Dave Knows Portland

History Pub: Stories from our Native Ancestors (27 July 2015)

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Stories from Our Native Ancestors: Killing Bigfoot, The Giant Beaver, The Coast Range Goblin and How Clam Got His EyesStories from Our Native Ancestors: Killing Bigfoot, The Giant Beaver, The Coast Range Goblin and How Clam Got His Eyes is the latest History Pub, on Monday, 27 July 2015 at the Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd).

Presenters Dr. Jason T. Younker, Associate Professor of Anthropology and assistant vice president and advisor to the president on sovereignty and government-to-government relations at the University of Oregon, is a member of the Coquille Indian Tribe. Dr. David G. Lewis, an educator, author, and anthropologist, is a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon.

For most western Oregon tribes, their generation is the last to have lived part o their life as a terminated Indian. Despite great cultural loss, many things endured. Stories about their existence and landscape are but a few. In the presentation, they will share stories about the creatures of western Oregon that have lived on land and in culture for generations stretching far back into the past.

History Pub is free, and open to all ages. Doors open at 6 PM, and the talk begins at 7 PM.

Stumptown Stories: Gimme that old-time religion … on second thought, don’t. (13 April 2015)

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Stumptown Stories: Gimme that old-time religion ... on second thought, don't.

Gimme that old-time religion … on second thought, don’t. is the title of the 13 April 2015 edition of Stumptown Stories hosted by the Sellwood Public House (8132 SE 13th).

There’s some weird stuff in the back pages of Oregon’s spiritual past. On this Monday night presentation, pop historians Joe Streckert and Finn J.D. John will talk about two of the weirdest: The 1915 election in which Oregon first banned booze, and the Bride of Christ Church of Corvallis/Waldport (a.k.a. “The Naked Ladies Cult).

The show show begins at 7:30 PM.

Stumptown Stories: Mighty Celilo Falls! (9 March 2015)

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Celilo FallsMighty Celilo Falls! on Monday, 9 March 2015, is the latest installment of the venerable Stumptown Stories series. Sellwood Public House (8132 SE 13th) is the host.

On March 10, 1957, the nation’s oldest and most important Native American fishing grounds were eliminated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Join Stumptown Stories as we discuss the silencing of the “echo of falling water.”

Presenter JB Fisher will regale us with the story of Alzamon Ira Lucas, a psychic, healer, and psychologist in early 20th-century Portland who reappeared in the 1950s as Chief Rising Sun and single-handedly spearheaded an effort to save Celilo Falls from the dam. Heather Arndt Anderson will share her research on the foodways of the Indians of the mid-Columbia, their salmon-lore, and the way they ate in the City of Roses before Lewis and Clark poked their noses into everything.

The presentation begins at 7:30 PM – admission is free!

On This Day in Oregon History

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This Day in Portland and Oregon HistoryAt some point in 2010 I realized that with my Multnomah County library card I had access to The Oregonian Historical Archive, among other research databases and sites. That, plus an obsession with Oregon history, gave me the bright idea to write a “Day in History” post for every day in 2011.

Naturally, and innocently, I started on January 1st. Ends up writing the pieces was the easy part – for most posts I didn’t delve into the topic too deeply. But the project ended up to be much more of a time sink than I had anticipated. Some days it was easy to find a historical event to write about, other days it took me literally hours to find something. But thanks to my obsessive compulsive tendencies I completed the task, with my final post on December 31, 2011.

Nowadays I don’t have time for such an endeavor – what with twin toddlers and all – but at the beginning of each month this year I will be cataloging each month’s posts. Here’s what I have so far:

Kick Ass Oregon History Diorama Contest 2015

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Kick Ass Oregon History Diorama ContestThe 4th annual Kick Ass Oregon History Diorama Contest is under way.

You made them in Mrs. Dingleberry’s 5th grade American History class. You saw them at that Crappy County Historical Society your Dad drug you to on that one summer road trip. And you envied Suzie Snotgrass’s winning science faire entry of Tranquility Base.

NOW Vengeance can be yours, Dear Ass Kicker!

Here’s how it works : Create a diorama depicting a Kick Ass Oregon Historical event (perhaps check out the podcasts and website for inspiration), take photos of your masterpiece, and email them to oregonhistorian@gmail.com by February 10, 2015.

The winners will be announced at Oregon’s Birthday Party and Diorama Show in Kick Astoria!! on Saturday, February 14, 2015. Win fabulous prizes – and bask in fame and glory and gain a whole gang of fourth graders who HATE YOU and to whom you can constantly sing-song “my diorama was better than yours” each and every-time you see them at Freddies.

Entries will be judged on four categories, each worth 10 points:

  1. Kick Ass-ness
  2. Oregon Historical Significance
  3. Originality
  4. Ass Kicken-ness!

You don’t have to be present at the Merry Time show on February 14 to win, but if you do bring your diorama to the show, you’ll earn 5 bonus points.

Prizes include passes to upcoming Kick Ass Oregon History tours, and booze!

Stay tuned to @Oregon_History on Twitter and check out the recap of last year’s event for photos of previous entries, and more details.