Wasco County display at the Oregon State Fair

It’s fair time! And we have a new Flickr Commons set to celebrate the prizes, pies, smiles, and good times had by all at the Oregon State Fair. It has also been the place for county community members to show off their goods, so you’ll find 4-H projects, dog shows, fashion parades, and farm fresh produce.

Boys & Girls Club barn

Much has been written about the history of the fair, including a fabulous book by Steven Robert Heine, aptly named “The Oregon State Fair,” which uses some of our collections (including many images you’ll find here). He says that

Since the first Oregon State Fair was held on four acres along the Clackamas River in the Gladstone/Oregon City area in 1861, the fair has been the focal point of Oregon culture—a place to see and be seen and to compete against the best in the state. It has been a place of victory and a place of discovery for nearly 150 years. For many generations of Oregonians, the fair was a chance for families and friends to reunite and share the excitement of this grand, uniquely Oregon event. Today the fair’s popularity continues and, for 12 days each year, transforms the fairgrounds in Salem into the fifth largest city in the state.

If you want a quick read about the history, the Oregon State Fair site has a Fair History page. Wikipedia also has a short article, Oregon State Fair, which long on links to other pages related to fair history.

Gwen Guthrie of Prineville, 1959

So grab a ticket, a horse, or a wand o’ cotton candy and enjoy!

4-H club members doing a presentation on depth of seeding grass, 1961

Oregon’s geography isn’t limited to just green valleys and wet coasts. This week we explore the 50 year history of extension in the high desert, home to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

4-H leader doing beadwork at the Warms Springs Indian Reservation, circa 1955

The confederation was formed in 1938 and consists of three tribes: the Wasco, Warm Springs and Paiute. The reservation upon which they currently reside was created, by treaty, in 1855 and as of 2003 is home to over 4000 tribal members. It encompasses 1,019 square miles (640,000 acres) bounded by Mt. Jefferson and the Deschutes River from west to east and the Mutton Mountains and the Metolius River, from north to south. The reservation lies primarily in parts of Wasco and Jefferson County but small parts fall into six other counties.

Breaking wild horses at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, circa 1950

The Warm Springs Extension Service has always placed a large emphasis on education, with numerous outreach programs aimed at both adult and youth audiences. Many of the photos included in this set showcase these programs in action with training in: Family and Community Health Development, Agriculture Resources and 4-H. With current tribal unemployment rates at 40% the goal of these programs is to “increase job/income opportunities from natural resources and agriculture and supporting Reservation youth to be productive contributing members.” OSU Extension is working closely with Tribal Council committees and Education and Natural Resource branchs to achieve these goals.

Mary Anne Crocker measures the hem of a skirt for a young homemaker on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, circa 1955

My thanks go to Daniel Pearson, one of our fabulous student workers in the OSU Archives for writing this post! And thanks to my daughter for picking the pictures! A budding historian, a budding archivist, both Flickr fans.

Golden King corn stalks, 1933

If you head just south of Corvallis, you’ll bump into Lane County, which was established in January 1851 and named for the territory’s first governor, Joseph Lane. And if you head to Flickr Commons this week, you’ll bump into a new set of images from Extension in Lane County!

Cleaning Wheat, 1932

Historically, the economy was based on timber and agriculture. “Timber became important because the county is on the edge of Oregon’s largest stand of timber… [and] [a]griculture grew because of the fertile soil and moderate climate that exists in the Willamette Valley, making it one of the most productive farming areas in the nation” (Lane County Historical Records Guide). The reductions in timber harvesting and the affect for a continued population growth on agricultural areas, has changed the economic focus of the county. It is “predicted to shift away from forestry to services, manufacturing of transportation equipment, printing and publishing, and trade. A major economic asset for the county is the University of Oregon in Eugene. Finally, with access to the mountains and the coast, tourism adds to the county’s economic vitality” (Lane County Historical Records Guide).

