History Mystery at 6 Corners

We know Photos 1 and 2 were taken where Walgreens is now. We wish we knew who's helping his dad pump gas. We wish we knew what make and model that nifty car is!

3. That's some gas truck! Must be brand new for someone to take a photo of it. Those frame houses were also standing until a few years ago. All gone now! 4. This house stood on the right hand side of the filling station. It and the Feed Store in back were standing until fairly recently. Those cabins on the far-most right have been beautifully restored and still exist!

5. The name of the filling station almost appears in this scene: Kjarvestad. The truck offers two (probably hand lettered) signs as clues to the mystery of just what year a person named "Ruth Smith" took these photos. 6. As the 1939 Road Map of Oregon suggests, there weren't many highways heading North and South when these photos were taken. Sherwood's prospects were bright... even if she gets bumped from this map by Rex!

Forget Rudolf. We have the Christmas Cow!

Two photos in one: Smock House and Morback House stand ready for Sherwood's Christmas Eve,

December 4.

Let's Play Ball!

A Special Sports Edition of The OE History Night
Thursday, December 2, 2010
7:45 pm (doors open at 7:15)
McMenamins Mission Theater
Free, minors with parents welcome

Kerry Eggers presents "Beavers v. Ducks: Over 100 Years of Civil War"

The Oregon Civil War--one of the country's longest-standing rivalries in college football--will rage again on Saturday, December 4th. For over 100 years, the Oregon State Beavers and the University of Oregon Ducks have been meeting on football fields up and down the Willamette Valley, inspiring the unflagging loyalty of generations of Oregonians. Sports writer Kerry Eggers traces the annual game to its beginnings (in 1893), looks back at ten of the top Civil War games of all time, and talks about how the Civil War has become such an important part of our state's sporting culture.

Kerry Eggers has been writing sports professionally since he arrived in Portland in 1975. He has written four books, including Wherever You May Be: The Bill Schonely Story, and Clyde the Glide: The Clyde Drexler Story.

It was a Slient Night in Sherwood Oregon USA too, 100 years ago. The air was so silent that people argued about whether they could hear the water falls at Oregon City or not! That is the story the kids in this 2008 photograph are hearing. These were a few of the wise boys and girls who visited the Sherwood Museum at Morback House as soon as the Tree Lighting at 1st and Pine was over at 7:00PM. Hopefully we will see them again after this year's Tree Lighting!

Calling All Oregonians!

Learn about the Fur Trade from an Expert at the Oregon Historical Society November 18, 2010!

A Great Day for Third Graders!

Third Graders from Clyde Hopkins School enjoy a ride in Dale Smith's barber chair. They also sang a song for "Sesame Donuts."

Clyde Ray List Commentary: Should Sherwood be more like Leavenworth, WA.?

In Leavenworth, Washington they decided to create history rather than preserve it. It was a risky move, erasing your own history and replacing it with someone else's. But this time, it was an excellent move.

Learn to do Interviews!

History Camp 2010 and Governor Whatsizname.

	Gov. Gibbs: The Second Governor of the state of Oregon lived on Chehalem Mountain on the Yamhill County side. That is why we were on Gibbs Road! The schoolhouse we were at is called "Gibbs School." Also the graveyard we visited is called "Gibbs Cemetery." --Mrs. Reynolds

Trick Photo

There's something slightly wrong with this photograph. Can you tell what it is?

The Bizarre Geology of Sherwood-Tualatin!

September 15, 2010-- Wednesday Evening at 7:00PM at the Tualatin Public Library: Rick Thompson, incoming president of the Lower Columbia Chapter, Ice Age Floods Institute, will speak on the effects of the cataclysmic floods on NW Oregon and SW Washington. Here is a chance to learn first hand from an expert what we need to know about the Missoula-Ice Age Floods thousands of years ago and their impact on today's land use decisions, open space, building, flood waters, channels and your own back yard

This program is a first time partnership between the Tualatin Historical Society, the City of Tualatin and the Lower Columbia Chapter, Ice Age Floods Institute to educate the many officials who want and need to know the continuing impacts of what made the Tualatin, Willamette and Yamhill River Valleys what they are today.

I hope you can make it and please pass this on to anyone you think might be interested. (Signed) President Polly

All That's Left of the Sherwood Train Depot!

Tualatin Fire and Rescue had a new concrete saw they were anxious to try out, and so they helped saw the window out of the train depot wall. 1978 photo by Clyde List

Sherwood Train Depot in its glory days, circa 1925.

Sherwood Historical Society Secretary Clyde List ripped this ticket window out of the circa 1895 Sherwood Train Depot just minutes before the building was bull dozed to the ground in 1978. The artifact spent another quarter century in Clyde's garage. Now the window is at Morback House waiting for visitors. President June says it would make an excellent puppet theater.

