I was initially struck by the fact that Salem is not a listening post. Wonder what that means? It is the state capital and home to the State Capitol, right?

Jeff, thanks for posting this. I'll reprint here what I put in my survey:

The most important thing that could be accomplished in order to commemorate Oregon's 150th is to develop a stable, long-term funding scheme for heritage organisations, large and small. State support for Oregon's heritage institutions is a disgrace. While many heritage organisations are doing good work, they do so on a shoe string and, in the absence of public funding, have become increasingly dependent on private sources. While private sources should continue to be a part of the funding mix, excess dependence on individual,corporate and foundation support has significant consequences. Foundations and businesses tend to support short-term projects, leaving heritage institutions struggling to maintain ongoing programs and operations. Meanwhile, dependence on wealthy individuals and families for support influences the types of projects that go forward, which may not reflect a broader view of the state and its history. If Oregon 150 truly wants to have a lasting impact, it should focus its efforts on supporting and helping to coordinate the work done by existing heritage institutions. Additionally, a commitment to teaching Oregon history in schools and a coordinated plan for doing so would be an important and lasting contribution--far more important in the long run than a monument or a party.

I agree with folks here that we'll regret this if we fail to capitalize on this opportunity. (The "party" comment was just to be lighthearted.) I was actually deeply disappointed that the Lewis and Clark bicentennial wasn't more substantial. I've been fascinated for years about the centennial celebration, and had hoped for at least an echo of that. It had a profound effect on the state and City of Portland.

I am a transplant to Oregon, having arrived in 1986 as a college freshman. I have visited most regions and quite a few states and have found nothing of the verve, independence, foresight, and community I've found in Oregon. I hope we do something worthy of the state.

As to OHS, my wife recently worked there, and one of the things she did (can't recall the impetus) was to speak with other state historical societies. She didn't survey a huge number, but the ones she did speak to were shocked that OHS was independent. I think Oregonians should also be shocked that not a dime of their taxes go to preserve our incredibly rich heritage. Worse, because OHS is independent, Oregonians don't actually own their own heritage--thanks to the shortsightedness of the cost-cutting legislature, our history is now in private hands. (Not to say that OHS is in any way irresponsible, but just functionally, this is rather shocking.)

Oregon has an annual budget of 5-6 billion (depending on revenues)--is it weird that not even the modest grant of $1 million previously alloted to OHS now goes there?

I support Rachael and Aubrey's thoughtful contibutions to your column Jeff. Improve the funding stream of heritage organizations and significantly strengthen the part of the curriculum devoted to Oregon history. Map the curriculum so that a sequencial approach, over a number of school years would be included in social studies classes at the elementary level, with an indepth look at chunks of Oregon's history are taught in the middle and high school years. It's always bothered me that students are not aware of the Klan's influence, Unions formed in the logging camps, First Citizens, racial tensions, Wayne Morse or Deb Potts.

Public Schools in Oregon could spend a entire year on the 150th, much like the year students spent celebrating/learning/ and reinacting the 1776 centennial. Jeff, your post starts a good conversation..thanks.

JB, no dispute, but one clarification: until recently (don't know the specifics) OHS got somewhere in the neighborhood of a million dollars (and the budget was maybe six million??).

To preface these long-winded comments, and in the interests of full disclosure, I should say that I'm a former OHS employee, and also worked on the L&C bicentennial plans at Lewis & Clark College a few years ago.

Aubrey, I agree that the current political climate doesn’t bode well for improving the public funding situation—but the sesquicentennial does provide an opportunity to highlight the problem and engage both legislators and the public in finding solutions.

Jeff, regarding state funding for OHS: the first major crunch in state funding for OHS came in the aftermath of ballot measure 5 in the 1990s, when the state contribution to OHS was significantly reduced. The final blow came in 2003 (I think--this is coming from memory), when the state stopped contributing to OHS entirely, for the first time in nearly a century.

Oregon's lack of support for its state historical society is appalling, and does have a telling impact on OHS' effectiveness in comparison with other state historical societies. For a striking contrast, take a look at the Missouri Historical Society. St. Louis residents provide financial support through a citywide Zoo-Museum Tax District, which in 2005 provided $9.4 million of MHS’s $14.4 million budget. Admission to the museum and library is free, excepting special exhibitions. Over 327,000 people visited MHS in 2005, while outreach programs in other parts of the state reached over 71,000 people. St. Louis, as the jumping-off place for the L&C expedition, was a key player in the bicentennial commemoration. All of St. Louis's major cultural institutions--arts, heritage, science museums, etc.--came together to plan and implement what was clearly the best of the commemorations held during the bicentennial period.

The contrast: OHS receives no state funding, and (I believe) no longer receives support from either Multnomah County or the City of Portland. Excepting a few federal and state short-term grants, OHS is entirely dependent on foundations, private individuals, and members for support. In recent years, OHS has closed two significant programs: its Oral History Program and the OHS Press (as mentioned by JB above)—both highly respected programs that filled a unique niche in preserving and disseminating Oregon history. OHS's admission fees are now $10 for adults, $8 for seniors/college students, and $5 for children (the L&C exhibit had an additional charge). Prices have risen significantly over the past few years. And, while I don't have access to current OHS budget or visitor figures, even with the boost from the L&C exhibit they are likely to be significantly smaller than those in Missouri.

As for Oregon’s participation in the L & C bicentennial, Jeff is not the only one to express some disappointment. From my own experience of the bicentennial planning period, I can say that lack of adequate financial resources compounded the difficulty of bringing together the many disparate organisations, large and small, who had an interest in the commemoration. Bicentennial planning was marred by a high level of factionalism—and given that experience, I also find it interesting that Oregon 150’s current leadership does not include a representative from OHS (though Chet Orloff, the interim treasurer, is a former OHS executive director).

I don’t mean to suggest that all of the challenges facing OHS come down to the lack of public funding. The institution is currently seeking a new executive director, having had a series of interim and/or short-lived execs since Orloff’s departure in 2000. Over the years it has had sometimes strained relations with other heritage organisations in the state, and recent funding crises have not improved communication. The organization has an aging membership and has done little to expand its ranks to include new generations or reflect the state’s increasingly diverse population. While it has many extremely talented staff, a committed volunteer corps, and amazing collections, OHS has yet to prove itself relevant to much of the population. Indeed, most Portlanders don’t even know where OHS is. (FYI, it’s across the Park Blocks from the Portland Art Museum. You know, the building with the Lewis & Clark murals.) Nevertheless, the lack of sustained public support has had a negative impact on OHS and other heritage institutions, limiting their ability to reach out to citizens and make the case for the relevance of Oregon heritage to current events and to our future development.

One area in which OHS has done good work, and that should be a key resource in the discussion about teaching Oregon history in schools, is the Oregon History Project. Go to and click on the education tab to navigate there—it’s a great site for anyone interested in Oregon history.

As to public stewardship of Oregon heritage, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that the Oregon State Archive and Oregon State Parks are significant, publicly funded heritage institutions.

<h2>Rachael, that is a fantastic summary of OHS. I wouldn't mind seeing it as a post here. Thanks for the rich info.</h2>