Lane County farm labor office staff, 1944

Extension in Lane County offers a variety of online educational resources that help Oregonians solve problems and lead better lives, including programs in nutrition education, food preservation, farming, and home gardening ( Lane County Extension). Unfortunately, the defeat of Measure 20-158 in 2010 left OSU Extension Service in Lane County “without adequate local funding to continue existing operations. Extension is now making plans to reassign its Lane County faculty to other locations, lay off its local support staff and shut down all local programs that are not financially self-sustaining” OSU, “Extension makes plans for Lane County office closure”. Extension now offers programs online or in partnership with neighboring counties.

4-H summer camp Rand, Josephine County, circa 1940

Head down to the southwest Oregon counties of Jackson and Josephine and you’ll find farming, timber, and a whole lot of history! It’s time for a new Flickr Commons set featuring images called “Extension in the Rogue Valley,” full of fun ones showing life at the bottom part of the state.

May Day with people around the May Pole, 1920

Even before the first European American settlers arrived, “the river valley was inhabited by the Shasta, Takelma, and Rogue River tribes of Native Americans” (Wikipedia Rogue Valley). Highlighting the regional pioneers, the Southern Oregon Visitors Association features the stories of the early settlements (Southern Oregon Visitors Association: History). However, frankly put, the “Oregon Donation Land Law benefited incoming whites and dispossessed Indian tribes,” with the pioneer settlers and native Oregon tribes waging bloody battles between 1836 and 1856 (Oregon History Project, Subtopic: The Great Divide: Resettlement and the New Economy: Oregon Donation Land Law). You can read more about the Oregon Donation Law Act on the Oregon Encyclopedia page.

Home-made crop duster on car, Jackson County, circa 1935

Now the largest communities in the Rogue Valley include Medford, Ashland, and Grants Pass. The region is a popular spot for retirees and home to the famous Shakespeare festival.

Portable Community Cannery, circa 1915

Josephine County, at the very bottom of the state bordering California, was created by the Territorial Legislature in 1856. And the Josephine County Extension has been part of the county since 1916, offering programs in 4-H, Family & Community, Forestry & Natural Resources, Horticulture, Livestock & Forage, and Small Farms. According to the Oregon County Historical Records Guide, it was “named for Josephine Rollins, the first white woman to settle in southern Oregon.” Somewhat ironically, the Josephine County Historical Records Guide reports that “[a]lthough several Indian tribes lived in the area from which Josephine County was created, most of their members had been moved to reservations by 1856.” The county was also the home to a large Chinese population. “Most had come to the area to work gold claims purchased from whites no longer interested in working them” and even though they could not own their own land they had to pay a tax to mine gold and were found themselves downgraded to inferior claims (Oregon County Historical Records Guide). Did the word “gold” spark your interest and make you curious about the economy? “Most of the commercial activity during the territorial period centered on gold mining and the supply of provisions to miners,” and miners had been active in the Rogue and Illinois Valleys since 1851; however, “by the late 1850s, however, gold mining was beginning to decline and population dwindled as well” and then in 1859, “gold was discovered along the Fraser River in British Columbia and an exodus from Josephine County occurred” (Oregon County Historical Records Guide). Ending with a blast from the past from a roadtrip I took ages ago, in researching Josephine County I was reminded of the “Grants Pass Caveman” – anyone seen this? RoadsideAmerica.com gives us this fun description: “North of the Redwood Highway and California, an imposing representation of primitive man has guarded the entrance to Grants Pass since 1971, when the town’s ‘Caveman Club’ erected him. The caveman is 17-ft. tall, on a rock pedestal. He was created by International Fiberglass (Muffler Men makers) to celebrate a strange brand of town boosterism that started in 1922. Local businessmen would don furs and animal skins, marching down Main Street brandishing their ceremonial spiky caveman clubs. The activity was to promote caverns at nearby Cave Junction” (roadsideamerica.com). While you are in the area looking for more history, check out the Josephine Historical Society!

