[Heritage] Oregon Heritage News 2009-06-30

[Heritage Info]

In this issue:
1.  July open houses for historic sites announced
2.  Legislature approves several heritage measures
3.  Travel Oregon offers matching grant opportunities
4.  Historic art exhibits open at Philomath, Warm Springs
5.  Disaster preparedness workshop openings remain


JULY OPEN HOUSES FOR HISTORIC SITES ANNOUNCED

July open houses for properties in the National Register of Historic
Places are scheduled in Albany, Ashland, Bend, Coburg, Dallas, Dayton,
Eugene, Gresham, Mosier, Portland and Salem.

The month’s schedule features the Lithia Springs Hotel in Ashland, a
1924 Romanesque-style building, the University Club in Portland, a 1913
Tudor Revival, and the Jefferson Mosier House in Mosier, a 1904 Queen
Anne.  In addition there are 14 other properties highlighted.

Owners receive tax relief under the state's special assessment program,
which freezes a property's assessed value for 15 years. In return for
the special assessment benefit, a property owner must invite the public
to an open house at least one day, per year, for a minimum of four
consecutive hours between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Except for state observed
national holidays, owners may choose any day of the year.  (See article
below related to upcoming changes in the program.)
 
A complete schedule of the open houses, visit
http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/docs/openhouse_odd_month.pdf     


LEGISLATURE APPROVES SEVERAL HERITAGE MEASURES

A revised special assessment program for historic properties, a new
historic highway designation, and a benefit for nonprofits operating
historic cemeteries are among the heritage legislation recently approved
by the Oregon Legislature.

Senate Bill 192: This bill extends and amends the special assessment
program for historic properties, which had been due to expire during the
coming year. The legislation, which is the end result of an effort by
the Historic Property Task Force created by the Legislature.  The
program encourages reinvestment in historic buildings by freezing their
property tax rates at pre-restoration levels.

Senate Bill 449:  This bill designates Highway 97 in Oregon and Highway
126 (from Highway 97 to the Prineville-Crook County Airport) as the
World War II Veterans Historic Highway. The highway served eight
military training sites during World War II.

House Bill 2087:  This new law prohibits the Secretary of State from
charging to file annual reports from nonprofit corporations if the
purpose of the nonprofit as set out in its articles of incorporation is
to maintain a historic cemetery. The nonprofit must be listed with the
Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries to qualify.

Stay tuned for additional information about these and other
heritage-related legislative activity.


TRAVEL OREGON OFFERS MATCHING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Travel Oregon has announced its 2009-10 Matching Grants Program for
investment in travel and tourism organizations. The grant program is
part of Travel Oregon's tourism development mission to assist Oregon
communities and organizations in the creation, enhancement and
implementation of quality tourism plans and products. 

Cities, counties, port districts, federally recognized Tribes and
non-profit entities located in Oregon and involved with tourism
promotion and development are eligible for grants from the Matching
Grants Program. Applicants must equally match the amount of the awarded
grant; up to 50 percent of the match may be in-kind. Each applicant may
request up to $10,000 in grant funds with a limit of one grant project
request per cycle. 

The deadline for completing the online electronic application is Aug.
18. For more information, visit
http://blog.traveloregon.com/Industry/tourism_development/travel_oregon_announces_200910.php
 Questions may be directed to Michelle Woodard at
Grants at TravelOregon.com 


HISTORIC ART EXHIBITS OPEN IN PHILOMATH, WARM SPRINGS

Philomath:  "Home Is Where The Art Is," an exhibition of decorative
art, will be on display at the Benton County Historical Museum through
Aug. 22. In the decorative arts, artists enrich our environment by
embellishing everyday household objects.  Decorative arts including
silver, glass, ceramics, textiles and furniture are the emphasis of the
exhibition.  Highlights of the exhibition include artifacts from
Northwest communities dating to the 1840s, Victorian era home
furnishings, and textiles and carvings from around the world.  The
exhibition will be represented online at 
<http://www.bentoncountymuseum.org/exhibitions>  Phone (541) 929-6230
or visit  
www.bentoncountymuseum.org for more information.

Warm Springs: "The Art of Ceremony: Regalia of Native Oregon" exhibit
featuring masterpieces of contemporary/historical ceremonial regalia
selected by the nine federally recognized tribes of Oregon will be on
display at the Warm Springs Museum until Sept. 12. The exhibit features
what the tribes consider their finest artwork, items they wear and use
in private ceremonies and rituals. Hand-crafted dance outfits, jewelry,
staffs, headdresses, musical instruments and a 21-foot cedar canoe -
many on loan from Native families across the state - are among the items
to be displayed. For more information, contact the museum at
541-553-3331.


DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP OPENINGS REMAIN

Several openings remain in a free disaster preparedness workshop
beginning in three weeks in Medford. "Protecting Library & Archive
Collections:  Disaster Preparedness, Response & Recovery" will take
place July 23 and Oct. 8 at the Medford Branch Library, 205 S. Central
Ave. The workshop, instructed by Kristen Kern, is intended for people
responsible for emergency preparedness, response and decision-making, in
all types of libraries, museums and archives. Pre-registration is
required and can be done at http://tinyurl.com/bkfc44  For registration
assistance, contact: Kathy Krause krause at plsinfo.org . For general and
content information contact: Julie Page at jpage at westpas.org
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Oregon Heritage News is a service of the Oregon Heritage Commission,
which can be contacted at heritage.info at state.or.us