Japanese visit Sherwood Heritage Center

Visitors from [Edogawa, Japan] being lectured by Sherwood Historical Society web master Clyde List this morning. The visitation has become an annual event.

On the Road with the Sherwood Historical Society

Sherwood Historical Society President June Reynolds doesn't just teach at Sherwood. She teaches everywhere. On a trip through the State of Oregon, the lesson will be about the people, the flora and the fauna of the Pacific Northwest. Every turn along the highway, it seems, will take you to a place she's already visited years ago. She will introduce you to folks as genuine and down home as the people we see in this video.

GET EXTRA POINTS! Identify the critter JR is wrestling with here.

A Rainbow Steals the Show at History Camp

Robin Hood came to show the kids how to sing and play. But the session was interrupted by an even more cheery sign in the heavens. Join [June Reynolds' Facebook] page and see a ton of History Camp photos!

Little John stopped by on Memorial Day to take a close look at what the Sherwood Robin Hood Festival Association was doing today. Apparently he approved. The RHFA was taking pictures of the new Festival Court. Stay tuned for more pictures around town!

Sherwood Police Chief Eugene O. Hatcher

He was not one to mess with. This clip is from a very long interview we did with him and his wife when they turned up at Rebekah Hall Coffee Hour last Saturday. As late as 1962 Old Sherwood Town was still being patrolled the way it was in the 1890s, by one incredibly brave man and (perhaps) a deputy. Captain Hatcher hasn't met our current Chief, but he expressed great admiration for former Chief Middleton.

Car Show and Robin Hood Festival Advisory:

Special Message from Strawberry Shortcake and Popcorn provider Polly Blankenbaker, Morback House Museum (at First and Main in Old Town).

Have you ever wondered how the Robin Hood Festival got started? Come to the Heritage Center to find out. Have you ever wondered what happened to the Robin Hood tea cloth that used to hang in the vault at U. S. National Bank? Come to the Heritage Center to see it. Have you ever wanted a bird’s eye view of an 1800’s Sherwood complete with a model train? Come to the Heritage Center to see it. The answers to these and other pressing issues will be revealed at the Heritage Center. The Heritage Center which is located in Veteran’s Park includes the Morback House Museum with it’s changing exhibits and the new Smock House exhibit. Many of our Sherwood neighbors have donated furniture and other household goods to create the Smock House exhibit. We are so lucky to have these great historical facilities, please come and enjoy them.

We will be selling popcorn and strawberry shortcake on the front porch of the Morback House Museum soon. Stop in!

Meanwhile, Have a Cookie on Mom!

PHOTO CREDIT: © 4774344sean | Dreamstime.com

Until May 10 (Mothers Day) it's all about Cookies and Cookie Jars at Morback House.

Here are some interesting cookie history trivia for you...
* According to culinary historians, cookies evolved from test cakes used to test oven temperature. Small amounts of cake batter were dropped onto pans to test the temperature of the oven before the cakes were baked.
* Cookies are believed to date back to 7th century Persia (one of the first countries to cultivate sugar) and spread throughout Europe as a result of the Muslim conquest of Spain.
* By the 14th century, cookies were common throughout all of Europe.
* By the 1800s, cookie recipes were being published in cookbooks as 'small cakes.' In fact, the term 'cookie' comes from the Dutch word koekje or koekie which means little cake!
* What we call 'cookies' in the United States are called biscuits in the United Kingdom and Australia, galletas in Spain, kels in Germay, and biscotti or amaretti in Italy.

History of Cookies in the United States

* The history of cookies continued with their journey to America during English and Dutch settlement in the 1600s. * Throughout the 19th century, most cookies were baked at home as special treats because of the high cost of sugar. Many early cookbooks included recipes for macaroons, jumbles, and gingerbread. Recipes for cookies in a variety of styles and flavors increased in the early 1900s, and continues today. * Ninety percent of home bakers bake cookies, making them the most common home baked good. Half of all home baked cookies are chocolate chip. * The official state cookie of both Massachusetts and Pennsylvania is the chocolate chip cookie that was invented by Ruth Graves Wakefield in 1930 at the Toll House Inn Restaurant in Massachusetts. Mrs. Wakefield sold the recipe to Nestle, who began manufacturing chocolate chips in 1939.

Special from Tualatin

If you missed the successful live production at Winona Grange, Tualatin Valley Community Television will be replaying the February 14 celebration of Tualatin's "we did it" women. Seventeen women (some portraying themselves) share stories of life in Tualatin then and now. The show was written and narrated by Loyce Martinazzi and Karen Lafky Nygaard. It can be seen on cable at the following times next week:
Ch 21 Tuesday, April 6, 2010 11 PM
Ch 11 Wednesday, April 7, 2010 5:30 AM
Ch 21 Wednesday, April 7, 2010 4:00 PM

Cookie Report from President June!