Picking crew, Jackson County, ca. 1918

Just to the east of Josephine you’ll find Jackson County, created in 1852 and named for President Andrew Jackson. Similar to the history of Josephine County, the region was home to the Modoc, Shasta, Rogue River, and Umpqua Indian tribes, but “in the early 1850s, both the Klickitats from the north and the Deschutes from the south raided and settled the area (Oregon County Historical Records Guide). However, the discovery of gold in the 1850s and a completed wagon road that connected the county with California to the south and Douglas County to the north also led to an influx of non-native settlers; “conflict between the Americans and Indians led to war in 1856 resulting in hundreds of casualties and the removal of the Rogue River tribe to the Siletz Reservation” and the transfer of several small bands of Indians to the Grande Ronde Reservation west of Salem (Oregon County Historical Records Guide). To learn more about the history of this region, make a trip (virtually or in person, to theSouthern Oregon Historical Society. Moving from the county history of the 1800s to the county present of the 2011s, we find a place with an economy based on industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and recreation. If you are travelling there, make sure you hit the major points of interest, including that great Shakespearean Festival, Historic Jacksonville, Southern Oregon University, the Peter Britt Music Festival, the Rogue River, Lithia Park, and the Crater Lake Highway. And moving from seeing sites to celebrating Extension, look to the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center (SOREC) to find services in the county, as it is Jackson County’s partner with OSU for Extension Services. Through SOREC, you can find information on 4-H Youth, Small Farms, Master Gardeners, Family and Community Health, Family Food Educator Volunteers, Forestry, Land Stewardship and Commercial Horticulture.

Eggs, Roseburg, Douglas County, circa 1925

As any Oregonian will tell you, around here we don’t go to the “beach” — we go to the “coast.” But in the interest of avoiding jargon, I’ll say that this week, we’re heading to the surf for a Flickr Commons set with Extension photos from Coos, Curry, and Douglas counties! And no, not a wave in sight…

Nutrition demonstration for mothers and infants, circa 1945

This is a wonderful description of Coos County, from the Oregon Historical County Records Guide, “Coos County is situated in the southwestern part of Oregon. It is bounded by Douglas County on the north and east, by Curry County on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west.” Given its location on the edge of the ocean, there are several port districts in the county, including the Port of Coos Bay (1909), the Port of Coquille River (1912), and the Port of Bandon (1913). “Coos Bay is considered the best natural harbor between San Francisco Bay and the Puget Sound (Oregon Historical County Records Guide). Although the area between Coos Bay, Jacksonville, and Roseburg is quite mountainous county, “it has considerable areas suitable for agriculture and dairy farming,” but timber and fishing have been the foundation of the county’s economy – and not surprisingly “the area also has produced large quantities of shellfish” (Oregon Historical County Records Guide). The diverse programs and support offered through the Coos County Extension Officereflect the land and economies.

Arnold Ebert of KOAC interviewing a cow, 1950

Another coastal county, Curry is at the very bottom of our great big state! TheOregon Historical County Records Guide, informs us that “initially it was proposed that the new county be name after Captain William Tichenor, council member from Port Orford. However, he declined because his constituents wanted to honor the territorial governor, George Law Curry.” In addition to the expected “water-based” economy, Curry County is also known for “blueberries, horticultural nursery stock, and ninety percent of all Easter lilies raised in the United States” (Oregon Historical County Records Guide). And that’s not all! Gold Beach isn’t just in honor of the sparkling sands; “in 1852 explorers discovered gold and other precious metals in the rivers and along the beaches of this area” (Oregon Historical County Records Guide). Serving Curry County since 1930, the Extension Office is rich with 4-H resources, info about agriculture & livestock, programs for home economics and forestry, as well as robust Sea Grant Marine Science, Family Food Education, and Master Gardener programs (Curry County Extension Office).

