An Old Controversy...

The Sherwood Historical Society likes to make fun of Sherwood's onion farmers for taking the law into their own hands. However, the rascals resorted to dynamite only after they won their case to court and nothing happened. The "Lake" Oswego dam still stands!

Morning Oregonian March 3, 1906.

An animated postcard of Sherwood Oregon USA. Enjoy the energy and the diversity of the crowd we see here. Look! There goes a man in a weird hat, followed by a boy on a skate board. Followed by some horsing around by two Board Members of the Sherwood Historical Society. It's a world Walt Disney and Rod Serling yearned for and thought we had lost: A peaceful summer day in small town America. Thank you, Music on the Green sponsors, for helping it happen!

And likewise, a spontanious Thank You to all those who give away so much of their valuable time during events like this!

Click HERE for more information about Music on the Green!

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.

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

Photo Refurbishing

It's amazing how much detail can be brought out of an old family photo. Here is a before and after portrait from the Aebischer family. The original was found among a large collection of photographs donated recently. Most were taken around the Mountain Home area. This photograph was artfully copied and retouched by our Sherwood Historical Society computer geek. (Click to Enlarge.)

Now Showing at Morback House Museum

Some very peculiar Tualatin ladies (at Right) peruse the Picturing America exhibit now taking place at the Sherwood Heritage Center museum at Morback House. Peculiar? How peculiar can they be? Come to our March show (See our next post) to see the Hats, Purses, Gloves, and Parasols show that these very distinguished Tualatin ladies have helped the Sherwood Historical Society to put on.

Chestnut Tree Coming Down.

Odge asked me to go over and look at the Middleton Chestnut which is sort of across from the old Middleton School site. I guess she got phone calls that the city was going to take it down. It is listed in my book. Here are some pieces of info:
The tree is probably around 98 years old. In 1999, when the development was put in, the base of the tree was scarred. I looked at it on Monday and the scar had healed remarkably well. It looked like the neighbors on the corner had done some work to make the tree grow better. I believe that the tree (being a chestnut) was probably planted as a border marker, maybe marking the corner itself. One side was probably the Olds property the other side the Middleton Friends Church property I showed a power point of the tree on Tuesday to the Parks people, but they decided they are going to cut it down and even grind the stump. Evidently because it is a "safety Hazard....." My recommendation was to prune the tree back, as it does need it badly. It is not a totally dying tree, but it is doomed now...
Lilly

Old Technology New Technology

This section of an ancient nine inch diameter water pipe (above) was found by the city crew currently excavating Pine Street East of the railroad track. It's made of cedar wood and wrapped in a wire sheath. The only question we can't agree on: When was it installed? In the meantime, here's what's being installed now (below). What a shame to hide such a delectable piece of sculpture under the soil!

Another Photograph to Analyze

Here are enlarged details of a photograph taken (we're pretty sure) inside the Carlson & Sherk store. The tall guy seems to be Howard Smith, the same fellow we see smiling in the January 8 posting below (with everybody on wheels). But he isn't smiling at all in this picture. The length of the ladies' garments and the sales woman's Navy blouse suggests we're in the midst of Wilson's War to End All Wars!

Top: Two Sherwood ladies shopping. Middle: Probably Howard Smith and wife. Bottom: Wider view of same images. How many items for sale in this picture might still be found in someone's attic today. To analyze the entire photo for yourself first hand, please visit the Sherwood Heritage Center soon.

Mystery Photo

Who is this lady? She appears in a photograph that was taken on Railroad Street the day Woodrow Wilson was elected. The year is 1912. Her remarkable face is filled with determination. Whatever that determination might be directed at, however, fails to impress the dudes in the photo's background:

The horse and buggy days are still evident. It all seems a bit unbelievable less than a century later.

An enormous billboard on Washington Street welcomes another type of four wheeled vehicle--the automobile-- to town. (The future Highway 99 is a mere footpath at this time.)

Here is the entire photo. The woman is standing stage center.

Yet more wheeled vehicles appear! People are pushing or riding in them and, except for one good natured fellow, they don't look very happy. They are carrying portraits of Woodrow Wilson along with small signs that praise his election victory. The entire photo is much too detailed to explore here. See June Reynold's history book for a closer look.

Saving the School House, an Update

Last night's City Council meeting was filled with public commentary about the Old School House building on the corner of Pine and Third, in Old Sherwood Town.

It used to look like this.


Now it looks like this (well, it did last winter anyway).

It's been really frustrating for us to stand up and demand the City save something that isn't actually there.

The man in charge of tearing things down and building things up in Old Sherwood Town is Jim Patterson of the City of Sherwood. After the Public Comment segment of the meeting ended, Patterson went out of his way to explain that the City wants to put the School House back the way it was in the earlier photograph. He's even been talking to the Sherwood School District about , you know, making it a genuine school house again, with real live kids and everything. "Let's never forget who we were." is Patterson's motto. At least one private party is interested in Patterson's concept as well.

I think it was Picasso who said Every Act of Creation is Also an Act of Destruction. Is the City our Picasso now?

Then and Now on Highway 99-West

Sherwood historian Clyde's dad (2nd from left) and uncles during a rare day of rest. Photo taken around 1950, looking South. Highway 99 West was a two-lane road then all the way to California. 99 was the most important North-South corridor in Oregon. (Actually there were two highways-- 99 West and 99 East. They split in twain in North Portland and came back together again at Junction City, Oregon. 99 East covers the East side of the Willamette River.) Clyde discusses the spiritual significance of Highway 99 on his website. The photo below shows the same spot today.

