Champoeg Park Hosts - Friends of Historic Champoeg

- VOLUME 11 -
Your guide to Champoeg State Heritage Area 2011
www.champoeg.org
BRENNAN MCMILLEN
Heirloom varieties
look and taste much different from produce found
in modern markets.
Three years after moving here,
the flood of 1861 destroyed the
house and all his farm outbuildings.
Donald and his wife Felicite built
a new house in 1862 on 4 acres of
land purchased from Robert Newell
for a token amount of $1.00. This
house was located about where our
Visitor Center stands today. The
house burned down in 1931, but a
photograph taken of the house in the
early 1900s shows a vegetable garden
behind the house.
house. Champoeg’s garden and apple orchard are
meant to replicate what we
believe a wealthy retired
Hudson Bay gentleman
farmer such as Mr. Manson might have had growing behind his back door.
The garden is planted
with old varieties of vegetables, herbs and flowers
that were available in this
area from 1862 – 1880. Vegetables
and flowers seldom found in today’s
gardens are grown here, such as Salsify, Bloody Butcher Corn, Cardoon,
Jack-in-Prison, Cupid’s Dart, Love
Lies Bleeding and Shoo-fly.
In our modern world, it is hard to
imagine the importance of Kitchen
Gardens when we can easily go to
a grocery store and buy almost any
fruit or vegetable we want at any
time of the year. In the mid-19th
century, any fresh vegetables you
Champoeg Park Hosts
The Challenge
It is a very busy weekend day in
July. The campground is full, and
many people are visiting for the day.
A camper needs firewood and ice,
and a day visitor needs directions to
the Disc Golf Course. In each case,
they are helped by friendly volunteers wearing tan vests and green
caps. These are Champoeg park
hosts, and this park would not look
and function like it does without
them.
Dan & Virginia making campers feel welcome!
INSIDE
The Job
The park host program has been
operating in Oregon State Parks
since 1979. Nearly 90 state park
areas utilize hosts. At Champoeg,
eight host positions are filled yearround and several more on a seasonal
basis, with most hosts serving twomonth assignments. In exchange for
a full hookup RV site, hosts serve a
minimum of 20 hours per person,
per week, assisting the rangers by
performing customer service, maintenance and groundskeeping duties.
Champoeg hosts contributed nearly
16,000 hours of volunteer service to
this park and its visitors in 2009!
Meet the Hosts
Veteran hosts Dan and Virginia
Smith began their hosting career at
Champoeg in 2005, and return to
their campground positions every
year. They also host at Memaloose
State Park, and have each contributed more than 4,000 hours of service
to Oregon State Parks!
Champoeg Heritage: What brings
you back to Champoeg year after
year?
Virginia: “The park itself: the
beautiful surroundings, the staff,
how the park is run, and our visitors.”
Champoeg Heritage: What is the
most rewarding part of your job?
Dan: “We love interacting with
and helping the campers, being a
part of the great history at Champoeg, learning about that history
by attending park programs, and
promoting these programs to our
campers. We both love what we do,
and hope Champoeg will continue
to be special for future generations.”
Patrick & Cheryl Devine work at three parks.
Patrick and Cheryl Devine also
are veteran campground hosts,
serving here since 2007. They also
host at LL “Stub” Stewart and Milo
McIver State Parks, and have contributed more than 3,500 hours as a
couple to state parks.
Champoeg Heritage: Most hosts
are retired, but that’s not the case
with both of you. How did you
choose to host while still working?
Cheryl: “Both of us love to travel
and camp, and we wanted to explore
the Northwest. Patrick was able to
get a company transfer from Ohio to
Portland. I retired from my full-time
job there, and we came to Oregon.
Hosting seemed to be a great way to
travel and camp, and Champoeg is
close enough to Portland for Patrick
to commute to and from work. I also
work part-time in the Portland area.”
Champoeg Heritage: How do you
manage to work at paid jobs and still
fulfill your host obligations?
Patrick: “We work as a team.
Since I work full-time, Cheryl puts
NATURE
GET INVOLVED
DISCOVERY
Bluebirds & Owls
you can see right
here in the park
Great programs
hosted by Friends of
Historic Champoeg
Fun ways to be a part of the
Champoeg Experience
Page 3
Page 4
Pages 4 –­7
PARK MAP ON BACK
BRENNAN MCMILLEN
ple of the past. Growing in Champoeg’s 1860s Kitchen Garden are vegetables, medicinal herbs and flowers
that represent the kinds of plants that
might have been grown in a family’s
garden here in the Willamette Valley
150 years ago. You might be asking…
“Why is there a garden here and how
is it relevant to Champoeg’s history?”
To answer that question, you
must learn about the Manson Family. Donald Manson was a retired
Hudson’s Bay Company employee
who moved his family to Champoeg
in 1858, and purchased 221 acres of
land.