Douglas County Fat Lamb Show, ca. 1934

“The entire watershed of the Umpqua River lies within the boundaries of Douglas County,” and the county is known for being “heavily timbered” with “nearly 1.8 million acres of commercial forest lands and one of the oldest stands of old growth timber in the world” (Oregon Historical County Records Guide) . But people in the county also maintain field crops, orchards, and livestock, an economy reflected in the (Douglas County Extension Office outreach and education efforts.

Arriving at a community meeting, 1923

According to the Oregon Historical County Records Guide, “the early history of Douglas County was closely tied to that of Umpqua County,” with Umpqua being created in 1851 quickly reached population requirements for a new, it split in two – with the new one being Douglas. The county was named for U. S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, known as an advocate for Oregon statehood. However, like many counties in Oregon, the history of the place is more complicated than establishing a county seat and naming the area. The Umpqua Indians of the Umpqua Valley were living on the land slated for “settlement,” and although most tribal members were moved by the government to the Siletz and Grande Ronde Indian Reservations following the Rogue River Indian War in 1856, some escaped and now form the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians (see Douglas County Historical Records Guide and Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians “Cow Creek Story” site).

Vanda Winegar, 14 with the banana nut bread which she made in 4-H, Redmond Deschutes County, Oregon, 1961

We’re serving up some treats … Head to the center of our great state with this set to celebrate the Extension Centennial, Flickr-style! Full of fun images from Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties, the Extension in Central Oregon set shows the work, play, and marvelous range of things to eat in these counties.

Lynne Breese with campers at 4-H Camp, Crook County, 1986

This is an old one! According to the (Oregon Historical County Records Guide, “Crook County was established on October 24, 1882. It was created from the southern part of Wasco County and named after U.S. Army Major-General George Crook, a hero of the Snake Indian Wars.” OSU Extension Service was established in Crook County in 1914. “The Extension Service is a part of Oregon State University and provides lifelong learning opportunities in the areas of Agriculture, 4H/Youth Development, Families and Community Development, Forestry, Horticulture, Leadership Development and Marine/Fisheries” (Crook County Extension Office).

Redmond Potato Show, Deschutes County, 1915

Named for the river that flows through the county, “Deschutes” comes from the phrase Riviere des Chutes, which was used by early fur traders and means “River of the Falls.” Deschutes County was created from the western portion of Crook County in 1916. The county seat is in Bend, a name that is derived from “Farewell Bend,” a designation “used by early pioneers to refer to the location along the Deschutes River where the town eventually was platted” (Oregon Historical County Records Guide). The chief industries are tourism, timber, and agriculture (mainly cattle and potatoes) and the County Extension Office reflects this with its focus on 4-H, family & home, farms & acreage, forestry & natural resources, and home garden & landscape.

Jefferson Seed Growers Association sprayer truck in parade 1949, Farm Machinery

Another portion of Crook split in 1914 to form Jefferson County. “The county was named after Mount Jefferson, the second highest peak in Oregon with an elevation of 10,497 feet, which marks the county’s western skyline” (Oregon Historical County Records Guide). There is a lot going on in Jefferson County! According to the Oregon Historical County Records Guide for Jefferson, the main industries are agriculture, forest products, and recreation. “The fertile North Unit Irrigation District in the central part of the county produces seed, potatoes, hay, and mint. The eastern part of the county has dry wheat farming and grazing land for cattle, and the western part is timber country. Warm Springs Forest Product Industries and Kah-Nee Ta Vacation Resort, owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, provide many jobs in the area. The reservation is located on portions of land in four counties including 236,082 acres in the northwestern corner of Jefferson County” (Oregon Historical County Records Guide). What about Extension? “Extension has been part of Jefferson County since 1935, providing the community with research-based knowledge and education. Educational programs are provided in the areas of 4-H youth, agriculture, small acreages, home and commercial landscape, livestock and range, family and community development and leadership training” (Jefferson County Extension Office).

Side view of the Montana or Beaver slide stacker, Harney County 1941

The new Flickr Commons set “Extension in South Eastern Oregon” has to open with this question:

What’s a Beaverslide?