Today was the Day of The Big Cookie Bake-off at Rebekah Hall 22550 Washington Street, Old Town Sherwood

Contestants brought most of the wet ingredients for the cookies. Flour and walnuts were provided.

Bakers showed up at 12:00 (High Noon)

to register and hurried to the starting line. Audience members were welcome at 1:00 pm. The photos speak for themselves.

Rebekahs honor Historical Society Secretary

Sherwood Historical Society Secretary Clyde List sports a Rebekah Lodge medallion he received last week. In order to wear this ornament you have to be the Left Supporter of the Vice Grand, which List now truly is. He even wore his new overalls so he'd look good in the group photo. "There are people across the nation who take this stuff pretty seriously." List commented, "But us Sherwood people are baffled by it." List only joined the club after the Sherwood Historical Society learned that there was no other way to save Rebekah Hall than to keep the group alive.

Saint Patrick Comes to Clancy's Bar

Ah it was a great day in Old Town Sherwood today. Clancy's Pub was keeping people out, so as to not violate the fire code. And no wonder. Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue was playing the tune, begorrah!

Sherwood Historical Society Secretary Clyde List finishes the video we posted here with a tune he sure wishes the band would play sometime: "Salley Garden." (This part of the show was shot at the Morback House Museum.)

Cat-Tas-Trophy

When you've got Sherwood High School Media Center Director June Reynolds as your Historical Society's President, you never know what to expect. The Cookie Show has been a very well attended event, thanks to June's creative spirit.

A Tribute to a Good Friend

A Memorial Tree Planting in honor of

Loretta Labahn "Beloved Teacher" 1923-2009

was held Friday, March 5, 2010 3:30 p.m. in J. Clyde Hopkins Elementary School Courtyard. The event was produced by Raindrops to Refuge and the Sherwood School District.

"Abraham Lincoln’s Intriguing Connections to Oregon"

7 P.M., March 4, 2010 at the Washington County Museum-- More than 16,000 books have been written about Abraham Lincoln, more than on any other American, but none have provided a thorough overview of Lincoln's strong connections to the American West--until now.

Now, just to set the record straight, Dr. Richard Etulain presents Lincoln Looks West: From the Mississippi to the Pacific (2010). Etulain, a western historian with strong ties to the Northwest, will focus his attention upon Lincoln’s intriguing connections to Oregon.

This very important finding, Lincoln Looks West: From the Mississippi to the Pacific, will be available for purchase at the Washington County Historical Museum. A book signing will follow the talk.

Richard W. Etulain is professor emeritus of history and formerly director of the Center for the American West at the University of New Mexico, where he taught from 1979 until retirement in 2001. He is the author or editor of more than forty books, most of which focus on the history and literature of the American West. They include Conversations with Wallace Stegner on Western History and Literature and Beyond the Missouri: The Story of the American West.

Methodist Cookies!

Here is a cookie recipe that Clara Sanders made and brought frequently to the Saturday Morning Doughnut Sale when it was run entirely by the Sherwood United Methodist Church. Clara frequently worked as a cashier at the Doughnut Sale. The recipe is found in the 1973 Sherwood United Methodist Women Cookbook that was put together by the Sarah Circle of the SUMC Women's Society.

Blend together by hand the following:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not Evaporated)
1 pkg (1 C.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 pkg (1 C.) Butterscotch Morsels
1 C. coarsely-chopped walnuts
1/1/2 C miniature marshmallows

Mix well and press mixture into FOIL lined 9" square pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30-35 minutes.
Cool an hour or more and cut into squares.
Double recipe for a 13 X 9 " pan.

Sugar Cookie Recipes (Yum!)

Here is another recipe from the 1973 cookbook put together by Sarah Circle, Sherwood United Methodist Church. This recipe was submitted by Mrs. A.E. Sherk (1882-1978). She and her son, Ronald wrote an early history of Sherwood. She was the long-time librarian at the Sherwood Public Library. I don't have a picture, but maybe you do. The recipe is very brief and limited instructions, not like today. An internet search says that a "quick oven" is a setting of around 400 degrees.

2 eggs
1 c. sugar (heaped)
1/2 c. butter or shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. milk
2 tsp. baking powder

Mix soft. Quick oven.

June Reynolds Video showing at Champoeg, Feb. 13!

Oregon's Birthday is February 14. If you visit Champoeg on February 13 at 4:00 PM, you will see the first public showing of

June Reynolds History Play-- The Video

starring Sherwood ex-Mayor Clyde List (as Governor Currey, at Left) in three different roles, and playing a 5 String Banjo too yet! This is an incredible honor to two of Sherwood's finest and you do not want to miss it!