Building a bridge between our rich historic legacy and our contemporary lives...
We are passionate about history--especially the local history of the mid-Willamette Valley region! Don't you want to know just what those old walls could tell us about the trials and triumphs of those folks who lived and worked within them? We sure do!! Although our radio show, Salem History Matters, no longer airs new programs, you can catch replays on Sundays at 1:30 p.m., or hear new Salem History Moments on KMUZ-Turner/Salem, 88.5 and 100.5 FM. Our archived Podcasts and downloads of previous shows are available at no charge through the KMUZ program archives.
To read summaries, including informative photographs, of each of interview over our six years, read down through the Episode List tab on our Blog Page and then locate the month/year of publication on the sidebar Archives List on the Blog Page. Any links to the actual recordings/podcasts of our shows are active at time of publishing, but continued access is managed by the Website Manager at KMUZ.org. You should contact them if you are unable to locate a specific episode podcast. If you are still unable to locate the desired podcast, please contact us through our Contact Form.
You'll hear about our rich mid-Willamette Valley history from authors who've been elbow-deep in researching various communities and characters. We'll share the memories and stories of many of our long-term residents, both the "movers and shakers" and the "everyday folks," who helped mold Salem's character, as well as the communities in the surrounding Willamette Valley. We'll also spend time talking with the folks who own, live, and work in our historic treasures who have taken on the responsibility of preserving this historic legacy for future generations. We'll highlight the history of our special buildings and institutions, some still standing, some removed. We'll introduce you to some of our unique cultural and heritage organizations, and spend some time touring heritage neighborhoods.
The "WE" began with Deb Meaghers, a local historian and author, as the show host and lead writer, and Kimberli Fitzgerald, also an historian and author and current Historic Preservation Officer for Salem's Historic Preservation program, where we were co-workers for many years. In 2016, Kimberli left the show to pursue a degree in archaeology, a much needed expertise for the City of Salem. In 2017, we were greatly pleased to add Christy Van Heukelem to our crew as Co-Host. Recently retired from the Salem Public Library, Christy now pursues her genealogical and historic research skills at the professional level and brings a new aspect of history into play for our listeners.
To read summaries, including informative photographs, of each of interview over our six years, read down through the Episode List tab on our Blog Page and then locate the month/year of publication on the sidebar Archives List on the Blog Page. Any links to the actual recordings/podcasts of our shows are active at time of publishing, but continued access is managed by the Website Manager at KMUZ.org. You should contact them if you are unable to locate a specific episode podcast. If you are still unable to locate the desired podcast, please contact us through our Contact Form.
You'll hear about our rich mid-Willamette Valley history from authors who've been elbow-deep in researching various communities and characters. We'll share the memories and stories of many of our long-term residents, both the "movers and shakers" and the "everyday folks," who helped mold Salem's character, as well as the communities in the surrounding Willamette Valley. We'll also spend time talking with the folks who own, live, and work in our historic treasures who have taken on the responsibility of preserving this historic legacy for future generations. We'll highlight the history of our special buildings and institutions, some still standing, some removed. We'll introduce you to some of our unique cultural and heritage organizations, and spend some time touring heritage neighborhoods.
The "WE" began with Deb Meaghers, a local historian and author, as the show host and lead writer, and Kimberli Fitzgerald, also an historian and author and current Historic Preservation Officer for Salem's Historic Preservation program, where we were co-workers for many years. In 2016, Kimberli left the show to pursue a degree in archaeology, a much needed expertise for the City of Salem. In 2017, we were greatly pleased to add Christy Van Heukelem to our crew as Co-Host. Recently retired from the Salem Public Library, Christy now pursues her genealogical and historic research skills at the professional level and brings a new aspect of history into play for our listeners.