[Heritage] Oregon Heritage News 2025-02-14

[INFO Heritage * OPRD]

Oregon Heritage News 2025-02-14
In this Issue:

  *   National Park Service Lists Dr. Edward and Anne McLean House in West Linn, Clackamas County in the National Register of Historic Places
  *   2025 Oregon Main Street Conference – Call for session proposals
  *   Oregon Legislative update
  *   Impact Reports for Oregon’s heritage sector
  *   SOLVE supports historic cemeteries spring cleanup events
  *   February is Library Lovers’ Month!
  *   Samurai in the Oregon Sky receives educational distribution

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National Park Service Lists Dr. Edward and Anne McLean House in West Linn, Clackamas County in the National Register of Historic Places
The Dr. Edward and Anne McLean House is among Oregon's latest entries in the National Register of Historic Places. Oregon's State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) recommended the nomination at their October 2024 meeting for its significant association with the development of a very early prepaid healthcare organization designed to serve local millworkers and their families during the Great Depression, as well as for its architectural merit. The National Park Service, which maintains the National Register of Historic Places, accepted this nomination in late January 2025.
Located on the southern bank of the Willamette River in West Linn's Bolton Neighborhood, the McLean House was designed and constructed by the Henderson-Bankus Company for Dr. Edward and Anne McLean in 1927. The house exhibits a modified or eclectic Colonial Revival style with its symmetrical side-gabled form, original multilight wood windows, entry portico, and English Cottage-style rolled-edge roof. The interior retains many original features including walnut baseboards and trim, oak flooring, a primary staircase with turned balusters, and a fireplace with classical pilasters, entablature, and glazed tile surround.
While notable for its design, the McLean House is also significant for its association with the Physicians' Association of Clackamas County (PACC), a very early Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) using the prepaid medical care foundation model. Dr. Edward McLean, working from his home office, collaborated with Dr. William O. Steele, and Dr. John ("Jack") G. P. Cleland to develop the organization between 1932 and 1938, in the depths of the Great Depression. Their mission was to provide healthcare coverage that was high quality, affordable, and designed to fit the needs of area residents--many of them millworkers and their families--as well as physicians. The PACC was unique for its time, and it has since proved to be a national model for improving healthcare delivery.
The McLean House has been owned by the City of West Linn since 1969, and in addition to its recent listing in the National Register of Historic Places, it is also listed on the West Linn Historic Inventory.
The National Register is maintained by the National Park Service under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Properties listed in the National Register are:

  *   Recognized as significant to the nation, state, or community;
  *   Considered in the planning of federal or federally-assisted projects;
  *   Eligible for federal tax benefits;
  *   Qualify for historic preservation grants when funds are available;
  *   Eligible for leniency in meeting certain building code requirements;
  *   Subject to local laws pertaining to the conservation and protection of historic resources.
State law in Oregon requires local governments to offer a minimal level of protection for properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places; the decisions about how to accomplish that goal reside with local governments, which also have the authority to create and regulate local historic districts and landmarks.
More information about the National Register and recent Oregon listings are online at oregonheritage.org<http://www.oregonheritage.org/> (under the heading "Designate").
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2025 Oregon Main Street Conference – Call for session proposals
Oregon Main Street (OMS) is now accepting session proposals for Oregon’s premier downtown conference in 2025.
Oregon Main Street is calling for sessions ranging from 45 to 90 minutes for new and established downtown programs. This year's theme, "Dedicated to the Long Game," will enlighten attendees on the power of a creating a vision for how the community would like your downtown to look, feel, and function, and then keeping focused over the long term. Main Street organizations often experience many ups and downs as you work toward achieving your vision, but through dedicated efforts of local leaders, partners, and volunteers, Main Streets are ideally positioned to seize opportunities as they arise and to work steadfastly in improving and enhancing the function, use, and experiences by bringing the community together to live, work, invest, and play.
OMS  encourages submissions highlighting the importance of developing a vision and strategic direction for downtown to guide any changes that will enhance and sustain downtown’s vitality. This includes investing in creating a sustainable organization, engaging all members of the community, inspiring people to contribute time and resources, working incrementally, communicating progress, being flexible – essentially all the things to build a structure to support efforts over the long haul. Proposals can be reflective of any of the four points of the Main Street Approach which are Design, Organization, Promotion, and Economic Vitality. OMS strives to provide content at all learning levels including newer to advanced communities and share perspectives and success stories from urban districts to small towns and rural Main Streets.
Sessions at the conference are scheduled for Thursday, October 9, and Friday, October 10. The schedule is determined by balancing topics and target audiences. Please make sure you are available on these dates before submitting.

