Archives for October 2011

October 24, 1992: OMSI Opens on the Eastside

October 24, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

The new Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) opened to the general public on Saturday, October 24, 1992 (The Oregonian, 25 October 1992).

The $40 million, 210,000 square-foot museum on the east banks of the Willamette River between the Marquam and Hawthorne Bridges is three times larger than its predecessor. Portland General Electric donated the 18.5 acre lot, the former location of a sawdust-fired power plant, to the museum. The smokestack and turbine building of the old plant are incorporated into the new museum complex.

Two years under constructions, the new OMSI, complete with 315-seat OMNIMAX Theater and 200-seat planetarium, replaced the then 35-year-old complex near the Zoo.

In 1994 OMSI took possession of the submarine USS Blueback, and began offering tours that spring.

Night of the Living Ales – Halloween Fest! (29-October-2011)

October 23, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

The 2nd annual Night of the Living Ales takes place on Saturday, October 29, 2011. This year’s fest is a Halloween craft beer, burlesque, fire and live music fest held at Burnside Brewing (701 E. Burnside).

First things first – the beer list:

Burnside Brewing: Permafrost – is Burnside Brewing Co.’s first winter elixir. It’s a big strong ale brewed with 7 different malts and copious amounts of Columbia and Amarillo hops pillowed in the middle to give this warming brew a chewy complex malt body and a unique fruity juicy hoppiness throughout. . . 8.3% abv 77.4 IBU

Burnside Brewing: Peanut Butter Chocolate Alt – A one-off keg of Burnside Brewing’s take on the traditional German-style Alt bier malty and carmelly with reese’s peanut butter cups infused into the beer to complement the creamy body and nutty dry finish . . .

Fort George Brewery: North V – This year we took another Holiday Icon, The Fruitcake, and designed our Winter Seasonal in its’ honor. A mash of barley, oats, wheat, rye, rich caramel and honey malts are mildly spiced with Cascade and Saaz hops, fermented with Fort George House Yeast then allowed to condition on hand-splintered, rum inspired oak. A Glase Fruit concoction that includes cherries, pineapple, orange and lemon peel is dissolved into the finished beer to add the final touches . . . 7.5% abv. IBU’s Hard To Tell

Oakshire Brewing: Big Black Jack (Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter) – Oven roasted pumpkins, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and ginger round out this burly Imperial Porter. Trick…. or Treat?

Lompoc: 2010 Bourbon Barrel Aged Monster Mash – this batch was aged in Bourbon barrels for 11 months and cellared for an additional two. This Imperial Porter has a slight Bourbon aroma with chocolate and licorice flavors finishing with vanilla notes (8% ABV).

Ninkasi Brewing: TBA

Widmer Brothers: TBA

10 Barrel: TBA

Along with the beer, there will be a full bar and drink specials! Also enjoy live music by The Ascetic Junkies and Boy Eats Drum Machine, Halloween-themed burlesque with Meghan Mayhem and Hai Fleisch of Rose City Shimmy, and fire dancers!

The night will be punctuated with costume and amateur burlesque contests with prizes including gift cards and swag from Burnside Brewing.

Costumes are encouraged though not required.

The party goes from 8pm to 1am. Avoid the line with advanced tickets $9.50, or pay $8 at the door. Visit NightOfTheLivingAles.com for more details!

OMSI After Dark: Shaken & Stirred (26-October-2011)

October 23, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

Shaken & Stirred is the theme of this month’s OMSI After Dark on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 from 6 to 10pm.

Treat yourself to childfree, brain-building science fun at OMSI After Dark! Check out live demos, new featured exhibitions, and old favorites. Sample tasty snacks and sweets along with beer and wine, and talk to regional food and beverage artisans about the science behind them. It’s geeks gone wild!

The main event is the Spirits Tasting. Sample liquor from a dozen local distillers, learn the difference between potatoe and wheat vodka, whiskey and scotch, and house aging influences flavor. Tasting tickets, which include a sourvenir shot glass and 10 tokes for samples, are $8 for non-member, $6 for members, and $4 for OMSI After Dark members.

Other activities and presentations include Fortune Telling Fish & Ouija Board, Mummified Animals, a demonstration of an Apple Cider Press, and more!

21 and over only! Admission tickets (the spirit tasting tickets are separate) are $12 for non-members, $6 for members – pre-purchase online. Visit OMSI.edu for more details.

October 23, 1813: Astoria Handed Over to the British

October 23, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

Founded in 1811 when the Astor Expedition landed at the mouth of the Columbia River to establish an outpost of the Pacific Fur Company, Fort Astoria was not a raving success.

When the War of 1812 broke out, the Pacific Fur Company partners present in Astoria decided to cut their losses and avoid a possible military takeover. On October 23, 1813 they sold the post to the British North West Company.

Their actions proved prescient as a few weeks later a British man-of-war arrived to take possession. Fort Astoria was renamed Fort George, and the British retained control of the Northwest fur trade for the next several decades, long after the war ended in 1818.

October 22, 1805: Lewis & Clark Spot the Deschutes River

October 23, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

From their camp near what is now Wishram, Washington, explorers Lewis and Clark traveled down the Columbia River on October 22, 1805 to where another river emptied into it above Celilo Falls.

In their journals they referred to the Columbia River tributary they had spotted by the Indian name Towarnehiooks, and on their return pass in 1806 they spotted it again and named it the Clark River. But the name that ultimately prevailed for the river, the Deschutes, is derived from the fur trader era’s Riviere des Chutes, meaning River of the Falls (Oregon Geographic Names 7TH Edition, by Lewis A. and Lewis L. McArthur). The falls referred to are those on the Columbia – the Deschutes itself is not noted for water falls.

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