Your Salem Through the Years

This week on Your Salem Through The Years, David Lewis, Tribal Historian for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, talks to Virginia and Jim about Salem in 1840. In 1840 the Methodist missionaries had arrived and the native Kalapuyan people were struggling to survive the white man's diseases and occupation of their homeland.

This week on Your Salem Through the Years, Jim and Virginia take a walk through Salem Pioneer Cemetery with Elisabeth Walton Potter. Elisabeth has volunteered for years with the Friends of Pioneer Cemetery and shares her vast knowledge of the history of the cemetery and of the many important people who are buried there.

This week on Your Salem Through the Years, Jim and Virginia visit the Willamette River "ghost town" of Lincoln with former resident Dick Buren. Lincoln is not really a ghost town. It's a quiet little rural hamlet six miles north of Salem. But in the 1880's it was a thriving Willamette River port town, shipping more wheat to market than any town in Oregon outside of Portland. What happened to Lincoln and the many residents and businesses there? Listen to our show to find out.

This week Virginia and Jim learn about Salem in 1800 from David Lewis, tribal historian of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. Before he Canadians and Americans came to the Willamette Valley, the Kalapuyans and made their home here for thousands of years. Learn about their lifeways by listening to this show.

This week on Your Salem Through the Years, Jim and Virginia recall Salem in 1959. Thirty-seven year old Mark O. Hatfield has been elected as Oregon's new governor. He and his wife are renovating their recently purchased home on High Street to be a suitable Governor's residence. The house was built in 1880 by Oregon pioneer Virgil Pringle, so it needs extensive renovation. Learn more about Mark Hatfield and his rapid rise in Oregon politics by listening to this week's show.

This week on Your Salem Through the Years, Jim and Virginia take a walk around Fry's Hill in the historic Gaiety Hill neighborhood. You have no doubt traversed Fry's Hill many times as you head south from downtown on High Street. At the top you have surely admired this beautiful home built in 1859 and purchased in 1909 by Daniel Fry, a successful druggist. He purchased the entire hill and built many of the homes you see today.

This week on Your Salem Through the Years Jim and Virginia discuss Salem in 1984. This is the year that Deepwood was built. Virginia tells the interesting and somewhat tragic story of one of Salem's most beloved historic homes.

This week on Your Salem Through the Years, Jim and Virginia recall Salem in 1972. This was an important year in our history when we dedicated our new Civic Center and demolished our 1893 City Hall to make way for a parking lot. Today we are pondering what to do with the Civic Center that is inadequate for our Police Department and will probably collapse in a big earthquake.

This week on Your Salem Through the Years, Jim and Virginia discuss one of the most pivotal years in Salem's history, 1935. That was the year of the tragic fire that destroyed the Statehouse and changed the face of the city in many ways.

This week on Your Salem Through the Years, Jim and Virginia talk about Salem in 1876. In that year a most wonderful aerial map of the city was produced that shows in great detail what Salem looked like in that year, perhaps a bit idealized. Jim and Virginia just revel in it.