BROOK KIRKLIN
Champoeg’s 1860s Kitchen Garden keeps history alive and growing
behind the Champoeg
They also planted an
T ucked
Visitor Center is a living examorchard to the west of the
had came from the family’s kitchen
garden. If bad weather gave you a
poor growing season, you could potentially go hungry over the winter,
or at the very least be deprived of
having a healthy and varied diet! The
garden chores of watering and weeding were done mostly by women and
girls while the men and boys worked
in the fields and cared for the livestock. All watering was done by
lugging buckets from the family well
or nearby creeks.
Tour the Garden
We invite you to wander through
the garden on a self-guided tour or
join one of our Ranger-led tours
during the summer. See the weekly
program flyers for days/times.
Volunteer in the Garden
Volunteers are needed to help
with garden tasks such as planting,
weeding, pruning and harvesting.
For more information on volunteering in the garden, please call Marie
Van Patten at 503-678-1251 x223.
Grow Your Own Heirloom Plants
If you would like to try growing some of the plants seen in the
Kitchen Garden, visit our Bookstore
in the Visitor Center, where you
can purchase seeds collected directly
from the garden.
—Marie Van Patten, park ranger
in the majority of hours hosting. On
weekends, we work together on our
host duties. It is a win-win situation
for us and for Champoeg.”
Both the Smiths and Devines
plan on returning to Champoeg in
2011, and along with all Champoeg
hosts, are here to serve you. For more
information on becoming a host
with Oregon State Parks, request a
host packet by calling 1-800-5516949, or visit the State Parks website
at www.oregonstateparks.org
—Mike Niss, park ranger and
Champoeg host coordinator
Looking for Champoeg?
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2
Enjoy the
tranquil beauty
and discover
Champoeg Park Gets Greener
D from Texas, I received the com-
uring a recent visit with a family
the rich history of
Champoeg
State Heritage
Area
Try your hand at pioneer crafts
& skills at Pioneer Farmstead
Day
Discover ways to preserve
your heritage at an adult
education program
Kick up your heels at a barn
dance
See the exhibits come to life
as interpreters share stories &
reveal details
Wander through the 1860s
kitchen garden and take home
some produce to enjoy
Browse a unique collection of
local and Oregon history books
at the Visitor Center store
Participate in one of our
ranger-led tours
Champoeg State Heritage Area
Explore the interactive exhibits
in the Visitor Center
ment that our state was “so green and
the landscape is amazing.” I think
this also holds true for Oregon’s State
Parks, and all the staff here at Champoeg work hard keeping it that way.
Did you know that we also practice
quite a bit of “green” behind the
scenes too? Being environmentally
conscious is an important part of our
business. A few
ways we achieve
this is by using
earth friendly
cleaners, biofuel mixes in
our mowing
equipment,
and purchasing
electric vehicles
Bryan Nielsen
when possible.
You may have seen the electric golf
carts that our volunteers and staff
use, but in 2010 the park added an
all-electric truck to its fleet. This
vehicle is used primarily to do work
in the campground, and replaced a
small pickup in our fleet. The vehicle
has been well-received by our campers based on the many comments and
questions we get about it. Although
it cannot perform some of the jobs
the larger vehicles can, I’m glad to
see that the equipment is available
and excited that Champoeg is one of
the pioneers in using this new green
technology.
Meander through historic
landscapes – wetland, oak
savanna and upland prairie
Experience the past through
our living history programs
Learn about the beginnings
of Oregon government at
Founders Day
Camp in a yurt, tent or cabin
and attend a campfire program
Our all-electric utility truck keeps your Oregon State Park even more green.
In the past few years Champoeg
has seen many improvements to the
trails and campground, and it appears
that 2011 will be a bit more relaxed
and less focused on projects.
However, one much needed
project will be the replacement of
the columns on the historic pavilion
building. In the mid-1970s, the original columns were replaced with used
utility poles which were historically
inaccurate, and has created a mess
from the leaching creosote.
During 2011 we will be replacing
them again with new columns that
are historically correct. I am looking
forward to seeing the building as it
was in the 1920s.
A new partnership has been
underway the past three years here
at Champoeg. While many of you
have come to enjoy the draft horse
plowing during our Founders Day
celebration, there is another new and
exciting event taking form.
I have been working with the
Oregon Two-Cylinder Club at our
annual Grain Harvest Day.
The club brings out vintage John
Deere tractors and a binder to harvest
the wheat we planted. The wheat
bundles are then hauled up to the
Manson Barn, where it is stored for
use in our education and interpretive
programs the following spring and
summer.
This annual event usually takes
place the second Saturday of August,
and I would encourage you to bring
the family out to see the old equipment and learn about harvesting
wheat here in the Willamette Valley.
Champoeg is just one of the many
parks that you can enjoy in our great
state, and I hope that you will visit
Oregon State Parks often and tell
your friends about us.
