Salem, Ore. – In an effort to help preserve our state’s history and make it accessible to Oregonians, educators, art enthusiasts, history buff and others, the Oregon State Capitol Foundation is launching the Governors’ Portraits Search to locate and catalog missing portraits of former Oregon governors.

“We know many oil paintings of territorial and state governors were lost when the Capitol burned in 1935, but we also know some of them were saved from the fire,” said Joan Plank, Capitol Foundation Board member.

Salem, Ore. – The Capitol History Gateway (CHG) Program has been named as one of three winners of a 2022 Oregon Heritage Excellence Award. The Oregon Heritage Commission reviews the projects and programs nominated annually and awards recipients based on a specific set of criteria.

The CHG Program is a broad, multi-year program that focuses on Oregon’s heritage, diversity and access to democracy. Components of the program entail exhibits – both static and revolving; public events; tours – both guided in-person and virtual, as well as an all-virtual experience in multiple languages; a speaker series; and a digital welcome center.

The Visitor Services staff, under the direction of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Administrator, build and implement the program, with funding support from the Oregon State Capitol Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Your purchase of a Pacific Wonderland license plate helps the Oregon State Capitol Foundation and Oregon Historical Society share stories about what makes Oregonians and our beautiful Capitol special in thoughtful, illuminating, and provocative ways.

The Oregon State Capitol’s event Spring Break Passport to Fun! offers activities to families during March 21-26, 2022. Participants can earn passport stamps at several downtown Salem locations, and enter their completed passport in a raffle for a prize basket. The Capitol Foundation is the presenting sponsor of this event.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation is the presenting sponsor of Cherry Blossom Day at the Capitol. The event will be available online starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 19.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation wants to get students and adults more involved in their government. The Capitol Foundation is awarding up to $50,000 in grants for new or existing civics education programs as part of its new Civics Education Initiative, according to a news release.

Oregonians interested in learning more about state history and government can apply for a share of $50,000 in sponsorship to use for projects, research and field trips.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation will award the money to any individual or group to use for civics lessons in schools, to carry out an extracurricular activity, a public service project or research project about state government and history. The money can also be used to cover travel costs to the Capitol..

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation is the presenting sponsor of Oregon’s 163 birthday and anniversary of statehood celebration. The event will be celebrated virtually on Saturday, February 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I recently read the article in the Statesman Journal from Claire Withycombe (a descendant of Governor Withycombe) about the Oregon State Capitol Foundation trying to track down the whereabouts and general information about the missing portraits of Oregon’s governors. I thought I would do a little sleuthing. I was hoping, perhaps there would be an old blurry photograph of one of the missing paintings hidden in the wayback archives of our local Oregon newspapers. Sadly, no blurry images yet, but lots of interesting bits of information…

The Capitol Foundation is trying to track down nearly 30 portraits of Oregon governors, including my great-great-grandfather, James Withycombe…

Above photo: Former Oregon Governor James Withycombe. Harriet’s Photograph Collection (P HC), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Celebrate Holidays at the Capitol starting December 1 at 8 a.m. through December 23 at 5 p.m. Visitors can enjoy décor in the rotunda and outside of the House and Senate chambers, as well as an electronic exhibit showcasing past holiday experiences and messages from select sponsors and choirs.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation is funding events and exhibits at the Oregon State Capitol through the Capitol History Gateway program. Any cultural and heritage museums wanting to tell their stories with an exhibit at the Capitol can apply now through January 31, 2022 to get a chance to receive funding.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation is sponsoring A Tribute to Veterans. The showcase of service flags and uniforms takes place as a weeklong event at the Capitol from noon Monday, November 8 to noon Friday, November 12.

Hispanic Heritage Day at the Oregon State Capitol is sponsored by the Foundation. Hispanic Heritage Day is celebrated online on Saturday, September 18, starting at 10 a.m.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation is the presenting sponsor of the Oregon State Capitol’s Multicultural Day Reimagined event. The virtual event begins Saturday, August 7 at 10 a.m. and includes family-friendly activities such as musical entertainment, dancing and storytelling.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation is the presenting sponsor of the Oregon State Capitol’s virtual Asian and Pacific Islander Day. The event honors the culture, traditions, heritage and history of Asian and Pacific Islanders and begins on April 24 at 10 a.m.

The Oregon State Capitol is excited to offer a 360-degree virtual tour in Spanish and Mandarin languages in addition to the existing English version.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation provided funding for the development of the virtual tour in all its versions.

