[Heritage] Oregon Heritage News 2026-02-06

Fri Feb 6 16:26:10 PST 2026

Oregon Heritage News 2026-02-06
In this Issue:

  *   SOLVE supports historic cemeteries spring cleanup events
  *   State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation to Meet Virtually on February 19-20
  *   Oregon 250 Commission announces third round of grants for Oregon 250 grant program
  *   American 250 Oregon Commission announces third round of grants opening up for applications March 4
  *   Connecting to Collections Three-Part Introductory Course for Environmental Monitoring for Collections of All Sizes
  *   NCPH Webinar - 11th Agent of Deterioration in Collections: Incorrect Cultural Care, Feb. 17
  *   Podcast features Springfield local history project
  *   Preservation Grant Deadlines Approaching

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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 29, 2026, or would like to, you are encouraged to register your activity for the event by contacting Jack Hochberg at jack at solveoregon.org<mailto:jack at solveoregon.org> or 971-346-2707.
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 a free webinar workshop on how to work with SOLVE and host a successful clean-up.

  *   February 19, 2025, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., register<https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HyG9gUB7Rei23W80B1zNTg> 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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State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation to Meet Virtually on February 19-20
The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) will meet via Zoom on February 19 and 20, 2026, to consider proposed nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. The meeting is open to the public and will be livestreamed to YouTube.
Public comment on the proposed nominations or other items not on the agenda can be made online, during the meeting, or by written submission. Registration via Zoom is required to speak at the meeting. To view the full agenda, register to give comment during the meeting, or learn more about public comment options, please visit the commission web page: https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Pages/Commissions.aspx#sachp.
The SACHP is a nine-member governor-appointed citizen commission with credentials in many historic preservation-related fields, including archaeology, architectural history, historic architecture, anthropology, history, and museum management. Nominations recommended by the SACHP are forwarded to the National Park Service, which maintains the National Register of Historic Places under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. This effort aligns with the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/2024_OR_PreservationPlan_%20English_web.pdf> goal to increase the number and thematic diversity of Oregon properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It also supports the goals to include more voices and increase access to Oregon heritage that are part of the Oregon Heritage Plan<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/OH/Documents/2020_Oregon_Heritage_Plan.pdf>.
The meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Special accommodations may be made with at least 48 hours of advance notice by calling (503) 986-0690.
More information about the SACHP and the National Register of Historic Places process is available online at www.oregonheritage.org<http://www.oregonheritage.org/> and from SACHP coordinator Caitlyn Abrahms at 503-201-0454 or caitlyn.abrahms at oprd.oregon.gov<mailto:caitlyn.abrahms at oprd.oregon.gov>.
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Call for Ideas: America 250 Oregon Commission Invites Public Input on National America250 Time Capsule
On July 4, 2026, America250 will bury the Semiquincentennial Time Capsule within Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. The stainless-steel cylinder, designed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is designed to safely store commemorative objects for 250 years until the capsule’s opening on July 4, 2275.
Each state has been asked to contribute a submission that represents its people, stories, and values at this historic moment, and the America 250 Oregon Commission<https://www.oregon250.org/> invites the public to share ideas for Oregon’s contributions.
Items should reflect Oregon and its people today and may include creative works, written reflections, or symbolic objects created with long-term preservation in mind. Submissions must fit within a 6″ x 5″ x 2″ archival storage box, ideally made of a nonreactive metal (gold, silver, copper, titanium, platinum) or consist of a single page of archival paper no larger than 8.5″ x 11″. Other materials (such as stone, fabric, glass, clay) may be utilized, recognizing that the potential for long-term degradation is increased.
Oregonians are encouraged to submit recommendations to Oregon.250 at ohs.org<mailto:Oregon.250 at ohs.org> by March 1, 2026. Public input will help inform the Commission’s final selection, ensuring Oregon’s contribution reflects a broad range of perspectives and experiences.
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American 250 Oregon Commission announces third round of grants opening up for applications March 4
The America 250 Oregon Commission<https://www.oregon250.org/>, in partnership with Oregon Heritage<https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/oh/pages/default.aspx> and the Oregon Historical Society<https://www.ohs.org/>, established the Oregon 250 Grant Program to help organizations create inclusive, community-focused projects that highlight Oregon’s diverse histories, traditions, and cultures. To date, the program has awarded $125,000 to 38 organizations across two funding cycles.
A third funding cycle will open on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 8am, and will remain open until April 3, 2026, or until all funds are expended. A total of $50,000 in funding is available in this third cycle, with 50% dedicated to rural communities. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible projects. The grant application will go live on this page on March 4.
Eligible organizations - including nonprofits, local governments, public schools, universities, colleges, and federally recognized tribes in Oregon - may apply for grants of up to $3,000. Funding can support events, exhibitions, educational programming, collections development, research, and interpretation. Projects must align with the mission of America 250 Oregon and one or more of its seven guideposts<https://www.oregon250.org/about/>, which range from honoring veterans and celebrating Oregon’s landscapes to elevating cultural traditions and fostering civic engagement.
No match is required, and funds may be used for staffing, equipment, materials, promotion, and other direct project costs. The grant period runs through June 30, 2027. Access the grant report form here<https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/8e9c0970b6e84b83989d63c4fc4ac248>.
For more details, review the full grant guidelines<https://www.oregon250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Americ250OregonGrantGuidelines.pdf> or contact Kuri Gill at kuri.gill at oprd.oregon.gov<mailto:kuri.gill at oprd.oregon.gov>.
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Connecting to Collections Three-Part Introductory Course for Environmental Monitoring for Collections of All Sizes
Conserve and Connecting to Collections are partnering together on a three-part webinar series that helps institutions of all size understand why monitoring matters, how to get started, and what to do with your data.