Conference Logistics Information:
Location: Albany, Oregon; various venues
Dates: October 8th – 10th, with sessions occurring the 9th and 10th
Conference Webpage: https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/oh/pages/omsconference.aspx
Interested in submitting a proposal?
Fill out the form linked here.<https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Mmk_qnz6tEegzqWYytFhz4r7Z5pSkUdHn0mSpus1wWRUOUlDUjQ3QjVPMEhYUDRENktYNkxRWENNVS4u>
NOTE: If you have an idea but don’t want to organize an entire session, please fill out this form and submit your idea. OMS may combine your presentation with others to create a session.
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Oregon Legislative Update
Oregon’s 2025 Legislative Session began in January. Below are some bills of interest to the heritage sector. To learn more about the 2025 Legislative Session, how a bill becomes a law, or to follow bills of interest visit here<https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/>.
HB3191<https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB3191>: Appropriates moneys to support arts and cultural organizations in Oregon.
HB3190<https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB3190>: Limits the property tax special assessment program for historic property to commercial property. Makes other structural changes to the program.
HB3048<https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB3048>: Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to study arts and culture in this state.
SB602<https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/SB602>: Establishes the Nonprofit Organization Advisory Council within the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.
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Impact Reports for Oregon’s heritage sector
Economic Impacts and Value of Oregon's Heritage Organizations and Events Report<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/Economic_Impact_Report_web.pdf> & Communication Tool <https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/Econ_Impact_Comm_tool_web.pdf> (2022)
A report and messaging guide commissioned by the Oregon Heritage Commission to help organizations communicate the value of heritage organizations and Heritage Tradition Events on Oregon's economy.
Impact of Oregon's Main Streets Report<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/2022OMS_Impact_Report.pdf> (2022)
This report shares the story of how the Oregon Main Street Network strengthens community networks, bolsters the economy, generates state and local tax revenue, and fosters social connections across the state. The report includes the economic, fiscal, and community impacts of the key programmatic efforts of Oregon’s Main Streets.
Value of Heritage in Disaster Resilience Report and Messaging Guide (2021)<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/Value%20of%20Cultural%20Heritage%20in%20Disaster%20Resilience%20Report%20and%20Messaging%20Guide%20FINAL.pdf>
A report and messaging guide commissioned by the Oregon Heritage Commission to help heritage professionals and historic property stewards communicate the necessity of heritage-based disaster planning before disaster strikes, as well as the important role heritage can play in community disaster recovery.
The Value of Oregon Heritage Organizaitons' Volunteers: An Oregon Heritage Commission Volunteer Study (2020)<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/HeritageValueVolunteers_Report.pdf>
The Value of Oregon Heritage Organizations' Volunteer Study Summary (2020)<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/HertiageValueVolunteers_Summary.pdf>
This study explores the value of heritage organizations through the volunteer experience. Volunteers support these organizations with hundreds of thousands of hours of time, in turn the experience great community connection.
Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant Impact 2023 Summary<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/2025JanuaryMainStreetGrantResults.pdf>
Impacts of the Oregon Cultural Trust and the Cultural Tax Credit<https://www.culturaltrust.org/wp-content/uploads/OCT-Impacts-Executive-Summary_2018-05.pdf>
Arts & Economic Prosperity 6<https://www.oregon.gov/biz/aboutus/artscommission/news/Pages/-Study-shows-Oregon%E2%80%99s-arts-and-culture-industry-generated-$829-million-in-economic-impact-in-FY2022-.aspx>
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SOLVE supports historic cemeteries spring cleanup events
SOLVE and the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries (OCHC) are partnering up again to support Oregon Historic Cemetery Cleanup days.
If you support a historic cemetery or know folks who do, there is help for your cleanup day! If you are hosting a cleanup day April 11 – May 27, 2025, or would like to, you are encouraged to register your activity for the event by contacting Estrella Valdez at estrella at solveoregon.org<mailto:estrella at solveoregon.org> or 971-346-2708.
Sign up now to start promoting your event. And check out the Oregon Heritage Exchange<https://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/> article to see the benefits of the partnership!
SOLVE offers several resources to cemeteries that are registered for the event:

  *   Free supplies like litter bags, gloves, safety vests and first aid kits.
  *   Volunteer recruitment tools including event flyer templates, online registration, and promotion.
  *   Liability coverage and waivers.
  *   Funding options for tools, plants, and disposal costs.
  *   Advice on native plant species to plant for lower maintenance.
  *   Project planning assistance.