And then, perhaps, it needs to end with this one (c/o the Eastern Oregon Visitors Association) most frequently exclaimed by visitors:

Wow, is this really Oregon?

With a flair for the flair, the EOVA gives us this delightful description of the region:

Rugged desert landscapes, vast open spaces, sparkling night skies, and the pungent scent of sage make it hard to fit much of this region into the usual image of the state. But it IS Oregon! If only one word were used to sum up this magnificent state, it would be “diverse.”

Of course, we tend to focus on the history, right? And EOVA has that covered too

The region’s heritage is also diverse. Native Americans, cowboys, Basque sheepherders, Japanese farmers, and European settlers: many cultures have left a mark on this land and continue to thrive here.

Sheep shearing in Lakeview, Lake County, Oregon, ca. 1926

We start in Lake County, located in the high desert south central region of Oregon. It is named for the many lakes found within its boundaries, “including Lake Abert, Hart Lake Reservoir, and Goose Lake. While Lake is among Oregon’s largest counties, it is sparsely populated with 7,895 residents in 2010” (Wikipedia, Lake County). In addition to info about economics, demographics, and geography, the Wikipedia article on Lake County includes facts about Pre-Columbian inhabitants of the region; 19th C European traders, explorers, and military expeditions; significant populations of Basque and Irish sheepherders; and homesteaders. The County Extension Service has been providing research-based, informal educational programs for Oregonians since 1911, with programs focusing on Agriculture, Family and Community Health, and 4-H Youth Development.

Lake County Drum and Bugle Corp, May 22, 1949

Also in the high desert country in the southeast portion of the state, “Harney County was created from the southern two-thirds of Grant County on February 25, 1889” (Oregon County Records Guide). It’s the largest county in Oregon and with industries of cattle raising, sheep raising, and timber traditionally providing the county’s economic base. The Oregon County Records Guide gives us this great fun fact:

The small community of Drewsey in northeastern Harney County had a more colorful original name. Storeowner Abner Robbins named the place Gouge Eye in 1883, probably as a reference to the frontier method of dispute resolution. Postal authorities took a dim view of the name and it later changed.

The Harney County Extension offers its own fun through educational programs and resources that focus on Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H/Youth Development, and Family Living. And, if you are in the mood to read more about Basques in Harney County, look through the “Guide to the Basques of Harney County, Oregon, Oral History Collection, 1976-2001.”

Morrow County, Eat more Lamb campaign, ca. 1930

Compared to the rainy Willamette Valley of Western Oregon, the climate of the Eastern side of the state is a drier continental climate, with much greater temperature variations. As you’ll see from the pictures from the counties in our new Flickr Commons set, Extension in Northeastern Oregon, (aka Morrow, Grant, Wallowa, and Umatilla counties), the region is home to cattle that graze, wheat that grows, and bees that buzz.

4-H Tour, Grant County, Mt. Range scene

For folks who have visited Oregon and traversed the state east/west or west/east, you know that the Cascades mountain range is a significant geographic feature! Historically, this meant that the Eastern region has been relatively isolated from Western Oregon.

“Early settlers floated down the Columbia River from The Dalles to reach Western Oregon. In 1845, Sam Barlow built a road around the south side of Mount Hood, which served as the final leg of the Oregon Trail. The Applegate Trail and Santiam Wagon Road were constructed soon after, connecting eastern and western Oregon in the southern and central parts of the state. In the early 20th century, Samuel Hill built the Columbia River Highway, allowing automobiles to pass through the Columbia River Gorge … Railroads began to be important as early as 1858 with the construction of the Oregon Portage Railroad” (Wikipedia, Eastern Oregon).

Tug-of-War, Morrow County, ca. 1922

According to the Morrow County Extension Office,

“Morrow County is a rural north-eastern Oregon county, bordered the Columbia River at its Northern end and timbered by the Umatilla National forest on the southern border with stretches of desert, hills, flat-lands and creeks lying between.”