What puzzles the historian most is why 99W doesn't plow straight through Old Sherwood Town. It would have been the shortest, least costly way to go. Probably, the credit goes to Mayor Morback and a mistaken belief that the economic significance of the railroad would always be greater than the highway's. It was a mistake, but only for the business community. We kind of like the way things turned out!

Another Day Another Conference!

Past President June Reynolds (far left) poses with Michael, Ashley, Wick and Janet at the Oregon Community School Conference in Portland. "We presented an hour and a half workshop on how to combine new and old photographs as a historical learning service project." says June.

Citizen Protest!

The City of Sherwood has taken the rug out from under the Arts Commission by taking away the building they were trying to make into a performing arts venue--The Old Sherwood School in what we hope will still be Old Town Sherwood, if they don't bulldoze it down. We tried to get Mc Menamin's in on this but they are over-extended two years out. We cannot depend on them alone to save every old building in the metro area, just as our Historical Society cannot save all the buildings in town. We need to act and act fast or one of the most significantly beautiful buildings will go! Please help us save the Old School House from being torn down just so someone can build another townhouse ghetto!!

(signed)June Reynolds, Sherwood Citizen

Rail Road Street 100 Years Ago

Welcome to Sherwood Oregon USA: The way we were at the Turn of the Century. There is a fire-plug at the lower right corner which means the year is later than 1898 (because that was when the water tower was built to prevent a disaster like the Great Fire of 1895). The sidewalk is made of wood, meaning we are earlier than 1913. You would have to visit some fairly remote part of the world to photograph a scene as rugged as this today. But wait.

DETAIL 1: Notice the two gents in front of the McConnell and Hall store. We assume they are the proprietors McConnell and Hall. They seem quite pleased with themselves and their surroundings. The Post Office is there. In the window on the right there is a bill advertising a 4th of July celebration. The Sherwin Williams logo is prominant. You can go to any store by that name today and learn more. The only anecdote about paint in Sherwood is the house that was painted blue in "Bluetown," mentioned elsewhere on this blog (October 2005).
DETAIL 2: Oh oh! Here are some teenagers in front of the Meat Market (Note the well-fed dog). They have probably drifted over from the train depot across the street just to get in on the photograph. Every railroad town had its "depot loafers." Get ready for some rough language. I wonder what they're laughing about.


DETAIL 3: At the far end of Railroad Street, Joe Morback is posing in front of his general merchandise store. And his bank. And his "Farm Produce A Specialty" depot. He wasn't just a successful businessman. J.E.Morback served as Mayor longer than any mayor anywhere in Oregon. He ran a tight ship. But wait! What's that going on at the corner of Railroad and Main just below the bank sign!?

DETAIL 4: The wagon meister appears to be busy keeping his small son's (or daughter's) attention off the couple on the corner. Or perhaps he's focused on not running over a pedestrian (note the leg sticking out). The picture is a bit too blurry to show the crop being hauled. Too oblong to be onions. Could be corn or potatoes.

DETAIL 5: Looks like hanky-panky, but no amount of photo analysis has been able to prove just what's going on here.



To purchase your own copy of the Master Photograph, contact the Oregon Historical Society.

How Long Ago Was That!?

SMOCK HOUSE in transit to HERITAGE CENTER--November 1, 2003
Lilly Morgan, Lilly Morgan, do you recall how we and Emmert International picked up this god-awful wreck of an historical asset and toted it down the street that cold November morning of November 1, 2003! Do you recall the "Why-On-Earth!?" we and the neighbors kept asking ourselves? Most of us weren't the least bit sure it was even the building Ronald Sherk's History of Sherwood identified as Sherwood's oldest house.

But it was! Thanks to hundreds of volunteer hours and Sherwood City Hall's patience, Smock House is one of Old Sherwood Town's prettiest landmarks today. Even as we speak, a back porch is being added by Don Livingston of Teller Construction and he's not charging us a cent! Jim Wiedeman, Fisher Roofing, and Chavez Lumber are providing valuable support.

Livingston's porch-work is part of a tradition among Sherwood contractors that is older than this blog! If this blog hasn't given some of you the attention you deserve, please forgive!

In the Heart of Sherwood: Garth Hite Farm

Speaking of bucolic farm scenery, this photograph of Garth Hite appeared in the Sunday Oregonian April 1, 1950. It was probably taken from Pacific Highway. You'd be plowing up G.I.Joe's parking lot if you tried to farm that spot today. Garth was band-leader Don and Woody Hite's dad. (The caption reads: "Old-Timer G. E. Hite, born 70 years ago in Washington County, is long time farmer near Six Corners. Atop tractor, he eyes oat field he's sewing.")

Aebischer Farm Revisited

Here's a more recent (1980) view of the Aebischer Family Farm atop Chehalem Mountain. The view is looking toward Mount Hood. Lilly Morgan says she used to go skinny dippin' in that pond at the top of the picture.

New Old Photographs

Family photographs of the Dan Aebischer farm reveal a bucolic side of life you can still glimpse during Sunday afternoon drives throughout the Sherwood mailing district. The Aebischer farm was located atop Chehalem Mountain.

Sherwood THEN!

But what about NOW? Can you identify the locations where these photos were taken? What's there now is so completely different that a current photo wouldn't help.

1998 PHOTO of Herb Borchers' Place.

Today you'd be looking at
Pizza Schmizza and Starbucks, near Safeway!

1981 PHOTO of Mayor List in Sherwood's First Christmas Parade.

Today you'd be looking at
McDonald's from North Sherwood Boulevard!

1981 PHOTO of future Onion Festival site.

Today you'd be looking at
Archer Glen School from Sunset Boulevard!