  *   Part 1: What is your Building Telling You? The Why of Environmental Monitoring (March 25, 2026)
  *   Part 2: From Observation to Action, The "How" of Environmental Monitoring (April 22, 2026)
  *   Part 3: Making Sense of the Squiggly Lines, Understanding and Using your Monitoring Data (May 13, 2026)
All webinars are free.
Learn more and register here<https://learn.conserv.io/register-for-webinars?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9KqRs8KfxKRj7f-psusS0B1rjLPJ9RxXA0JLeOz5baMDM1YK_7lfuusDmAO0J2gTE1yjt1chyAOnru48BNRrJpHmBr8Y9rrH7Qe2E2SSerGV-Bf-g&_hsmi=402201617&utm_content=402201237&utm_source=hs_email>.
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NCPH Webinar - 11th Agent of Deterioration in Collections: Incorrect Cultural Care, Feb. 17
The 10 Agents of Deterioration-the ten biggest threats to #heritage objects and collections, such as fire, water, and light-has guided collections and preservation specialists in their work since the Canadian Conservation Institute established it in the 1990s. Now, Melanie Deer is leading a group of international and intercultural representatives to propose an 11th Agent: Incorrect Cultural Care. In this presentation, Melanie will go over the project and concept behind this 11th agent and how it fits with the others. Then, there will be time for an interactive discussion.
Learn more and register: https://community.ncph.org/event/CollectionsCulturalCare

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Podcast features Springfield local history project
OVERDUE: Weeding Out Oppression in Libraries Podcase feature ILLUMINATION in a two part series. ILLUMINATION is a history and story collection project started by Madeline McGraw and Mindy Linder to actively work to address representation in its collection, recognizing that museum institutions have historically used gatekeeping and erasure in collection practices. Through ILLUMINATION, the museum’s intention is to lead with transparency and accountability, to build relationships and trust with members of the community who have been left out of the historical narrative. The goal is for the Springfield History Museum to offer a more inclusive representation of all the people who have both shaped and been shaped by Springfield and rural east Lane County. For these people to be empowered as stewards of their own stories, and to entrust the Springfield History Museum with the preservation, documentation, interpretation and display of their stories through exhibits, archives and digital collections. The culminating works from this project will all become part of the Springfield History Museum archive, available to the public. Selected images and narratives will also become part of the permanent heritage exhibit on display at the museum.
S4, E9: Illuminating Local History Part 1 with Ofelia Guzman and Thomas Hiura<https://www.buzzsprout.com/1948067/episodes/18334106-s4-e9-illuminating-local-history-part-1-with-ofelia-guzman-and-thomas-hiura>
S4, E10: Illuminating Local History Part 2 with Irene Rasheed and Megan England<https://www.buzzsprout.com/1948067/episodes/18438645-s4-e10-illuminating-local-history-part-2-with-irene-rasheed-and-megan-england>
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Preservation Grant Deadlines Approaching

  *   Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors<https://support.savingplaces.org/s/4519104/jBSjy2VY> assist in the preservation, restoration, and interpretation of historic interiors. Grants range up to $15,000 and are due March 2.
  *   Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation<https://support.savingplaces.org/s/4519105/jBSjy2VY> aims to save historic environments in order to foster an appreciation of our nation's diverse cultural heritage and to preserve and revitalize the livability of the nation's communities. Grants range up to $15,000 and are due March 2.
  *   National Fund for Sacred Places<https://support.savingplaces.org/s/4519106/jBSjy2VY> provides training, planning grants, technical assistance, capacity-building support, and capital grants up to $500,000 to community-serving historic houses of worship across America. Applications are due March 3.

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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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