[Heritage] Oregon Heritage News 2009-05-29

[Heritage Info]

In this issue:
1.  Oregon Encyclopedia plans Stayton presentation
2.  June open house dates announced
3.  Living history day planned at Eugene house
4.  Rose Festival exhibit opens in Portland


OREGON ENCYCLOPEDIA PLANS STAYTON PRESENTATION

At 1 p.m. June 6,  Portland State University and the Oregon Historical
Society will talk about and seek suggestions for the Oregon Encyclopedia
of History and Culture. Editor-in-chief William Lang and former Oregon
journalist Floyd McKay will talk about the website, present the project
team, and request ideas. 

The event will take place at the Stayton Public Library, 515 N. First
Ave. The project  is also supported by the Oregon Cultural Trust, the
Oregon Council of  Teachers of English, the Oregon University System,
Willamette University, the Oregon Heritage Commission, and private
donors.  The Oregon Encyclopedia is an official sesquicentennial partner
project of Oregon 150.

For more information, contact Tania Hyatt-Evenson at pdx05508 at pdx.edu
or 503.725.3990


JUNE OPEN HOUSE DATES ANNOUNCED

June open houses for properties in the National Register of Historic
Places are scheduled in Central Point, Bend, Eugene, Gresham, Grants
Pass, Hood River, Jacksonville, Lakeview, Medford, Oregon City, Portland
and Union Creek.

The month*s schedule features six commercial properties in the
Medford Downtown Historic District, two houses in the Bend Old Town
Historic District, and three houses in the Ladd*s Historic District
along with 14 other commercial and residential properties.  Owners
receive tax relief under the state's special assessment program, which
freezes a property's assessed value for 15 years. Owners of commercial
properties may reapply for an additional 15 years.

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 hour. 
 
A complete schedule of the open houses is at
http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/news_openhouses.shtml .


LIVING HISTORY DAY PLANNED AT EUGENE HOUSE

The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House will host a Living History Day from
11 a.m.-3 p.m. June 14. This early Independence Day celebration and ice
cream social will feature crafts and games for children, live music and
entertainment, demonstrations of period arts and crafts including
blacksmithing and the making of lace, and a proclamation of the
Declaration of Independence. Hands-on activities for children will
include fabric dyeing using fruits and vegetables. 

The Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House, 303 Willamette St., was built in
1888 on the south slope of Skinner Butte overlooking the city. The three
families who owned and occupied the house witnessed and contributed to
the transformation of Eugene from a frontier farming town to a thriving
center for education and commerce. Known in its day as the *Castle on
the Hill,* the house is as an example of a Queen Anne Revival-style
Victorian mansion of the late 19th century. 

For information, contact 	(541) 484-0808 or director at smjhouse.org



ROSE FESTIVAL EXHIBIT OPENS IN PORTLAND

The Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center will open "Nikkei Roses", an exhibition
highlighting the Nikkei community and Rose Festival, on July 31. The
exhibit runs until Aug. 2 and will feature photographs and artifacts
from the archival collection of Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center.

The Rose Festival has always been an exciting time in Portland, and for
the Nikkei community it was an important yearly event. The Rose festival
queens and princesses, Boy Scout troops, baseball teams and community
groups from a variety of Japanese organizations will be featured with
photographs and artifacts. The center ios located at 121 NW 2nd Ave. For
more information, contact 503-224-1458 or visit www.oregonnikkei.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