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History Breathes Again: Historic Preservation Update

5/20/2020

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Picture1858 Illustration of the 1841 Jason Lee House, 960 Broadway NE, Salem Oregon [Photo: Salem Public Library Historic Photo Col.]
April 30, 2020 Episode.

Uncovering the record of our lives following early settlement is one of the perks of being the City Archaeologist, according to Kimberli Fitzgerald, who also wears the hat of Salem's Historic Preservation Officer. 

Salem's latest Public Archaeology project is just finishing up at the site of a redevelopment project at 960-990 Broadway Street and E Street NE, just kitty-corner from the historic Boon's Treasury restaurant building. The current owner of the property contacted the City to find out about the history of the site and enthusiastically offered to host an archaeological dig site on the property. [Note: If you'd like to see what's proposed for this site, check out the Salem Planning Commission Staff Report.] 

Although the public archaeology project has just completed, you can check out three videos Kimberli created to document the process: ​Taste of History-Jason Lee Archaeological Site - Part 1; Part 2; and Part 3. 

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Jason Lee house at 960 Broadway NE, Salem OR, 1927 [Photo: WHC 2004.010.0145]
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Restored Jason Lee Mission House at Willamette Heritage Center [Photo: WHC-FB]
This site originally held the 1841 Jason Lee Mission house, the second house Lee built when repeated flooding necessitated relocating the original 1834 settlement from Mission Bottom, just north of Keizer on the Willamette River. The Lee house itself was removed from this site in 1963 as one of Salem's first historic preservation efforts, and then later relocated to the campus of the Willamette Heritage Center where it was restored to its original configuration. You can now tour this building along with other historic buildings that have been relocated to the WHC campus. 
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[Photos: City of Salem Public Works]
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​During this site work, a third inadvertant discovery of sections of the old Scotch Mills millrace occurred. You'll recall the first such discovery was in 2017 at Front Street & Division at the rail crossing, the second during work on the new Police Headquarters at Division & High Streets in 2019, and this new one at Division & Liberty Street. Public records show the entire length of the North Mill Creek millrace was collapsed and covered over in 1924 after numerous complaints about its posing a public safety hazard were lodged.  Evidently, those earlier construction efforts were very husky. 

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Holman Hotel at Commercial & Ferry Streets, Salem Oregon [Photo:WHC 2013.013.0023]

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Proposed Holman Riverfront Park Hotel [Photo: City of Salem]
Another story about history coming alive again is about the Holman Building in downtown Salem. This hotel building was integral in Oregon history as it served as the seat of the territorial and state governments from 1857-1876, following the burning of the second Capitol building (the first capitol also burned). Located at the northwest corner of Ferry & Commercial Street, the Holman was at the very hub of downtown Salem. The Marion Car Park was most recently located on this site. Construction of a new boutique hotel, aptly named the Holman Riverfront Park Hotel, is now underway. The owners plan to showcase its illustrious history with lobby displays.

Since history is a living thing, change becomes inevitable. Sadly, the 1927 Leslie Junior High School on Howard Street SE is being demolished to make room for an expansion of South Salem High School. Many Salemites have fond memories of their school days there, as we've shared in several "Yesterday's Voices" interviews. The Salem-Keizer School District is putting together a memorial book and video and invites you to share those fond memories. You can access that video project here.
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David Leslie Junior High School c1927-1936 [Photo: WHC 1999.013.0004]
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Leslie Middle School [Photo: Salem-Keizer School Distric]
No matter what folks might do in the name of progress, our history is never totally taken away--it just awaits questions from a new audience, a new search for a sense of place, a renewed appreciation of our historic legacy.  Through the efforts of lots of dedicated folks, like Kimberli, the tapestry of our rich heritage is constantly being restored, enlarged and brightened, and protected from the damage of neglectful stewardship. This is the story of us all; we should all care just as much.  
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To listen to the full episode with Kimberli, click here.

​~~Posted by Deb Meaghers

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Historic Treasures: Brunk Farmstead

5/14/2020

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PictureEarly view of Harrison Brunk House on Salem-Dallas Road [Photo: Polk Co. Historical Society]
April 16, 2020 Episode.

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Heading west from Salem on Highway 22 on your way to the coast, you will pass by the historic Brunk Family Pioneer Farmstead on the north side of the highway. This was the second Polk County home for  Harrison & Emily McNary Brunk's family, built in 1861. Their first  homestead was in the boggy Basket Slough area of western Polk County in 1849, where they farmed for 10 years before they acquired better farmland further east. They relocated to the new farm in 1859 and lived in  a log cabin while building this home where their family members would reside until 1974. 

