[Heritage] Oregon Heritage News 2010-12-15

[Heritage Info]

In this issue:
1.  Vogt to retire in April from OHS
2.  Douglas historian to speak in Portland, Vancouver
3.  Exhibits open in Portland, Salem
4.  College seeks temporary history professor
5.  Interpretive sign fabricator sought
6.  Archivists seek proposals for conference


VOGT TO RETIRE IN APRIL FROM OHS

George Vogt, executive director of the Oregon Historical Society,
announced today that he is retiring from his position, effective April
23, 2011, at the time of the annual meeting of the society.  Vogt
indicated in September his preference to retire sometime in 2011, after
conclusion of the society’s campaign for a county levy. 

"Dr. Vogt has guided OHS through a key period of its history,
culminating in the passage of a successful ballot measure providing
stable, public funding for the Society for the next five years," stated
Dr. Jerry Hudson, president of the Oregon Historical Society.  "His
legacy," Hudson said, "will be tied to this important step forward for
OHS."

Vogt became executive director in November 2006, following a
distinguished career with the National Archives and as executive
director of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, the
Wisconsin Historical Society, and Hagley Museum and Library in Delaware.
 He is a graduate of Yale University and received his doctorate in
American history from the University of Virginia.  

Vogt noted that the society is about to embark upon strategic planning
and a fundraising campaign.  “It is appropriate and important,” he
said, “that the society have enough time to hire a new executive
director and bring him or her fully into the planning processes.   This
is the perfect time for me to exit.”

In his comments to the OHS board, Vogt noted, “I have appreciated the
opportunity to work here with a stunningly good, centered, and mature
staff and a committed Board of Trustees.  Solving the public funding
issue has been the most challenging assignment of my entire career,
without any close competition.  It is very fulfilling to end my tenure
as director with a big victory for OHS that brought together many lovers
of Oregon’s great heritage.”

The OHS Board of Directors will be meeting shortly to discuss new
leadership options and approve a leadership transition plan.


DOUGLAS HISTORIAN TO SPEAK IN PORTLAND, VANCOUVER

Author Jack Nisbet will talk about "Point of Departure: David Douglas
at Fort Vancouver 1825-33" at 2 p.m. Jan. 9 at E.B. Hamilton Hall on the
Fort Vancouver National Site. Nisbet will also give a reading from his
book "The Collector: David Douglas and the Natural History of the
Northwest" at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at Powell's bookstore in downtown
Portland. 

Douglas was the premier botanical explorer in the Pacific Northwest and
western North America in the 19th century. His base of operations always
remained at Fort Vancouver. The people he met there influenced his every
move, and the changes he witnessed during his visits mark significant
turning points for the social, economic, scientific, and environmental
stories of the region. In this illustrated presentation at Fort
Vancouver, Nisbet traces the energy Douglas brought to, and absorbed
from, his central headquarters at Fort Vancouver. Nisbet is this year's
Michael M. Powell Fellow at the Center for Columbia River History.

For program information, go to http://www.ccrh.org/calendar.php 


EXHIBITS OPEN IN PORTLAND, SALEM

Portland:  "Ernest Bloch:  Framing a Vision of the World" is an exhibit
of photographs by the 20th century composer Ernest Bloch that opens Jan.
12 at the Oregon Jewish Museum, 1953 NW Kearney St. Photographer and
guest curator Eric Johnson discovered Bloch's photographs when he was a
student at the University of Oregon and made a number of prints from
Bloch's negatives. The exhibition includes 40 photographs printed by
Johnson, original music scores, family memorabilia and personal letters.
Bloch lived and composed music in a house overlooking Agate Beach from
1941 until his death in 1959. A series of programs will accompany the
exhibition through its run. For more information, visit www.ojm.org 

Salem:  Do you have the pioneer spirit? Then take the trail to A.C.
Gilbert's Discovery Village, where a new exhibit "The Oregon Room" has
opened. The exhibit is a recent addition to the dozens of hands-on
exhibits at the children's museum in downtown Salem's Riverfront Park.
Visitors can walk behind a waterfall, through a volcanic mountain and
enter a miniature Willamette Valley. Families can learn about the
state's food web as they pick apples in the orchard and tend vegetables
in the fields. A coastal mountain range divides the exhibit. "Our museum
is all about playing and learning," explained assistant director Kim
Baldwin. "We typically do a 'soft open' of our exhibits, watch how the
kids play, and learn from them in order to fine-tune the exhibit. We'll
continue to make changes and additions (while keeping the exhibit open)
throughout the year." For more information, please call the museum at
503-371-3631 or visit www.acgilbert.org . The museum is located at 116
Marion St. NE.


COLLEGE SEEKS TEMPORARY HISTORY PROFESSOR

The Lewis & Clark College department of history invites applications
for a one-semester leave replacement for fall semester 2011 for a US
historian. Minimum ABD in history with demonstrated potential for
excellent teaching at an undergraduate institution required.  Course
load will consist of three classes, including the nineteenth century
survey, a course on Wilderness in the American West, and a third class
in the applicant’s field of specialization. Review of applications
will begin on Jan. 10. For more information, contact
awalcott at lclark.edu,


INTERPRETIVE SIGN FABRICATOR SOUGHT

The City of Enterprise invites interested contractors to submit
competitive sealed proposals for fabrication of two outdoor interpretive
signs.  Copies of the request for proposals and other documents
pertaining to the project, may be obtained
at the following address: City of Enterprise, City Hall, 108 NE First
St., Enterprise, OR 97828 or by phone at (541) 426-4196.


ARCHIVISTS SEEK PROPOSALS FOR CONFERENCE

The 2011 Northwest Archivists Association Program Committee is
accepting program proposals through Dec. 31 for presentation at its
annual conference April 20-23 in Helena, Mont.  This year's theme is
"Tradition and Innovation: New Ideas for Old Stuff." More information
about the theme and how to submit a proposal are available at 
http://northwestarchivistsinc.wildapricot.org/Default.aspx?pageId=800335.
If you want more information, contact Diana Banning at 503-865-4110 or
diana.banning at portlandoregon.gov 
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