—Bryan Nielsen, Park Manager,
Champoeg State Heritage Area
Members of the Oregon Two-Cylinder Club
harvest wheat during Grain Harvest Day (left). Wheat is stored in the Manson Barn to be
used for interpretive events such as this milling
demonstration at Farmstead Day (below left) or
for our many educational programs (below).
Encourage your child’s teacher
to sign up for a Champoeg
Promise school program
Enjoy an ice cream soda or
an Oregon micro-brew on the
porch of the Historic Butteville
Store
Follow a peaceful trail
along the river through
t h e golden leaves of
autumn
CHAMPOEG
T
Timeline
BROOK KIRKLIN
Help winnow wheat from
the French Prairie in
the historic Manson
barn
The First
People
he human history of Champoeg spans over 7,000 years.
Discover some of the key elements of Champoeg’s story,
outlined over the following six pages.
Pre-contact through the early 1700s
Kalapuya tribal members live in the interior valleys between the Cascade Mountains and
the Coast Range. They seasonally set fires in the Willamette Valley to create prairies and
manage food supplies. Champoeg provides access between river and prairie, and is an
important meeting place. Today, scholars believe the name “Champoeg” comes from the
Kalapuya word for yampah, an edible root.
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3
Bluebirds make a remarkable comeback at Champoeg
or ride your bike along the
Walk
bicycle trail between the Oak
Grove and Riverside Day Use Areas
and you will see bird houses along
the fence line. These are nest boxes
set up to attract one of Champoeg’s
most beautiful native birds – the
Western Bluebird. This park is one of
the prime locations to see this lovely,
small (6 inch), blue Oregon songbird.
This wasn’t always the case.
Before settlement began in the
early 19th century, the Willamette
Valley provided an ideal habitat and
bluebirds were commonly seen. They
built their nests in holes in snags
(dead trees) or cavities made by larger
birds such as woodpeckers.
During the daytime they would
forage for insects in the prairies or
sheep-grazed pasture land.
Settlers cleared and plowed the
prairies to create their farms. Still, the
use of old wooden fence posts provided cavities that were ideal for the
bluebirds to nest. They remained a
common sight into the early 20th century.
The population of bluebirds was
considerable until a combination of
events in the mid-1940s changed
everything. Small farms were often shifted to
large-scale agricultural businesses.
Wooden fence posts were replaced
with steel ones. The English House
Sparrow and European Starling, introduced on the East Coast from England in the late 1800s, had by now
migrated to the West Coast.
The results were disastrous for the
bluebird in the Champoeg and other
Willamette Valley areas.
In the 1970s, a bird lover by the
name of Hubert Prescott, aware of the
near-disappearance of bluebirds in the
Valley, drove around the hill areas and
finally spotted some bluebirds near
the park. He began putting up nesting boxes there and monitoring the
bluebird populations.
All photos: ZENOBIA LAPEYRE, PBRP volunteer
Despite setbacks, Western Bluebirds have returned to Champoeg, due largely to a dedicated volunteer effort
Volunteers joined in and organized
the Prescott Bluebird Recovery Project
(PBRP), which today is actively involved at Champoeg.
Prescott volunteers install and
maintain nearly 30 nest boxes in the
park. They also monitor and band the
birds, as well as provide supplemental
feeding when necessary.
As a result of this effort, bluebirds
are now a common sight at Champoeg.
Park staff and Prescott volunteers team up to present Champoeg
Bluebird Day in mid-June. This is a
fun opportunity for visitors to learn
about this fascinating bird.
The Visitor Center also has an
excellent bluebird display.
—Mike Niss, park ranger, with
assistance from Lauri Kunzman and
Nancy Fraser, Prescott volunteers
Champoeg’s Common Owls
The park is a great place to see and hear these night hunters
campers stroll behind the
P ark
park ranger as she leads a popular
“owl prowl”. Red plastic covers their
flashlight lenses. They slowly make
their way along the Kitty Newell Trail
and stop to listen to a tape of a bird
call sounding something like “whocooks-for-you”. All of a sudden, two
barred owls are “talking back” to the
tape.
This is just one example of visitors
encountering one of several kinds of
owls found here at Champoeg. It is
possible that up to six species live in
the park, including, Barn, Saw Whet,
Northern Pygmy, Great Horned,
Western Screech and Barred. This
article will focus on the latter three
species, as they are the ones most often seen or heard by staff and visitors.
Western Screech Owl
Megascops kennicottii
This owl is the smallest of the
common park owls with a length of 8
Trapper’s
Paradise
1781-82
Barred Owls have dark, not yellow, eyes.
inches, and a wingspan of 15 inches.
Feathers are mottled grayish-brown,
and like the Great Horned Owl, it
has feathered ear tufts and yellow
eyes. It does not “hoot” like other
owls, but rather the call is a series
of soft, accelerating even-pitched
whistles.
Western Screech Owls hunt at
night, and prefer small mammals
such as mice and voles, as well as
small birds and large insects.
These owls are probably common
in the park, but are not often seen
due to their small size and nocturnal (active at night) habits. Good
places to listen for them are along the
Champoeg Townsite Trail and the
bike trail east of the campground.
