[Heritage] Oregon Heritage News 2006-10-10

[Heritage Info]

In this issue:
1.  Wolf Creek closes for month
2.  Ranching heritage to be highlighted Saturday
3.  'Taking Lunch' on plate at Mission Mill
4.  Newspaper supplement explains preservation act


WOLF CREEK CLOSES FOR MONTH

Wolf Creek Inn will remain inaccessible to the public until mid-November while workers install a new water system. Both the historic inn's food service and hotel accommodations will be closed during the period, as will other parts of the state heritage site's grounds. The inn is expected to reopen Nov. 14.

The project involves connecting pumps and electrical service for new underground water storage tanks that are replacing a wood tank used since 1977. Construction on a building for a new electrical generator and storage as well as improvements to other adjacent buildings also will begin. The Wolf Creek Inn State Heritage Site includes a nine-room hotel with a dining room, usually open year round, and an Applegate Trail interpretive area. The inn, an historic stagecoach stop, is just off I-5, 20 miles north of Grants Pass. 


RANCHING HERITAGE TO BE HIGHLIGHTED SATURDAY

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, located in southeast Oregon, will host the fourth annual Ranching Heritage Day at the Historic Sod House Ranch on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.  This event is an opportunity for families to join in a celebration of the ranching history of the Harney Basin and to learn about the ranching lifestyle that continues to thrive in the region.

As visitors explore the ranch they can stop and watch local community members demonstrate traditional ranching craft, learn about the Bureau of Land Management’s wild horse program, watch a cattle roping demonstration, view livestock being raised for local 4H projects, discover the art of area artists, visit with archaeologists conducting an excavation at the ranch, and enjoy a barbecue cooked by the Boy Scouts. Children can participate in a number of hands-on activities.  Interpretive guides will conduct tours, giving visitors a glimpse of ranch life in the 1880’s.

The refuge will also be celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week, Oct. 8-14, during the event. Environmental education activities and a variety of information about the National Wildlife Refuge system will be available.

To reach the Historic Sod House Ranch on Malheur Refuge, start at Burns and travel approximately two miles on State Highway 78.  Turn right on State Highway 205 and travel 23.5 miles south to Sodhouse Lane.  At Sodhouse Lane turn left and travel 4.5 miles east to the entrance gate of the ranch.  Turn right and travel for one mile on a gravel road to the ranch.  For more information contact the refuge at (541) 493-2612.


'TAKING LUNCH' ON PLATE AT MISSION MILL

An exhibit "Taking Lunch To Work" opens Oct. 12 and continues through Dec. 23 at Mission Mill Museum, 1313 Mill St. SE in Salem. 

Ever since the time of the Industrial Revolution, the noontime meal has evolved from a large family dinner to lunch on the run. Most people found ways of transporting their lunches in containers to consume at the worksite or school. The first commercial thermos (vacuum) bottle was patented in Germany in 1903, and the museum has several lunch boxes used by Thomas Kay Woolen Mill workers.

For more information on the exhibit, see www.missionmill.org


NEWSPAPER SUPPLEMENT EXPLAINS PRESERVATION ACT

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, working with The History Channel and the Newspaper In Education Institute, has created a 20-page newspaper supplement and companion document celebrating and explaining the importance of the National Historic Preservation Act to commemorate its 40th anniversary.

The material is designed to be printed, distributed, and used throughout the 2006-2007 school year. The insert can be obtained and printed by newspapers, as well as used electronically by teachers and students nationwide. It is available to daily newspapers through the Newspaper In Education Institute. 

The goal of the NIE insert (and its companion document of additional heritage stories including more communities and states) is to create a broader understanding of the importance of historic preservation on the local and national levels, and the continuing important role of the NHPA in contemporary society. It does so by recounting how authentic
experience of places of natural and cultural heritage benefit communities and the nation. The cultural, educational, and economic benefits of historic preservation are highlighted. It also serves as a primer of information regarding the NHPA and the national preservation structure it created, explaining how and why so much of America's heritage resources have been saved and put to productive contemporary use. 

The insert and companion document contain examples and stories of preservation activities across the nation, as well as information on the importance of learning history and the benefits of preservation. This information can help teachers and editors find stories relevant to curricula and local history and serve as a source to spark lessons and stories that enlighten and entertain students and readers. There are two documents available - a 20-page document and a 44-page document that includes historic preservation stories by state.  The two documents are available at:  www.achp.gov/NIE.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oregon Heritage News is a service of the Oregon Heritage Commission, which can be contacted at heritage.info at state.or.us