In addition, OCHC and SOLVE will offer two free webinar workshop on how to work with SOLVE and host a successful clean-up.

  *   February 19, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., register<https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwocu6vrzsvHtYyaTsbTLZRYBjKmcYIdaZZ> for access information.

OCHC has many online resources including the How to Organize a Cemetery Clean Up Day<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/HB13_how_to_organize_cleanup_day.pdf> Oregon Heritage Bulletin. For general cleanup day information visit www.oregonheritage.org<http://www.oregonheritage.org/>.

OCHC was established in 1999; its seven members coordinate the restoration and maintenance of historic cemeteries statewide and advocate for the importance of preserving Oregon’s historic burial sites.

SOLVE is a statewide, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission “to bring Oregonians together to improve our environment and build a legacy of stewardship.” Visit solveoregon.org<file:///C:/Users/krisc/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/OXWL29RQ/solveoregon.org> for more information.

Visit www.oregonheritage.org<http://www.oregonheritage.org/> or contact Kuri Gill<mailto:Kuri.Gill at oprd.oregon.gov> 503-383-6787 for additional information.

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February is Library Lovers’ Month!

  *   Oregon Libraries Databases | Did you know by virtue of living in Oregon you have access to some databases that are traditionally pay-to-play? Visit: Libraries of Oregon<https://www.galepages.com/oregon_pages> page at Gale to use this resource.
  *   Need Reference Support? Even if the library is closed, you can get research and reference support from Answerland<https://answerland.org/>. Just ask this 24/7 librarian chat service to get the help you need.
  *   Digital Partnerships for Heritage | Did you know that the State Library of Oregon and Washington State Library alongside Oregon Heritage collaborate to host Northwest Digital Heritage<https://www.northwestdigitalheritage.org/s/nwdh/page/home>. This digital repository of Northwest collections just passed 1 million records!
  *   MentorCorps “Library of Things”<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/oh/pages/mentorcorps.aspx#lending> | Internally at Heritage, MentorCorps hosts a free library of useful tools for heritage work like light meters, dataloggers, a HEPA vacuum and more.
  *   Libraries are Grant Eligible Too<https://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/2019/06/26/a-library-basement-is-a-magical-place/> |Oregon Heritage Grant applications open August 2025, but its never too early to prepare. Check out previous awardees and older grant guidelines here.<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/oh/pages/grants.aspx#seven>

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Samurai in the Oregon Sky receives educational distribution
The award-winning documentary film Samurai in the Oregon Sky recently received educational distribution through New Day Films<https://www.newday.com/films/samurai-in-the-oregon-sky> and is available to license for viewing in classrooms, museums, libraries, and other non-profits.  It is also available to stream on Kanopy’s educational platform for schools<https://www.kanopy.com/en/product/samurai-oregon-sky?frontend=kui>.
The film tells the little-known story of Japanese pilot Nobuo Fujita, who conducted the only manned aerial bombings of the U.S. mainland during WWII, on the southern Oregon coast.  Years later, he met and peacefully reconciled with the American civilians who lived in the area.  As we approach the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, the film offers students and communities the opportunity to explore WWII and post-war reconciliation from a local perspective.  Samurai in the Oregon Sky is the recipient of an Oregon Heritage grant.
Please contact the filmmaker<https://www.samuraiintheoregonsky.com/contact> with any questions.
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Follow us on Facebook at @oregonheritage, on LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/oregon-parks-and-recreation-department/>, on the Oregon Heritage Exchange blog<https://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/>.

Oregon Heritage News is a service of Oregon Heritage, a division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department that includes the State Historic Preservation Office. Learn more about our programs at www.oregonheritage.org<http://www.oregonheritage.org/>. The news editor can be contacted at heritage.info at oprd.oregon.gov<mailto:heritage.info at oprd.oregon.gov>.

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