Barred Owl
Strix varia
This large owl is the one most seen
and heard by park campers. Its length
1792
1805-06
is 20 inches with a 40 inch wingspan.
Feathers are brown with the belly
lighter in color with dark barring.
The Barred Owl is the only
common Champoeg owl with dark
instead of yellow eyes.
Like most owls, the barred is
active after dark, using its well-developed sense of hearing to locate small
mammals, birds and large insects.
Barred Owls are aggressive birds, and
are expanding their range in Oregon.
They may be a threat to the Northern
Spotted Owl, a close relative. Spotted
Owls are not found at Champoeg.
The best place in the park to look
for and listen to Barred Owls is along
the Kitty Newell Nature Trail next to
the campground.
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
These are the largest owls found in
the park, with a length of 22 inches,
and a wingspan of 45 inches. The
birds have mottled grayish-brown
feathers with feathered ear tufts.
Eyes are large and yellow. Call is a
deep whoo-whodoo-whoo-who.
Powerful and fearless, the Great
Horned Owl hunts primarily at night
and feeds on small mammals such as
mice and squirrels, but also on small
1812-1813
1818
Smallpox, a European disease,
Lewis & Clark explore the
U.S. & Britain sign “Joint
kills many Kalapuya. Other
lower Willamette River on
Occupancy Agreement.”
diseases follow.
their return journey.
Willamette Post established by Pacific
American Robert Gray finds the
Fur Co. See Historical Marker on Rt.
Columbia River. Britain’s William
219, south of bridge to Newberg.
Broughton finds the Willamette River.
birds and large insects. It listens for
its prey from a perch in a tree, and
then flies after and pounces on the
victim.
Great Horned Owls can be found
throughout the park, but recent
sightings have been more common
in the Riverside Day Use Area, and
near the campground’s A-loop. Look
for their large silhouettes against the
evening sky as they fly from perch to
perch. They are most easily heard in
the late winter/early spring during
their mating season.
Note: Weekly ranger-led owl
prowls are scheduled for the summer months in 2011. Please see the
weekly program flyers for days/times
and tour location.
—Mike Niss, park ranger
1825
Dr. John McLoughlin becomes Chief
Factor of Hudson’s Bay Co. at Fort
Vancouver; serves until 1845. Opposes
formation of government, but later
becomes U.S. citizen.
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Become a Friend of Historic Champoeg
the cultural and
I nterpreting
natural history of Champoeg
State Heritage Area is the mission
of Friends of Historic Champoeg
(FHC), a non-profit organization
dedicated to connecting visitors
to the history and spirit of Champoeg. In collaboration with Oregon
Parks and Recreation Department,
FHC provides world-class interpretive experiences through education
programs, living history demonstrations, special events and the Historic
Butteville Store. Become a member
and help support the programming at
Champoeg.
Education Programs
The Champoeg Promise School
Program offers an engaging, handson, curriculum-based program for
students in grades one through eight
that delivers important lessons on migration, settlement, government and
the historic record.
Camp Champoeg is an intensive
spring-break learning experience
geared for students in grades one
through eight. This enriching environmental education program is
based on Champoeg’s cultural and
natural history.
Champoeg Legacy, designed for
life-long learners, is offered as one to
two hour programs, where participants examine archeological artifacts,
hear the stories of the people who
first lived on this land, engage in the
pastimes of long-ago eras, and look
at how nature has shaped and influenced the history of this area.
For more information and to sign
up for the school program online, go
to www.champoeg.org.
Living History Programs
Visitors get hands-on experience
with 19th and early 20th century
crafts, skills and traditions during the
many living history demonstrations
and special events held throughout
the year. Holiday Gathering, Living
History Saturdays, Pioneer Farmstead Day and Apple Harvest Festival
engage visitors with experiences that
immerse them in early Oregon life.
For a complete listing of events, go to
www.champoeg.org.
May through October, is the oldest
continuously-operating general store
in the state. Stop by and enjoy a root
beer float or espresso. For more information, go to www.buttevillestore.
com. Proceeds from the stores benefit
Champoeg’s interpretive programs.
Volunteer
Volunteers make our programming possible, and we invite you to
get involved. Many volunteers wear
period costumes and demonstrate
1860s folklife skills or engage with
visitors in the exhibits.
Volunteers are also needed to
help in the Kitchen Garden, Visitor
Center, Historic Butteville Store, and
with the school program. To learn
more, contact Kim at 503-678-1649
or kim@champoeg.org.
Show Your Support
1. Make a financial contribution.
Donations help us in so many ways,
from bringing underserved children
to the school program, to purchasing
costumes, to paying musicians to play
at our barn dances.
2. Volunteer your time and talent.
3. Become a member.
FHC members receive updates
about Park events, and get a 15%
discount on items purchased at the
Visitor Center and Historic Butteville
Stores, and invitations to membersonly events. Use the coupon below to
become a member today.
