[Heritage] Oregon Heritage News 2009-11-19

[Heritage Info]

In this issue:
1. Shirk ranch added to National Register
2. Cultural Trust seeks help with annual push
3. Portland archives to have moving experience
4.  Hatfield series announces four 2010 talks
5.  Washington county groups host Oregon country exhibits
6.  Anderson hired for Chehalem Center


SHIRK RANCH ADDED TO NATIONAL REGISTER

The David L. Shirk Ranch in Lake County has been listed in the National
Register of Historic Places.

Located on the west shore of Shirk Lake 60 miles east of Lakeview, the
Shirk Ranch encompasses 19 historic buildings and structures on 14.5
acres, including a residence, outbuildings, grave site, and irrigation
and fencing systems. The property was recognized for its association
with late-19th and early-20th century
free-range ranching practices and as an exceptionally intact and
well-constructed example of a period ranch.

David L. Shirk and his brother, William H. Shirk, became established as
cattle ranchers in present-day Harney County in the late-19th century
after working as ranch hands in the mid-1880s. The Shirks were active
participants in the settlement and development of the ranching industry
in eastern Oregon, and became successful by employing the same stock and
property management techniques used by larger operators. In the
late-1870s and early-1880s, David L. Shirk began expanding his
personal holdings in Lake County’s Guano Valley. In 1883, Shirk
purchased the property and scattered existing buildings to serve as a
horse ranch, developing most of the ranch’s current buildings and
structures around 1910. He sold the property in 1914.

A copy of the nomination is available from
http://www.oregonheritage.org/OPRD/HCD/NATREG/nrhp_recent_nominations.shtml



CULTURAL TRUST PREPARED FOR ANNUAL PUSH

While some organizations have trimmed their funding of heritage, the
Oregon Cultural Trust has provided $1.45 million of investment to
Oregon's heritage, arts, and humanities. The funds have been in the form
of grants to county and tribal cultural coalitions to support their
cultural priorities, grants to enable organizations to undertake
significant efforts in preservation, access, creativity and capacity,
and support for the Oregon Historical Society, the Oregon Council for
the Humanities, the Oregon Heritage Commission, the State Historic
Preservation Office, and the Oregon Arts Commission.

The grants are enabled by donations to the Oregon Cultural Trust by
individuals, businesses and organizations. The donations, when made in
conjunction to heritage, humanities and arts groups in the state, make
donors eligible for a tax credit. The tax credit potential often serves
as an incentive to donors to increase their contributions to cultural
organizations.

The Oregon Cultural Trust has prepared toolkits to help heritage
organizations raise funds while also benefitting the Cultural Trust.
They include ads and logos, marketing tools and tips, fundraising tools
and tips, and tax credit tools and tips. They can be found at
http://www.culturaltrust.org/about/toolkits.php  Other information
that your organization can use to encourage donations is available on
the Cultural Trust website.


PORTLAND ARCHIVES TO HAVE MOVING EXPERIENCE

Change is coming to the City of Portland Archives and Records Center.
It is packing up and moving from its home in Chimney Park to a new
location on the Portland State University campus. With over 30,000 boxes
to inventory and move, it will close to the public on Nov. 30 and reopen
May 1. That means no in-person appointments or phone or email research
questions answered until we reopen our doors.

It has created an FAQ at
http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?&a=272520&c=26978) to
answer questions.


HATFIELD SERIES ANNOUNCES FOUR 2010 TALKS

Since 1998, the Mark O. Hatfield Distinguished Historians Forum of the
Oregon Historical Society has provided a broad perspective on United
States history by presenting the nation's top scholars and writers. Most
featured lecturers have won a Pulitzer Prize or National Book Award for
their writing, and many are among the most revered academicians in the
nation.
 
The four historians this year are Lincoln author Ronald C. White, Jr.
on Feb. 23; western U.S. historian Patricia Limerick on March 16; Teddy
Roosevelt biographer Douglas Brinkley on April 13; and Civil War
historian James McPherson on May 18.

For more information, visit
http://ohs.org/education/mark-o-hatfield.cfm

 
WASHINGTON COUNTY GROUPS HOST OREGON COUNTRY EXHIBITS

The Washington County Museum, the Hillsboro Public Library and the
Beaverton Public Library have begun exhibiting the "Oregon is INdian
Country" exhibits. Each one of the three exhibits explores a different
topic in Native American history-the museum will present “Traditions
that Bind,” an investigation of the cultural heritage of Oregon’s
tribes, including their oral traditions, material culture, art, and
traditional lifeways.

Exhibits on Native American history will be accompanied by special
additions to the museum’s monthly events. At the museum’s free
Family Day in December,
Oregon Historical Society Tradition Bearer Brigette Whipple will host a
display of Native American beaded horse regalia with a beading activity
designed especially for kids. David Lewis, a tribal member and cultural
resources manager of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde will be
the speaker at the December installment of the museum’s Crossroads
Lecture series.

All three sections will be displayed until Jan. 3. For more information
call the museum at 503-645-5353 or visit the museum's Web site
at<http://www.washingtoncountymuseum.org/>.


ANDERSON HIRED FOR CHEHALEM CENTER

Robin Anderson has been named the first executive director of the
Chehalem Cultural Center last week. The Newberg art, heritage and
cultural facility is scheduled to be opened in early 2010.  Anderson
will be responsible for creating and managing programs, facility
management, coordinating personnel and volunteers, curating exhibits and
developing events. 
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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