Mural of Lewelling's Meeting with the Native Americans, located in Milwaukie OR January 5, 2017 Episode.
Salem's "cherry" history began in 1847 when pioneer nurseryman Henderson Lewelling left Salem, Iowa, with 700 tiny fruit tree plants intent on starting an orchard and plant nursery in the Oregon Territory. Some 350 trees survived the trip across the Oregon Trail (thanks in part to some foresighted Native Americans) and were planted on his land donation claim along the Willamette River near present-day Milwaukie. Among those surviving plants were apples, pears, and cherries, which most likely were the original stock for many of our famous orchards throughout the state.
Salem's "cherry" history began in 1847 when pioneer nurseryman Henderson Lewelling left Salem, Iowa, with 700 tiny fruit tree plants intent on starting an orchard and plant nursery in the Oregon Territory. Some 350 trees survived the trip across the Oregon Trail (thanks in part to some foresighted Native Americans) and were planted on his land donation claim along the Willamette River near present-day Milwaukie. Among those surviving plants were apples, pears, and cherries, which most likely were the original stock for many of our famous orchards throughout the state.
Lewelling brought with him the Napoleon Bigarreau cherry which he renamed the "Royal Anne" (the reason for which no one yet has been able to ferret out) that would become the most profitable variety in Oregon. In 1850, Henderson's brothers Seth and Alfred, fresh from unsucessful gold mining in California, joined the business. By 1851, they had propagated 18,000 trees and were able to establish additional plant nurseries in Salem and Albany. Seth developed several more cherry varieties, culminating in the "Bing," which he named after his Chinese friend and crew foreman. The Bing cherry debuted at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia where people mistook the fruit for crabapples due to their large size. The cherries were in high demand and sold for 3 cents each!
Lewelling sold the orchard part of his business to a former worker, Joseph H. Lambert, in 1857, who went on to develop another dark cherry, the "Lambert," in 1870. Mr. Lambert would eventually own the largest cherry orchard in the world, Lambert Cherry Company, located in the Waldo Hills-MacLeay area of east Salem.
Lewelling sold the orchard part of his business to a former worker, Joseph H. Lambert, in 1857, who went on to develop another dark cherry, the "Lambert," in 1870. Mr. Lambert would eventually own the largest cherry orchard in the world, Lambert Cherry Company, located in the Waldo Hills-MacLeay area of east Salem.
The title "Cherry City of the World" was officially bestowed on Salem in 1907 during the 5th annual convention of Pacific Coast Association of Nurserymen, after viewing what they declared "the greatest and finest display of cherries known in history." Salem, however, had been celebrating its favorite fruit as far back as 1903. The first Cherry Fair was a three-day celebration sponsored by the Salem Elks Lodge in the summer of 1903 and included a queen's coronation and ball, a parade of decorated automobiles, contests and games at the Fairgrounds, and boat races on the river.
Participating in the decorated automobile parade, c1908. The Salem Board of Trade sponsored the Cherry Fair from 1908 to 1912. In 1913, sponsorship was turned over to a newly formed organization of area businessmen, the Salem Cherrians. Except for three years during WWII when Salem was under blackout regulations, the Cherry Fair was held annually until about 1950. One of the annual events was the Cherry Blossom Auto Tour which followed mapped routes to view the showiest blossoms in the west and south hills. The Cherrians were also responsible for our first community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in 1913--the first community lighting of a living Christmas tree in the nation. For more information on the Cherrians, check out our Spotlight on History page.
Postcard showing the Patton Orchards, c1910 Cherries were transported covered in ice by rail to the eastern markets, as there were few canneries in the Salem area. When Robert S. Wallace opened his Salem Canning Company in 1890, cherries were the initial pack. Newly developed refrigerated railcars began transporting the fresh fruit in the 1920s. By 1928, Salem boasted 2500 acres of cherries and 12 canneries. Farmer cooperatives like Salem Cherry Growers Association, who would launch the first brined maraschino cherry in 1927, Producers Cooperative, and Willamette Cherry Growers formed to handle the needs of the fluctuating market. When the demand for cherries dropped significantly with the beginning of the Great Depression in 1930, many of the canneries, including the 53-member Willamette Cherry Growers, began brining the surplus cherries. Willamette Cherry Growers became well-known for its maraschino cherries, brined using the new method developed by Oregon Agricultural College (later OSU), rather than the previous process imported from Italy. This industry continues to thrive in current times, nestling into gourmet chocolates or topping off ice cream sundaes and banana splits with a perfect dollop of red drippy sweetness.
Salem continues to be call itself the Cherry City. Just a short finger-stroll through the phone book gives evidence of numerous business names reflecting our cherry heritage. Even our mass transit system is fondly referenced by its familiar name, the Cherriots. And every year, photographs of the massive cherry blossom display at the Capitol Mall pervade the media. After all, how many of us still find ourselves stolling along those blossom-strewn sidewalks every March, ready to welcome Spring after another Oregon winter? I'll never tell...
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