Can you say CHAMPOEG?
How do you pronounce it, and what does it mean?
Visitor Center & Historic
Butteville Store
FHC operates the Visitor Center
Store and the Historic Butteville
Store. The Visitor Center is located
just inside the park entrance and
houses new educational exhibits as
well as the Store. Come in and find
a nice selection of gifts, toys, snacks,
disc golf supplies, heritage seeds, and
an extensive selection of books on
Northwest history, nature and travel.
The Historic Butteville Store, located at the eastern end of the Champoeg bicycle trail and open daily from
Become a member of Friends of Historic Champoeg!
can say “sham-POO-ee.” That’s how most
Y oupeople
say it today. During the time of the
town of Champoeg—the 1840s to 1861—the
pronunciation was probably close to the way it is
spelled: “cham-POH-eg,” with a “ch” sound.
The name comes from the Kalapuya Indians,
but we can only guess what the original was. Two
possibilities are CamBuiCuk (“chahm-BUeechook”) and CaCimaBuiCuk (“chah-CHEE-mahBUee-chook”).
The meaning is roughly “place of yampah.” Yampah, or Perideridia sp, is a type of wild carrot with
an edible root. It probably grew across the river
on Parrett Mountain, and not in the park.
www.champoeg.org · info@champoeg.org · 503-678-1649
&
Yes! I want to support Champoeg’s education programs and interpretive
experiences. Sign me up for Friends of Historic Champoeg Membership today!
NAME
ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP
PHONE
BROOK KIRKLIN
EMAIL
1827-31
1830-31
Commercial
& Political
Center
French Canadians begin the
first farms in the Northwest
near Champoeg. Local area
known as “French Prairie.”
Seal of the Provisional Government 1843-1849
NEW MEMBERS! Join before December 31, 2011 at the $100 level or higher and you
will get a free 12-month OPRD Parking Pass—a $30 value!
$15
$25
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MAIL this form along with your check payable to FHC to:
FHC, 8239 Champoeg Rd. NE, St. Paul, OR 97137
or call 503-678-1649 to put your Membership contribution on your Visa or Master Card.
1833
John Ball establishes
the first American farm
in the Northwest within
today’s park boundary.
Malaria appears, reducing
Kalapuya numbers to a few
hundred by the 1840s.
Support Champoeg at these
levels of generosity!
1834
1835
Webley Hauxhurst builds
first grist mill in Willamette
Valley at Champoeg.
Willamette Mission established
by Methodist missionary Jason
Lee. Visit Willamette Mission State
Park to see the ghost structure.
1837
1839
FHC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization. Your donation
may be tax deductible.
1841
Father Blanchet establishes first
Catholic mission in St. Paul. See the
1846 church on the self-guided French
Prairie Tour.
Ewing Young leads first
cattle drive from California
to Willamette Valley.
Senior/Student
Individual
Family
Salmonberry
Prairie Grass
Camas Flower
Oak Savannah
Champoeg Keeper
Champoeg Steward
1841-43
Settlers—mostly retired American
trappers and mountain men—me
discuss organizing an Oreg
the “Wolf Meetings”
Ewing Young’s death causes
settlers to meet and discuss
probate matters; Hudson’s Bay Co.
warehouse built at Champoeg.
3
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Friends of Historic Champoeg thanks these generous area
businesses for helping make this publication possible. 
Visit the Historic
Butteville Store
503-682-9053
8255
SW Wilsonville Rd.
Wilsonville, OR
97070
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/4QSJOHCSPPL3PBEt1IPOF
MPDBUFEJO4QSJOHCSPPL1MB[BCFUXFFO4BGFXBZBOE%PMMBS5SFFJO/FXCFSH
Book tee times by calling 503.538.5800
or online at www.chehalemglenn.com
t Open 6 am – 10 pm, 7 days a week
t Over 40 NEW machines from 20 lb. to 75 lb. jumbo washers
t We gladly welcome comforters,
blankets, sleeping bags, pillows
t Free Wi-Fi Available
4501 E Fernwood Road, Newberg, OR
Only 6 miles north of the Park, off Hwy. 219
Newest, cleanest, friendliest laundry in town –
Come In and Come Clean – you’ll be glad you did!
Golf in the wine country of Oregon
18 holes of golf, driving range, instruction
Personalized PC support
BRIAN Z. SNYDER
(PC or MAC house calls, office calls and internet calls)
Open on
Weekends
Open
8:00 AM
to 7:00 PM
G
reat food, espresso, Tillamook ice cream, drinks, live music, special
events, souvenirs, local French Prairie farm products, free Wi-Fi, fun
and more at Oregon’s oldest continuously-operating store. This quaint old
general store is only two miles from the Champoeg campground by the hiking/biking trail, or about 3.5 miles by car from the park entrance (see map
on back page). The original store dates back to the 1860s and is the only
remaining commercial building in Butteville, once a thriving river town
with Willamette River steamboats visiting regularly.
