Old Engines of Sherwood

The Second Annual Old Engines of Sherwood show is coming to town April 30. The event is sponsered by Alto's Chevron LubeXpress, as well as the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce and the City of Sherwood. The show features gasoline powered engines from the Turn of the Century... everything from gas powered washing machines to logging equipment. It all happens at Sherwood Plaza, across from Alto's, the last Saturday in April.

This photograph shows what the LubeXpress looked like before 1950, except that it was a Shell station/grocery store then. The Highway was a two lane road. The business was owned by Earl Reiser. It was the kind of store where you asked for groceries at the counter and the clerk went and got them for you. Tualatin - Sherwood Road and North Sherwood Boulevard crossed Highway 99 at this location, so that all three roads sliced the land up like a pizza for six. That's why old timers still refer to the area as "Six Corners." Call 503-625-6117, Extension 21 for more about the Power Show.

Destination Sherwood

Tim Morgan with Portland Concierge Association members Morback House, Sherwood Heritage Center

Dear Sherwood Historical Society,

I want to thank you for taking time to host [a group of visiting tour bus operators] on Thursday, March 24. We had about 30 people on the tour and they enjoyed it very much. I am offering the same trip (although smaller) for the downtown Portland Concierge Association on Monday, April 18. Will you be available on Monday, April 18 to do this? Here is a rough itinerary:

9:00am Leave from downtown Portland location
9:45am Magness Memorial Tree Farm
10:30am Downtown Sherwood
11:15am Sleighbells Gift Shop
11:45am Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
12:15pm Ponzi Vineyard (stop for tour and lunch)
1:15pm Quick stop at Smith Berry Barn
2:00pm Jackson Bottom Wetlands Education Center
2:45pm Hazelnut Retail Store
3:30pm Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals
4:30pm Return to starting point

Sincerely,

Tim Morgan
Washington County Visitors Association

JayCee Smock Scammed!

In 1896, a local newspaper called our town founder a swindler for selling lightning rods-- such as the one that rises high above J. C. Smock's head in this photograph-- to unsuspecting newcomers. It seems like poetic justice that our beloved lightning rod salesman received the following email this morning:

Dear Jaycee Smock:

I am barrister Douglas Ezeh, a solicitor at law and the personal attorney to late Mr.Mark Smock, a national of your country, who used to be a private contractor with the Shell Development Company in Nigeria, herein after shall be referred to as my client. On the 21st of April 2001, he and his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident along Sagbama express road, all occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives.

Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his last name to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged.

The deceased had an account valued at about $15 million US dollars and the bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days.Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account valued at $15Million US dollars can be paid to you and then you and me can share the money. 60% to me and 40% to you. I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please get in touch with me urgently by Email: or my direct
Cell-phone line 234-1-XXXXXXX.

Best regards,
Barrister Douglas Ezeh
Direct Cell-phone 234-1-XXXXXXX

A Couple of Suggestions

Why doesn't the Sherwood Historical Society Blog have an open section where folks can list their historical or genealogical queries? People from across the country should post a query about their relative that lived or died in the Sherwood area. I'll bet people could find relatives they didn't know they had, plus it would might even increase their interest in visiting the area. Right now the closest we have is Washington County query sites on Rootsweb and Ancestry.com.

A couple of easy questions that come to mind:
1) Who established the Middleton Pioneer Cemetery?
2) Who was the first person buried at Middleton Pioneer Cemetery?
3) Who was the local surveyor who surveyed the land for the Middleton Pioneer Cemetery, the Middleton School and the Middleton Baptist Church?
4) What is the "oldest" cemetery in the Sherwood area?

Just a suggestion.
Anne

Sunset Magazine Discovers Old Town

The Current issue of Sunset magazine features "Treasures of Sherwood" by Bonnie Henderson. It's a full page article with photographs. The article is accurate as far as it goes. Henderson states that "the old town's heart continues to beat to the slow pace set by a cluster of antique shops and by neighborhood watering holes that invite lingering, even if you're not a neighbor." Unfortunately there is no specific mention of the Sherwood Heritage Center. I guess the Sherwood Historical Society still has some work to do before its efforts get appreciated by the outside world!