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These photos from the Brunk Farmstead Facebook page depict the area in 1912 (above) and the farm owners c1930 (right). The intersection of Highway 22 and Brunk Road, now Oak Grove Road, where the farmstead sits was referred to as Brunk's  Corner. 
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At that time, Earl Brunk, the last member of that well-known family still living, donated the farmstead to the Polk County Historical Society. The PCHS has been lovingly caring for this fine example of a pioneer farmstead since then. Ann Gage, Education and Outreach Coordinator for PCHS, joined us to tell us about this working museum and to ask for our help in preserving this historic treasure.  
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Historic Brunk Farmstead is both a National Register Historic Property and an Oregon Century Farm [Photo: Brunk House FB Archives]
The Brunk Farmstead is known for its annual events, all now being put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic we're experiencing. The auto clubs' rallies with the cherry desserts from the farm orchard, the annual cider-pressing with heritage apples and desserts, the period technique classes in the blacksmith shop or the craft room, along with many other planned events, are a major fundraiser for this picturesque venue. It is a common misconception that the Polk County Museum & the Brunk Farmstead Museum receive funds from the County, but that is not true--all revenue come from admission fees, donations or grant funds.  All the heritage and cultural venues in our region are experiencing extreme financial stress due to the forced closures. 
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[Photo: PCHS-Brunk House]
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[Photo: PCHS-Brunk House]
The photos above show a planned maintenance project that turned into a larger rehabilitation effort. The beautiful two-story porch that fronted the Brunk House (left) had been leaking and dry rot was detected in a few areas. Grant funds were secured to cover the costs of that work. The project grew exponentially when it was discovered during that work that the entire porch was rotted and would need total replacement. 
Thus began a major fundraising campaign for this small venue, barely off the ground when the Governor's pandemic closure directive was issued. According to a recent Facebook post, through generous donations, they have raised enough funds to begin the Phase 1 planning/drafting component, but still desperately need to secure significant additional funds to begin and then complete the remaining construction work to replace the porch.  You can find information on how you, too, can help preserve this wonderful pioneer farmstead on that Facebook Page.  
All the various heritage venues that preserve and document our history, our stories of who we are and how we got here, have been available for our enrichment because those living before us accepted the responsibility of stewardship. Even though few of us may ever personally be involved in resurrecting and preserving a unique historic resource, we all benefit from our rich historic legacy educationally and economically. It is our ongoing responsibility, both privately and publicly, to secure these treasures for the upcoming generations.  If we cannot understand our history, we have no way to appreciate our future. Please consider investing in your heritage, now!
To listen to the full episode with Ann Gage, click here.
~~Posted by Deb Meaghers
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Making History: Living through a Pandemic

5/8/2020

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PicturePandemic Necessity Invention - Phone Stand/Amplifier & Microphone Modulator, April 2020 [All Photos by Author]
Many historians are encouraging us to chronicle this history-making pandemic event for future generations to look back on, much like the various news media are presently doing by dredging up all the old stories and photos from the Spanish Influenza outbreak of 1918. 

I will certainly remember the Stay Home-Stay Healthy directive that closed the physical locations of most businesses and schools in mid-March. We learned overnight how to telecommute to work, homeschool our children online, and visit with our medical providers via screen devices. As we had previously scheduled guests set to record interviews for our Salem History Matters radio program when it became necessary to close the KMUZ studios, it was time to get creative to allow the recording to proceed.  Thus, my "satellite studio" was developed.

PictureRemote Studio of Salem History Matters, April 2020
You will note by the photos I'm sharing that it was indeed a primitive and temporary solution at best, but it got the job done. We set up a laptop in my home office, placed the cellphone in a glass measuring cup for both proximity to the microphone and amplification. A sturdy woodworking clamp worked as my microphone modulator.

​Both interviews recorded that day have aired successfully, but we don't plan to conduct further interviews in this manner. It is less than ideal to conduct phone interviews as you cannot "read" the guest, nor can you enjoy the back-and-forth flow of conversation that occurs when you are seated together due to the limitations of the technology.  But it was important to get these stories out into the public arena where they can move from person to another.  We'll be airing encore episodes until the real studios can open once again.

As a wordsmith, I am more than tired of hearing the same phraseology repeated over and over, such as "living in unprecedented" or "uncertain" times;" all time is uncertain and unprecedented, not just that within a crisis period.  I've learned that I am truly a "people" person, and this forced physical separation in the name of "social distancing" has been extremely difficult for me, although I fully understand and accept its necessity. All the "video-chats," "virtual hugs" and "air kisses" do not satisfy this need to connect with those we enjoy and love.

Now, five or six weeks (or is it seven or eight--time seems to blur?) into this new life, I have adjusted better and have found ways to feel connected, apart. Not that I'm boasting, but I've completed six 1000-1500-piece jigsaw puzzles single-handedly, which I then swap with my across-the-street neighbors--using the appropriate social distancing, of course--for those they have completed.
It is important for us to document how our lives have changed, how we've adjusted to this "new normal." Just as we love learning about how our ancestors lived, so will our descendants want to know about our crazy times. I personally hope that we will remember the better parts of this crisis--making the unnecessary things and activities obvious to us and clearly marking what is important to each of us, recognizing the wealth of our relationships with family and friends, and that even the smallest acts of kindness can carry immeasurable weight in another's life.

We are being tested. Let's strive for a good outcome--one that lasts for more than a news cycle.  Take care.  We'll be back together yet again.
~~Posted by Deb Meaghers
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    Deb Meaghers and Christy Van Heukelem, historians and authors, are passionate about the history of Salem and the entire mid-Willamette Valley.  We love sharing our enthusiasm for our rich historic legacy with others.  

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