The Historic Butteville Store is open daily, May through October, from
9am - 6pm. Stop by to enjoy great deli sandwiches, home-baked pies, cinnamon rolls, ice cream, milkshakes, espresso, sodas, beer, and wine, and other
snacks. Check weekly flyer or store’s website for special events and activities.
Besides great food, the Historic Butteville Store carries a wide selection
of books about local history, cooking, nature and travel. You will also find
artwork, crafts, birding and camping supplies, heirloom seeds, local French
Prairie farm products, Historic Butteville clothing, and other mementos.
Take some time to enjoy this unique venue, and relax with lunch or your
favorite snack inside or on the front porch, shady side deck, or grassy picnic area.
Today the Historic Butteville Store is an Oregon State Park property and
is operated by Friends of Historic Champoeg, a non-profit organization
dedicated to sharing the story of Champoeg and the surrounding French
Prairie. Proceeds help support educational and interpretive programs at
Champoeg State Heritage Area and the Historic Butteville Store.
For directions—see map on back page
The Historic Butteville Store · 503-678-1605
n and French-Canadian
eet at various places to
gon government:
” of 1843.
Meeting held at Champoeg; Joe Meek calls
for “a divide” (vote) to accept Provisional
Government. Vote passes 52-50. See the
Gégoux painting in the Visitor Center.
Western Sun Nursery
Premium quality plants direct from the grower.
A large selection of Perennials, Annuals, Baskets,
Groundcovers, Shrubs and Trees.
Open 9am-4pm
Tuesday- Sunday
Stacey Rumgay
(Monday, call first)
Principal Broker, GRI, CRB, SRES
10730 SW 85th Avenue
Tigard, OR 97223
Office: 503-682-7072
Cell: 503-348-5581
Direct: 503-682-1875
Fax: 503-682-2108
(corner of Spruce and SW 85th)
For more info, please call
Gini at 503-407-6422
P.O. Box 386
Wilsonville, OR 97070
staceyr@europa.com
Wilsonville-Realty.com
The
Corner House
At the heart of Aurora
Bbq pulled pork, ribs & more...
We Cater!
Open Tue-Fri: 11am-8pm
Sat: 9am-8pm, Sun: 9am-3pm
21668 99E, Aurora, OR
I-5
THE
EXIT
278
CORNER
HOUSE
EHLEN RD.
99E
AURORA
99E
Visitor Center and Bookstore
on’t miss the Champoeg Visitor
local Champoeg and Oregon history,
Center
located
just
inside
the
D
cook books, birding books, gardenpark entrance. Interactive educational
exhibits help visitors understand the
rich history and spirit of Champoeg.
On most summer weekends, you can
interact with costumed interpreters
and hear the intriguing stories of the
people who once called Champoeg
home.
The Visitor Center is also home
to our Bookstore where you can find
merchandise that educates, entertains, enhances enjoyment of the
park, and heightens awareness about
the significance of Champoeg to
Oregon’s past.
The store is proud to offer a
unique collection of books relating to
1843
Organic Law adopted at Champoeg;
establishes a simple government.
Call 503 682-2682
or
503 682-2661
web: thecornerhouse.us
The Champoeg Visitor Center, located near the park entrance, is home to interactive
exhibits, the Kitchen Garden, our Bookstore and many exciting events and programs.
July 5, 1843
9375 SW Wilsonville Rd
Wilsonville, OR 97070
503-678-7770
10767 Butte Street, off of Butteville Road · www.buttevillestore.com
May 2, 1843
Wednesday
Thursday,
Friday,
Saturday &
Sunday
1845-61
Champoeg develops as an important commercial
center along the Willamette River; Robert Newell
is the chief promoter.
First large group of Americans (about 900, including
significant numbers of women and children) come off the
Oregon Trail in fall and settle in the Willamette Valley.
Political power shifts to the newcomer Americans.
ing and travel books. You will also
find Champoeg apparel and other
mementos, disc golf supplies, bicycle helmets, toys, snacks, and cold
drinks. Oregon State Park daily and
annual parking permits may also be
purchased here.
Hours: The Visitor Center and
Bookstore are open daily from 9 AM
to 5 PM during the summer (June –
September). Open hours vary during the rest of the year. For current
hours, check the weekly park flyer or
call the Visitor Center at 503-6781251 x 221. Closed Thanksgiving
and Christmas Days.
1850
1851
A U.S. commission, meeting at Champoeg,
signs treaties to buy native lands and move
the people to reservations. The U.S. Senate
refuses to ratify the treaties.
Donation Land Law enacted; settlers who
arrived prior to 1850 entitled to free land.
P
6
Learn More About Champoeg
An 1860s Kitchen Garden
For Oregon settlers, a kitchen garden was essential for a family’s
health and happiness.
Archeology at Champoeg
By studying the area where the town of Champoeg used to be,
archeologists hope to fill in some big gaps in the historical record.
