Our March Show Continues through April

We decorated our new poster (at Left) with an old display ad we found in the November 1912 Sherwood News-Sheet. We only had to change the quaintly out-of-fashion wording a little for our Museum show. The original wording is as follows:

Cut the High Cost of Living We have cut the cost of high living--as far as good clothes are concerned. You can secure here the very finest of made-to-measure suits or overcoats at 5 to 20 per cent less than you can possibly get through any other channel. Proof? Call and look over the International Fall display of styles and fabrics and compare the prices for yourself. By way of interest see the values we offer at 15, 20 and 25 dollars--elsewhere they'd cost--well judge for yourself. McConnell & Hall General Merchandise

Historical Society President Polly adds: "On Tuesday, April 14 at 1:45 a.m. we are hosting a program by Susan Hall, collector, historian, seamstress, and milliner, who will share her 40 year love affair with vintage clothing. Her show will highlight accessories such as handbags, gloves, and parasols. The program will be in our upstairs classroom in the Museum. Bring your friends. It's free."

Gas Engine Show is Sat. April 25

You definitely don't want to miss this! The Sherwood Historical Society's own Lilly Morgan and Clyde List will be located front and center at the Gasoline Engine Show this year. On North Sherwood Blvd. across from Alto's Automotive.

Sherwood Historian is Grand Marshal-Elect!

In the photo at left we see Sherwood City Councilor Robyn Folsom paying close special attention to Sherwood Historical Society Secretary and Past President Clyde List as he describes important facets of Sherwood history that are still relevant in our time. Also known as Friar Tuck to the Sherwood Robin Hood Festival Association, Mr. List lectures the Town Council endlessly regarding the historical connection between the Robin Hood Legend, the American Revolution, and lessons learned from Native Americans during the period leading up to the Revolution. The humble Friar will speak for 15 minutes (no longer) on these topics April 9 at the Maid Marian Pageant at the Sherwood Public Library at 6:00 PM.

A Rainy but Merry Walk through Old Sherwood Town

A rainy day cannot prevent these merry folk from their agreed upon, self- appointed rounds. Like working for the Post Office.

Clyde List Editorial: The Stimulus

NOTE: This Comment is not Endorsed by the Sherwood Oregon Historical Society
A group of Governors from the poorest States in the Union is "thinking of refusing" the Federal Government's stimulus money. It may be because they are smarter than average. They are very intelligent, well educated people indeed. But then again, as an amateur historian, I keep thinking about a book that was published in 1996. Honor and Slavery by Kenneth Greenberg (Princeton University Press). In this book, Greenberg explains why the nation's black folk burned down their cities during the years of President Johnson's Great Society. It turns out that the President inadvertently pushed their Mad Button every time he tried to give them things!

In the Old South, gift giving can dredge up some ugly memories. In slave times, the Master would pick a special day to distribute gifts to his slaves. It seemed like a nice thing to do. However: "Between master and slave, gifts could only flow in one direction. A slave could own nothing and therefore could give nothing back." Nothing back... except of course, their very lives. They might see their gramma worked to death on some irrigation project or their children marched off to the auction house with chains around their necks. But a slave was always careful to say "Thankyou" for a new ball to play with or some cheese or a new string of beeds. They may have surrendered every facet of their earthly existence to this Man, and yet the Slave Master does not say "Thank You!" to a Slave.

Now it is the 21st Century. It is the Slave Master's great, great grand childrens' turn to line up and get gifts from the Man. It's their turn to say "Thank you Sir!" These governors are behaving as strangely as those folks in the Watts District of Los Angeles and in Newark, New Jersey during the Johnson years.

Let's hope it turns out okay and they don't burn their cities down.

FOR EXTRA CREDIT: Which U.S. President bought a Plantation and named it "Sherwood Forest?"
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Books about Oregon's 150 Year History

Here's the "Best Ever" Book List on Oregon History.

Celebrating Oregon's 150th Birthday!

At right, in Salem February 14: Horace Greeley and Lilly Morgan bump into each other at the Oregon Convention Center. At left, in Portland February 15: The banjo-in-hand Sherwood Trail Guide is sketched by a little girl at the Oregon Historical Society.Everything went well during this very significant weekend in Oregon, except that a Native American lady from Grande Rond told Mr. Horace Greeley that she did not think very highly of him. We failed to get a snapshot of her, but Mr. Greeley and the Trail Guide did manage to capture a moment with Miss Teenage Oregon. The poor girl is, of course, standing a few fractions of an inch closer to the banj0 picker than the newspaper man. Wouldn't you say so, Mr. Greeley?

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.

Press Release

Portland, Oregon – PreservationDirectory.com, the leading online historic preservation resource, has announced the launch of their new partner-website HistoricForSale.com. The new website provides a vast directory of vintage homes and historic commercial properties for sale, real estate agents who specialize in historic houses for sale, and provides comprehensive historic preservation resources.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 11, 2009

Portland, Oregon – As part of the ongoing commitment to the preservation community, PreservationDirectory.com has once again teamed up with This Old House magazine to promote their search for "The Best Places to Buy an Old House". An upcoming issue of This Old House will feature the 2nd annual "The Best Places to Buy an Old House" article, which strives to identify affordable homes in historic neighborhoods and districts across the United States.

According to This Old House Associate Editor, Keith Pandolfi, "We want to spread the word about neighborhoods where the astonishing old houses are rivaled only by the community spirit."

Introducing:

A Song from
A Ferry Tale: Wilsonville; Oregon’s Transportation Town
A Play for the 150th Anniversary of Oregon Statehood by June Reynolds
with Original Music by Clyde ListHear Clyde Sing the Song!