search for the article by Robin Thomson about SPARS. Marilyn Johnston, a retired City of Salem Employee, has created a documentary – about her mother Theresa Davis which not only gives some historical insights about the antisemitic discriminatory policies of the time, but she shares her experiences as part of the first twelve recruits including her personal account of their trip to their assigned station in the Midwest. To view the documentary produced by Marilyn Johnston, please visit YouTube and search for her video- My Mother Was a Coast Guard SPAR.

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 mobility for their clients, empowering people of all ages who are blind or visually impaired to make their way in the world. If you want to learn more about Guide Dogs for the Blind, please visit guidedogs.comTo read more about the story of Guide Dog Roselle and her owner Michael on September 11, 2001 read Thunder Dog: A Blind Man, His Guide Dog and Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero.Salem’s Doggie Dash will be held at Salem Riverfront Park on Saturday July 12, 2025. For more information please visit: https://secure.oregonhumane.org/doggiedash/Static/salem

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 photographed a UFO. The photos were printed in Life magazine by Paul and Evelyn Trent at their farm outside of McMinnville. On June 8, 1950, Powell's story of the incident—accompanied by the two photos—was published as a front-page story in the McMinnville Telephone-Register. The headline read: "At Long Last—Authentic Photographs Of Flying Saucer. This year they celebrated their 25th Festival. To learn more about this event please visit: ufofest.com. In 1974, the National UFO reporting center was established in Davenport Washington. This is a non-governmental, non profit organization registered in Washington State. Additional sightings continued to be reported – such as the sighting of a UFO over East Salem reported in January 1979 as reported by multiple residents to the Capitol Journal, who said they saw a round glowing object with red flashing lights, hovering in the sky. If you want to learn more about the National UFO reporting center please visit: https://nuforc.org/

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 Conservancy works to ensure the home gardens designed by Elisabeth Lord and Edith Schryver are maintained.To learn more:Read the Book: “Northwest Gardens of Lord and Schryver”Visit Lord and Schryver Conservancy: lordschryver.orgNew in 2025: Drop by and enjoy Gaiety Hollow Garden at on Wednesdays 10-4 (May thru September).Watch the Video “Women of Mission”. This video explores the lives of four of Salem's most interesting women: Elizabeth Lord, Edith Schryver, Sally Bush, and Alice Brown. Salem's garden and parks wouldn't be the same without the influence of these important women.

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 Cemetery – and also shared her connection of a relative of hers, to Helen Ng Mun Tayne, who was born here in Salem. Helen’s father had come to Salem from China in 1879, and he became a hop grower. Helen Ng Mun Tayne was born on a hop ranch not too far away from Salem’s Pioneer Cemetery on 28 April 1906. Helen served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAC) throughout WWII. After the war, Helen continued to serve and she officially retired from the U.S. Army in 1964 as a Chief Warrant Officer 3, after more than 20 years of service. After Helen’s death in 1967 she was buried in Salem’s Pioneer cemetery near her family. Helen’s grave marker is one of four matching family stones that stand in a neat row not too far from the Chinese funerary table. To learn more about her life, and to see a picture please visit: https://www.willametteheritage.org/commemorating-the-life-of-cw3-helen-ng-mun-tayne/

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 downtown, we still have evidence of their culture and tradition, which can still be found within Salem’s Pioneer Cemetery where we continue celebrating the Qing Ming Festival. To learn more please see the OHQ Article Searching for Salem’s Early Chinese Community as well as Russell Lowe’s book A Willow Tree Becomes a Forest.

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 intelligence, strength and resiliency of a woman from this period. Chloe was born in Connecticut, and educated at the Wilbraham Academy, the seminary that trained a number of the Oregon missionaries including Jason Lee. Chloe married William Willson and she came to Salem in 1844 where she became Oregon Institute’s first teacher. This school later became Willamette University. Chloe later became Governess of the Ladies Department at Willamette University. She lived in a large house near campus, and female students boarded with her. In 1880, her former house was moved two blocks to the university and housed the Willamette Women’s College, later named Lausanne Hall.To read Chloe’s original diary visit Willamette University’s digital collections. To see a picture of Chloe and learn more, please visit The Willamette Heritage Centers digital exhibit documenting her life.

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 resigned and before Governor Benson could be sworn in. This was three years before Oregon women even had the right to vote! It took another 11 years for women nationwide to finally earn the same right with the ratification of the 19th Amendment.In response to being asked by the Capitol Journal on February 27, 1909 about how she felt about taking on the job - she was quoted in the saying: “I want to fill the governor’s shoes, and he really has a small foot, [but]I fear the principal trouble will be in trying to fill his hat.”To learn more and to see a photograph of Carolyn, please visit The Willamette Heritage Centers digital exhibit documenting her life.

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 American Red Cross Commission to Siberia between 1918 and 1920. To see a photo of Nell in the Library of Congress prints and photographs online catalog from April 10, 1920, please visit their American National Red Cross photograph collection.If you want to learn more about the work of the American Red Cross in Russia during their Civil War, please take a look at Julia Irwin’s article titled “The Great White Train” in Science Direct’s Endeavour journal, Volume 36 no. 3.

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 collected by the Air Force as part of Project Blue Book, which was the code name for the systematic study of unidentified flying objects by the US Air Force between March 1952 and December 1969. To learn more, visit vault.fbi.gov and search for Project Blue Book.