Bluebirds & Meadowlarks, Eagles & Ospreys
These once-common birds disappeared from the Willamette Valley
because of changes in land use. Three have made a comeback.
River Rivals: Champoeg and Butteville
The sudden destruction of the town of Champoeg left us with two
mysteries: what did the town look like, and what would have happened
if the town had survived?
Can You Say Champoeg?
How do you pronounce it? What does it mean? These are simple
questions, but the passing of time has made the answers difficult.
The End of the Town of Champoeg
Is it safe to build alongside a river? Perhaps, but you had better know
that river’s flood history.
Whispers of the Past
A quick overview of Champoeg history, as seen by the people who were here.
Log Cabins, Pageants, and Giant Sequoias:
What’s the best way to memorialize history? Every generation has had
its own answers to this question, and its own ideas of what to do.
Who is Kitty Newell?
The story of Kitty Newell is part of a chapter of Oregon history that
has, until recently, been largely ignored.
Prairie Restoration at Champoeg
www.champoeg.org
info@champoeg.org
503-678-1649 FHC Office
503-678-1251 x221 Visitor Center
is published annually by Friends of Historic Champoeg, and is
funded in part by Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.
Support from the Helen E. Austin Pioneer Fund of the Oregon
Community Foundation for the production of this edition of
Champoeg Heritage is gratefully acknowledged.
WARNING
Printed on 30% post-consumer
recycled paper. Please keep the cycle
going and recycle this paper!
THERE ARE NO SAFE PLACES TO SWIM AT CHAMPOEG.
Chehalem Parks and Recreation District has a public pool in Newberg.
Call (503) 538-7454 for hours.
AVOID HAZARDOUS PLANTS & ANIMALS! Poison oak, stinging
nettle and blackberry bushes are found throughout the park. The best
way to avoid contact with these plants is to REMAIN ON PATHS AND
ROADWAYS. Small animals such as bats, squirrels, rabbits, skunks
and raccoons are common in the park. These animals can be carriers of
diseases such as rabies. DO NOT TOUCH OR TRY TO FEED ANY
PARK ANIMAL. Report injured or ill wildlife to a Ranger.
1857
The Kalapuyas and many
other tribal groups are
forced onto the Grand
Ronde reservation.
Willamette River floods; Newell moves
to higher ground. Visit the Newell House
Museum.
Hospital
Providence Newberg Hospital
has an emergency room and
urgent care center. Take Highway
219 to Highway 99W. Follow the
signs.
Hosts:
Your Best Resource
Park Hosts in the campground
and at the Visitor Center can
help you find what you need. Ask
about area restaurants, grocery
stores, laundries, car washes,
and area attractions.
First Saturday in June
Free admission to the park, and
free camping! A variety of activities
for the entire family. Special tours
and Junior Ranger programs are a
few of the fun events.
1859
Oregon
Statehood.
Donald Manson buys
Newell’s floodplain
farmstead.
www.champoeg.org
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Free Fishing Day
Third Saturday in June
Celebrate the return of Western
Bluebirds to the park with a variety
of fun and educational events
including bird watching.
This beautiful 130-mile route
follows the Willamette River from
Champoeg to Armitage County
Park in Eugene. Information/
maps available online at www.
oregonscenicbikeways.org
Pioneer Farmstead Day
CHAMPOEG HERITAGE
Robert Newell and Andre
Longtain plat Champoeg
townsite on their Donation
Land Claims.
Our street address is:
8239 Champoeg Road NE,
St. Paul, Oregon 97137
503-678-1251 x225
First Saturday in May
A commemoration of the historic
vote held at Champoeg on May
2nd, 1843, which established the
first government in the Pacific
Northwest. This traditional
celebration has been held at
Champoeg each year for over 100
years!
Champoeg Bluebird Day
Eight year old Champoeg resident, Mary Higley, recounts the dramatic
events leading up to, during, and after the historic flood that destroyed
the town.
1855
Contact a Ranger, or a Camp
Host in sites A46, A48, B1 or
B20. If necessary, dial 911.
Founders Day
A Personal Account of the 1861 Flood
When the 1862 Manson Barn (behind the Visitor Center) was restored
a few years ago, it had some surprises.
1853
Emergencies
Mid-April
A celebration of the park’s plant
and animal communities. Nature
walks and other activities that focus
on the natural history of Champoeg.
The Manson Barn: The Oldest Building in Oregon?
1852
Campground B-loop, near the
entrance.
Earth Day Celebration
Early June
No license needed to fish!
Learn some tips on catching
the warm-water fish that inhabit
the Willamette. Lots of fun and
activities for children and adults.
The Willamette Valley was once a land of prairies and savannahs.
The park is working to restore some of that original landscape.
A Dream
Unfulfilled
Public phones
Watch for flyers about special
events in the information boxes
throughout the park, and at the
Visitor Center.
For more information, call:
503-678-1251 x221.