And, not surprisingly, the “major industries in Morrow County include timber, energy, food processing and a variety of agricultural crops including corn, potatoes, watermelons, grapes, wheat, canola, sheep, cattle and dairy products.” The Oregon Historical County Records Guide notes that, like many other counties in Oregon, Morrow was created from the western portion of Umatilla County and a small portion of eastern Wasco County in 1885, named for Jackson Lee Morrow,

“an early settler in the area and member of the Legislative Assembly when the county was created … [the city of] Heppner was almost destroyed by a flood on June 14, 1903. The flood was precipitated by a sudden cloudburst and accompanying hail that caused a dam collapse and flash flooding. A wall of water and debris swept down the creeks and canyons and through the town. It has been estimated that 247 people were drowned. Property damage was reported at nearly $1,000,000. The nearby towns of Ione and Lexington also sustained significant damage.”

O.T. McWhorter, extension horticulturist, talking to a group of fruit growers in Milton-Freewater, Umatilla County, ca. 1929

Umatilla, the county with my favorite county name, was created in September 1862 out of a portion of Wasco County. According to the Oregon Historical County Records Guide, “Umatilla is an Indian term meaning ‘rippling water’ or ‘water rippling over sand’ and has provided the name both for the county and its major river.” Also according to the County Records Guide, the

“Umatilla Indian Reservation was established by the Treaty of Walla Walla in 1855. It became an 800 square mile home for the Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Cayuse tribes and is located immediately southeast of Pendleton.”

Umatilla County’s fertile land helps provide a strong agricultural base for the economy, with fruit, grain, timber, cattle, and sheep as important agricultural products. And for rodeo fans everywhere, make sure you travel in September to see the Pendleton Round-Up — let’er buck! Extension in the county is strong, with a commitment to connecting with the community through meetings, workshops, 4-H Youth Programs, short courses, tours, newsletters and one-on-one consultations.

Hay rake, Grant County, ca. 1944

Grant County, established in October 1864 and named for General Ulysses S. Grant (famous as a commander of the Union Army during the Civil War and stationed at Fort Vancouver). The county is home to the headwaters of the John Day River, a history of gold rushing after gold was discovered on Whiskey Flat, and The Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site. The Kam Wah Chung site in John Day

“explores the legacy of the Chinese workforce in Oregon. The site is based in a rustic building that was constructed as a trading post along the Dalles Military Road in the mid-1800s. Here Chinese herbal doctor Ing Hay administered traditional Chinese remedies to the Chinese gold-mine workers, pioneers, and others from a wide area… The museum contains thousands of artifacts and relics that illustrate the many uses of the site until the 1940s, including service as a general store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, Chinese temple, and home” (Grant County, Oregon Historical County Records Guide).

Like other counties in this region, the main industries are agriculture, livestock, forestry, and recreation. This is reflected in the services of the Grant County Extension Office, with a focus on agriculture, horticulture, range, forestry, youth development, family & community health, and nutrition & food preservation.

Wallowa County Livestock club member

Wallowa County was established in February 1887 out of the eastern portion of Union County. This county, in the tippy top northeast corner of the state is known for its agriculture, livestock, lumber, tourism, and recreation. It is also the place where, in 1877,

“the younger Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, incensed at the government’s attempt to deprive his people of the Wallowa Valley, refused to be moved to an Idaho reservation. Several regiments of United States troops were dispatched to force him onto the reservation. After a number of battles and a thousand-mile retreat, Chief Joseph was compelled to surrender. He and the remnants of his band were removed to Oklahoma and later were relocated to a reservation in Washington State” (Wallowa County, Oregon Historical County Records Guide).

The Extension office in Wallowa is an excellent resource for publications pertaining to the history of the county, as well as the agriculture, industry, and the “Wallowa County Nez Perce Tribe Salmon Habitat Recovery Plan and Multi-Species Strategy.”