Carlee WrightOregon State Archives hosts open house on October 26, 2019, to celebrate new exhibit ‘Rust, Rot, & Ruin: Stories of Oregon Ghost Towns.’
Explore Oregon history during American Archives Month. Held in October, it’s an opportunity to learn about the importance of historic documents and records, as well as the archivists who do this work.
The Oregon State Archives holds our state government’s permanent historic records, from the restored original Oregon constitution and legislative records to historic birth, death, marriage and divorce records for genealogy research to probate records, some county records and Oregon State Agency records.
“Many of these records can include incredible pictures, audio, and of course paper records telling the history of our government,” Kelsey Quinn, Records Management Analyst, said. “One of my personal favorites is an audio cassette we have for a press conference interviewing the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. A fascinating glimpse into our history.”
The Oregon State Archives organizes exhibits twice a year, one from fall to spring and the other from spring to fall. The coming display, just in time for Halloween, is titled Rust, Rot, & Ruin: Stories of Oregon Ghost Towns.
“Oregon has hundreds of abandoned settlements, mining camps and company towns across the state, and we at the Archives want to exhibit the rich history of a choice few of these decrepit places. Each town is a unique story of dashed hopes and sundered dreams – each is a tombstone where a frontier community failed. These towns and the forces which slew them were tied to advances in science, industry, and transportation that changed the face of Oregon,” Kelsey said. “ In eulogizing these lost places, we will examine the historic factors which contributed to their rise and fall, the people who called them home, and what of their remains lie scattered across the state.”
Oregon State Archives will host an open house showcasing the new exhibit and featuring a presentation from local author Steve Arndt, who will discuss the topic of his most recent book, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on October 26, 2019. There will also be games, snacks and tours.
The Oregon State Archives
800 Summer St NE
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday
Info: 503-378-5260
Check-in online
“October 2 is #askanarchivist day where we all take to our social media and answer questions people may have about our work, how we do it or what our favorite/oldest document might be,” added Kelsey.
Header Image: Old buildings and equipment in the ghost town of Shaniko. (Oregon State Archives, 2019)
This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 9 (Oct/Nov 2019)
The Instigator
