Oregon Historical Society

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Oregon Historical Society The Oregon Historical Society preserves our state's history and makes it accessible to everyone in wa

The Oregon Historical Society is dedicated to making Oregon’s long, rich history visible and accessible to all. For more than a century, we have served as the state’s collective memory, gathering and preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, films, manuscripts, books, and oral histories. Researchers from around the world travel to our library, unearthing information that challenges conventional thinking. Curious individuals come to us to explore their family trees or discover the history of their homes or neighborhoods. Archaeologists, environmentalists, filmmakers, architects, novelists, artists, and others all find their way to us, asking questions, making discoveries, creating knowledge. We share our vast collection through thought-provoking museum exhibits and robust digital platforms. We bring history directly to Oregon’s students in ways that bridge gaps of time and perspective, and we support lifelong learning through our many public lectures and events. We advance critical inquiry through the Oregon Historical Quarterly, a journal that has sparked conversations throughout our community for over a century.

On October 20, 1967, Roger Patterson filmed a creature in Northern California, creating footage that sparked decades of ...
10/14/2026

On October 20, 1967, Roger Patterson filmed a creature in Northern California, creating footage that sparked decades of debate. A newly discovered 16mm film is set to change perceptions.

Join OHS tonight at the PAM Whitsell Auditorium for a special pre-release screening of the documentary "Capturing Bigfoot," which revisits the Sasquatch story using the newly found footage, interviews, and explores the impact of the original 1967 film on relationships and beliefs.

The event will include a panel discussion with director Marq Evans, producer Tamir Ardon, and Roger’s son Clint Patterson, moderated by OHS Boyle Family Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk.

Limited tickets are available and will be sold in advance online only!

https://www.ohs.org/events/capturing-bigfoot.cfm

The history of the State of Oregon is short; the history of people in this place is much longer. Indigenous peoples have...
10/13/2026

The history of the State of Oregon is short; the history of people in this place is much longer. Indigenous peoples have lived in the place we now call Oregon since time immemorial, and their histories, cultures, and connections to the land are essential to understanding our state’s past and present.

Explore Native American Tribes in Oregon, a digital resource from The Oregon Encyclopedia featuring histories of Oregon’s tribal nations, an introduction to treaties and reservations, expert-written articles, historical maps, recorded public programs, and primary source materials for students and teachers.

https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/native-american-tribes-oregon-resource-page/

09/28/2026

Through portraits, personal narratives, objects, illustrated posters, and a large-scale mural installation, DREAMs Deferred brings together multiple perspectives on migration and displacement.

On view through February 21
Curated by The Immigrant Story

Now open, DREAMs Deferred is the fourth exhibition OHS has hosted in partnership with The Immigrant Story, a nonprofit d...
09/25/2026

Now open, DREAMs Deferred is the fourth exhibition OHS has hosted in partnership with The Immigrant Story, a nonprofit dedicated to documenting, narrating, and curating immigrant stories.

This powerful exhibition combines portraits, personal narratives, and a large-scale mural to explore the many experiences of migration and displacement and invites us to consider the human consequences of immigration policies through the lived experiences of individuals and communities.

https://www.ohs.org/museum/exhibits/dreams-deferred.cfm

Want to name our rad new yellow cradle cart? Crafted in a cheery bright yellow, this cart helps our archivists transport...
09/25/2026

Want to name our rad new yellow cradle cart?

Crafted in a cheery bright yellow, this cart helps our archivists transport oversize archival materials including our architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, and design collections. A cart this cool needs a name, and we are taking votes through tomorrow!

Cast your vote: https://airtable.com/appGyXSJ2EFbDzZ8M/shr228sKLmu656c8w

Learn more about the cart on our blog: https://www.ohs.org/blog/a-new-ride-for-the-architecture-collections.cfm

09/22/2026

Our 2027 Hatfield Lecture Series kicks off TONIGHT with Jon Meacham! Tickets are still available at the Portland'5 ASCH Box Office!

See you in downtown Portland at 7pm — or via livestream!

Saddle Up! Pendleton Round-Up season is here, and we have a piece of rodeo history to share with you from the archives. ...
09/17/2026

Saddle Up! Pendleton Round-Up season is here, and we have a piece of rodeo history to share with you from the archives. In this snapshot taken at the 1928 Pendleton Round-Up, James Thurkel “Turk” Greenough stands outside of the arena where he won his first world championship title in saddle bronc riding. Greenough went on to become the first American to win the three major rodeos (Pendleton, Cheyenne, and Calgary) in one season.

This photograph is part of a newly processed collection of photographs from the 1928 Pendleton Round-up now available to view in OHS’s research library. To learn more about the collection, read the collection guide or visit the research library to view the photographs in person.

https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv963394

📸 James Thurkel Greenough. OHS Research Library, Org. Lot 1471, 001.

Less than one week until Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Jon Meacham returns to Portland to kick off the 2...
09/16/2026

Less than one week until Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Jon Meacham returns to Portland to kick off the 2027 Hatfield Lecture Series on Tuesday, September 22!

In his newest book, "American Struggle," Meacham unites a chorus of American speeches, letters, and essays to understand our national debates and divisions from 1619 to the present. Using his signature commentary, Meacham reminds us that to know what has come before is to be armed against despair.

Tickets start at $36 - join us in person at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall or via livestream!

https://www.ohs.org/events/jon-meacham.cfm

The building of Highway 101 brought significant changes to coastal communities in Oregon. City and town populations grew...
09/14/2026

The building of Highway 101 brought significant changes to coastal communities in Oregon. City and town populations grew after the highway’s completion, and several communities developed along the highway. The West Coast Construction Company first proposed a resort town called Yahutes-by-the-sea in 1912, but it never materialized due to lack of access. Highway 101 eventually allowed tourists to drive directly to the town, which was incorporated as Yachats in 1967.

Yachats by the Sea, by Theresa M. Rothstein, captures the unincorporated resort town. This painting and others held in OHS’s museum collection are on view in "101 at 100: The History of Oregon's Most Iconic Highway" through October 11.

https://www.ohs.org/museum/exhibits/101-at-100.cfm

Three weeks after September 11, 2001, 1,000 Oregonians took 62 flights in an organized effort to boost the New York econ...
09/11/2026

Three weeks after September 11, 2001, 1,000 Oregonians took 62 flights in an organized effort to boost the New York economy. Led by Portland Mayor Vera Katz, the “Flight for Freedom” included individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, political persuasions, and cultures, unified in supporting their fellow Americans.

In observance of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2021, author Sally Bourrie gave a virtual talk on her book, Oregon Loves New York. Featuring interviews with more than 75 participants, stories of nearly 300 Freedom Fliers, and 200 photos from the trip, Oregon Loves New York shares this little-known story of Americans at their best, showing up for one another in a time of tragedy.

https://www.ohs.org/events/oregon-loves-new-york.cfm

📸Flight for Freedom participants. Courtesy oregonlovesnewyork.com.

Address

1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

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