1858 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.
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.
 Jason Lee house at 960 Broadway NE, Salem OR, 1927 [Photo: WHC 2004.010.0145] |  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.
 | [Photos: City of Salem Public Works] |  |
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.
 Holman Hotel at Commercial & Ferry Streets, Salem Oregon [Photo:WHC 2013.013.0023]  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.
 David Leslie Junior High School c1927-1936 [Photo: WHC 1999.013.0004] |  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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