August 16, 2018 Episode.

The story of how Oregon became a United States territory and then achieved its statehood in 1859 is one that we Oregonians hear in age-appropriate degrees throughout our public school years. From the fur trappers and "fatherly" Dr. John McLoughlin, the infamous interactions between various missionaries and our indigenous peoples, on down through the pioneers emigrating over the Oregon Trail, these stories weave a tale of adventure, opportunity, and gritty determination. In her book, The Salem Clique: Oregon's Founding Brothers, local author Barbara S. Mahoney delves into this often contentious time in our history leading up to statehood, and offers a unique perspective on the characters who played  such integral parts in its formation. 

The Oregon Territory was a tempting place in the 1840s and 1850s, offering wide opportunity for those who could embrace its challenges. The land was rich with resources and the climate was good for agriculture, and the times ripe for politics. Following the contentious period to secure ownership, the federal government wanted to strengthen its hold on the territory and many back east were pushing for its statehood. Of course, the political parties of the time--the Democrats, supported by the farmers, and the Whigs, supported by businessmen--also desired to stake their dominance in the new region.

The group of men who became known as the Salem Clique were often painted with a broad brush. Newspapers of the time were mostly editorial organs for their owners, rather than reporters of newsworthy events and community information. Depending on the political bent of the ownership, the newspapers painted either glorified or vilified portraits of these young, educated men, mostly in their thirties.  They were recruited by political leaders to leave their homes and families "back east" in order to advance the hold of the political parties, as well as advancing their own careers, in this new territory. Many were lawyers who supported their families by farming. Based on all the research she conducted, including reading reams of personal correspondence and very old newspapers on microfiche, Barbara concludes that these men were allies and rivals, very honest, and completely faithful to the Union. They formed close relationships that remained through statehood and far beyond, many becoming very powerful leaders in Oregon.

While reading this book, I truly enjoyed the realistic perspective Barbara maintains of these men whose names we've all heard in our history lessons. Many are often portrayed in textbooks and promotional documents as "founding fathers" and "fathers of industry," altruistic to the utmost degree. It's very refreshing to see them as young men, full of emotion and temperament, just trying to do the best for their families and neighbors in the times in which they lived.

Barbara has written another book, Dispatches & Dictators, in which she tells the story of Ralph Barnes, a graduate of Willamette University who served as the foreign correspondent in Europe and Russia for the New York Herald Tribune newspaper. He reported on Fascism, Communism, Nazism, and the events leading to World War II. Stalin confined Barnes to Moscow for disclosing that millions were dying during the Soviet collectivization of agriculture, and Hitler expelled him from Germany for predicting the Nazi attack on the Soviet Union.

Another "unsung hero" of our history--another facet of our rich heritage. Guess I'll be placing another book order soon.

Barbara's books are available at the usual local outlets, including the Gift Shop at the Capitol, as well as online. She's happy to communicate with you via email:  [email protected].

August 2, 2018 Episode.

Why are so many folks fascinated with historic railways? Our guest for this episode, Richard Thompson, has a theory: it's the wind in our faces, the clanging of the iron wheels, the rocking of the railcar, and the powerful groan of the engine that entices us to jump on this ride through living history!  Richard has written seven books on various components of the interurban railways and streetcar lines that provided daily public transportation throughout our region. Today we're focusing on two of his books, Willamette Valley Railways and Lost Oregon Streetcars.

Richard Thompson has a degree in History from the University of Oregon and spent more than 30 years as a high school librarian/media specialist in Washington and Oregon. This Albany boy's passion for streetcars and trains began with time spent with his grandmother in Milwaukie, Oregon, and would fuel a lifetime of researching and sharing his extensive knowledge of this epic part of history that dramatically shaped our communities in the early years of the 20th century. 

This transportation story continues with the development of the interurban rail system, transporting commuters from communities to the west and east of Portland, and later as far south as Eugene. The Oregon Electric Railway provided several trips daily on all its lines. [Note: for more on the OER, click here.] Although passenger service ended in 1933, this rail company carried freight throughout the mid-Willamette Valley until the 1990s. Here are some photographs of the early passenger stations, excerpted from Richard's book, Images of Rail: Willamette Valley Railways.

Lost Oregon Streetcars (Trolleys Through the Timber) is Richard's newest book, published in 2017. In this book, Richard tells the stories of Oregon's lost or forgotten train systems, most of which ceased to operate by the late 1920's. These systems averaged a little over one mile of track and were often built for a specific use. 

Richard Thompson has done much to document the history of streetcar and railway service in Oregon. Each of his first six books focus on a part of the Portland system, much of which is now part of the city's modern light-rail system, and contain photographs not seen elsewhere. Look for these entertaining and informative books at your local bookstore or on online. You can also reach out personally to Richard by email to: [email protected].