The Oregon State Capitol is excited to offer a 360-degree virtual tour with thematic elements appropriate for school-aged children. The tour was written with an audience of fourth graders in mind, as that is the year civics lessons are introduced.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation provided funding for the development of the virtual tour in all its versions.

On Jan. 27, 2021, the Foundation board adopted a policy to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the organization. Next, they surprised founding member Frances “Frankie” Bell with the inaugural Oregon State Capitol Foundation Frankie Bell Award.

“It is with immense pride that we recognize Frankie’s foresight and years of hard work. She demonstrates extraordinary commitment and dedication by serving our organization, the Capitol and Oregonians.”

Former Oregon State Capitol Foundation Chair Kim Duncan, who bestowed the award to Bell.

Bell — the award’s namesake — saw the possibilities of an organization committed to the physical preservation of the Oregon State Capitol and educational programs offered to Capitol visitors and Oregonians. She organized the Foundation’s first volunteer board in 1995, two years before the organization’s founding by statute. More than 25 years later, she continues to nurture the nonprofit’s growth.

Bell was also a key player in creating the Capitol’s gift shop and the volunteer and building use programs. She’s living proof that one person makes a difference!

The Foundation is proud to help sponsor the “Why I Love Oregon” essay content, a tradition that the Gilbert House Children’s Museum is keeping alive for the community. Fourth graders in Oregon are eligible to participate. Essays are due Feb. 1, 2021.

The Willamette Heritage Center and Oregon State Capitol Foundation present “Zooming Back to History” for its second year of the monthly online history speaker series. The series will return Feb. 9, 2021, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. This public online gathering seeks to share historical perspectives of topics related to the mid-Willamette valley and beyond. Each speaker will talk about their topic for approximately 30 minutes, followed by a live Q&A session.

Michigan’s classic white-on-blue license plates, as well as its white-on-black plates, could be available again if a measure introduced into the state legislature is passed.

California began offering a yellow-on-black plate design, originally used from 1963–’69, in 2015. The state had originally proposed also bringing back the black-on-yellow plate and the later yellow-on-blue plates, but in pre-orders the black plates won out. Oregon brought back its Pacific Wonderland blue plate, originally from 1959, as an alternative option in 2009, the state’s 150th anniversary. It remains available at an extra fee, with the proceeds going toward the Oregon Historical Society and the Oregon State Capitol Foundation. Nevada similarly offers its Circa 1982 white-on-blue design, though it’s a special-order plate and not carried at DMVs.

Now in its third year, Multicultural Day at the Capitol sough submissions from different cultural organizations so the event could go on —from a distance.

In a different time, the Capitol would be bustling this weekend with Irish dancers, people dressed in traditional Japanese garb and the sounds or mariachi music.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation is promoting a comprehensive, free virtual tour to help kids learning state history and adults who need a break from Zoom meetings.

Capitol Tour
Itching to get our and absorb some Oregon history? The Capitol in Salem is closed for Covid-19, but the Oregon State Capitol Foundation has created a virtual tour of the historic building, complete with narration and video. For parents, look like a good stay-at-home field trip.

The History Gateway Strategic Plan was approved by the Legislative Administration Committee in September 2012. The final plan was a result of 10 months of inclusive community engagement with stakeholders, including the Oregon State Capitol Foundation, state agencies, and the heritage/tourism community. It defined the framework of mission, vision, values, and strategic goals to guide development for the history center at the Capitol, now called the Capitol History Gateway (CHG).

The Willamette Heritage Center Annual Heritage Award honors and recognizes leaders and organizations who significantly contribute to the preservation of the community’s heritage.

Technology grants access to Oregon State Capitol, a project of the Capitol History Gateway program. To supplement the virtual experience, the tour features narrated audio, videos, photos and downloadable PDFs. There is even a resource page to guide visitors to other cultural and heritage organizations throughout the state.

Longtime Capitol hands gather in Salem to hear updates on projects that touch Oregon history.

The Oregon State Capitol and Oregon State Capitol Foundation earned the award for community impact at the Oregon Festival & Events Association’s (OFEA) Ovation! Awards. Impact Awards are given to events that focus on promoting a specific culture, ethnicity or heritage, or more than one.

The Capitol and Foundation earned this award for the Capitol History Gateway Program, which started in 2015 and hosts events including Oregon’s Birthday Celebration, Cherry Blossom Day, Hispanic Heritage Day, Oregon’s Bounty, Asian and Pacific Islander Day and Multicultural Day.