Morback House from the Sky

Sherwood's photographer extraordinaire Steve Kenner sent in this aerial view of Morback House. It was taken during the Robin Hood Festival, when we were marketing strawberry shortcakes like mad-- as you can see from all the signs on the porch.

Survivors in Brooks, Oregon

Only one wagon of the Oregon Trail Travelers made it across the Prairie this year. Of course the intrepid Lilly Morgan and her friend from the Boston Globe were the lucky ones, seen here. After taking some time out for songs and stories for the little folk, they started out for Sherwood and may get here before the snow falls.

Japanese Visitors Return!

Today, on our way down First Avenue, we noticed some workmen discussing some stuff they'd just dug up at Block 5, Lot 8. Alas there was no time for the Sherwood Historical Society to roll up our sleeves and offer to help. We had visitors of our own at The Heritage Center!
About twenty youth from Edogawa Japan came to see us. This is the fourth year their town council has sent them to Oregon to study our ways and days. Here the intrepid Lilly Morgen leads a procession through the tall trees of Parrett Mountain Farm. "When we come here we see the relationship between a farm-town and its farmers." she said. Some guests from Holland were also on hand.

Teachers visit Old Town

"Today's Old Sherwood Town Walking Tour was part of a two day class for school teachers offered through the Heritage Institute/Antioch University. In the class, we visit four communities over two days. We begin in Wilsonville, and then tour Tualatin on day 1. On day 2, we start at the Tualatin River Wildlife Refuge before visiting Sherwood. Later, we explore Cook Park in Tigard, and the Tigard Library. The goal is to provide teachers with information relating to local history and natural science. It's a lot of fun."
--Mr. Peter Chausse

July 4 Reality Check

Opinion by Historical Society Secretary Clyde List.

I've just finished re-reading George Orwell's 1984 and there are a number of things in 1984 that are just like what we see all around us in 2007. For example:

1. The "news" is not. (What passes for news may really be a paid commercial, warns Peter Ames Carlin in today's "Oregonian").

2. Musicians take the world stage merely to beller nonsense at the top of their lungs. (In 1984 the "words of these songs were composed without any human intervention whatever....")

3. Terror is on every side. (in 1984 it's always "Goldstein" we hate. Today it's the no less illusive Osama ben Laden.)

4. Radio talk jocks and their loyal fans prove daily that "...stupidity is as necessary as intelligence, and as difficult to attain." (Hermann Goering once commented that the trick is to keep everybody mad so that they'll believe anything you tell them.)

If Orwell were alive today what would he say to the People of Sherwood? In Orwell's Old Town (London), there are no antique stores because it is illegal to own anything that might remind people of "...an age quite different from the present." In Orwell's Old Town, anything of antique value is quickly melted down. Even old people's memories are "...nothing but a rubbish heap of details."

Thank God, the Sherwood Historical Society is on hand to scream bloody murder any time we see the past being bulldozed to the ground. The most memorable advice Orwell gives: Save your memories. Don't wait for the Historical Society to say they're worth saving. Nothing you remember about your life is too trivial.