Oregon State Parks Day
The History of Champoeg Park
Editor:
Tom Carson
Assistant Editors: Gini Lang, Mike Niss
and Colleen Sump
Graphic Design: Brook Design Services
Local
Information
Year-Round
Events
Find these handouts at the Visitor Center, or at www.champoeg.org
Saturday of Labor Day Weekend
A celebration of 19th-century
rural crafts and skills. Try your
hand at churning butter, processing
wheat, blacksmithing and more.
Play old-fashioned children’s
games and make pioneer toys.
r
the Rive
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plo mett
x
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Wi
Apple Harvest Festival
First Saturday in October
Enjoy the fruits of the season
with apple cider pressing, biscuit
baking, apple butter, apple crafts,
and music.
Holiday Gathering
First Saturday in December
Children of all ages are invited
to make simple gifts to give or to
keep. Taste gingerbread, sip cider,
and enjoy the simple pleasures of
the holiday season.
1861
1861-90
1862
Champoeg remains an important
riverboat stop; efforts to rebuild
the town fail.
Flood destroys the town
of Champoeg. No lives
are lost.
Get your copy of the Willamette
River Water Trail Guide and get
on the river! Routes, camping,
and sites to see along 106.5 river
miles. On sale at the Visitor Center
or online at
www.willamettewatertrail.com
1867
1890
Robert Newell gives up on
Champoeg; returns to Idaho to
aid Nez Perce tribes.
Donald Manson builds a house
and barn at the site of the
current Visitor Center.
Champoeg again destroyed
by severe flood. Townsite
abandoned in 1892.
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7
2011 Summer Programs
Oregon State Parks
Every Day
Visitor Center; Exhibits and Store
9am-5pm
(summer hours)
Open year-round. Interactive exhibits, informative videos, information,
and Bookstore. Take a self-guided tour of the 1860s Kitchen Garden,
adjacent to the Visitor Center. 9am – 5pm, Winter hours vary, call 503678-1251 x221.
GO GUIDE!
Historic Butteville Store
9am-6pm
(summer hours)
Café serving home-cooked food, ice cream, espresso, pie, snacks, drinks
& more. Books, mementos and regional delights. Open daily 9am-6pm,
May through October. Check weekly flyer or www.champoeg.org for
special events and activities.
Junior Ranger Programs
Ages 6-12. Meet at Campground Program Area for
Park Secrets, special programs and fun activities. Earn
your Junior Ranger Badge! See flyers for days and times.
Campground Evening Programs
Meet at the Campground Program Area for a variety of evening
programs on Champoeg history or nature. See flyers for details.
Ranger-Led Interpretive Tours
See weekly flyers for days and times.
1860s Kitchen Garden
Meet at the Visitor Center. What did the 1860s settler grow and
why? Orchard, pasture and garden tour and lore. One hour.
Birth of Oregon
Meet at the Pavilion. Discover why the events of 1843 were pivotal
to Oregon history and remain important to us today. One hour.
Donald & Felicite Manson
Farmstead
Meet at the Visitor Center. How did the Mansons survive the 1861
flood? What secrets does their barn reveal? One hour.
Old Champoeg Townsite
Meet near Pioneer Mothers Cabin. What happened to the town of
Champoeg? How do we know about its past? One hour.
Discover Champoeg
This two-hour tour is combined with the Jr. Ranger program.
Discover Champoeg plants and wildlife on this hiking or bicycle
tour. Meet at the Campground Program Area.
Champoeg After Dark
Experience Champoeg in a whole new light by joining us after
sunset for Night Hikes, Owl Prowls, Star Gazing, and Bountiful
Bats! Meet at the Campground Program Area.
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Robert Newell House Museum
1-5pm
503-678-5537 www.newellhouse.com
Check out
Pioneer Mothers Memorial Cabin
Saturday
1:30-3:30pm
July and
August
503-633-2237
Museums are owned and operated by the Daughters of the American
Revolution. Admission fee posted at the museums; call for more
information. Open March through October.
oregonstateparks.wordpress.com
for great tips and ideas
before you Go Play!
Living History Demonstrations
At the Donald & Felicite Manson Farmstead. Costumed interpreters will
be your guides to life in the 19th century. Try your hand at the crafts
and skills necessary for survival and entertainment on early settlement
farms such as textile crafts, blacksmithing, woodworking, home skills,
children’s jobs, games and harvesting demonstrations. See weekly flyers
for schedule of activities.
Dance in the 1860s barn
to the music of Worn Out Shoes!
e
FREE!
e
Saturday, July 23rd, 6-9pm
Saturday, August 20th, 6-9pm
Saturday, September 10th, 6-9pm
Champoeg
the Park
1900-01
Francis X. Matthieu
locates site of 1843
vote. Monument is
erected.
1912-13
1918
1931
Champoeg Pioneer
Memorial Building built for
annual celebrations.
State begins administrating “Provisional
Government Park” at Champoeg; additional
land added through the years.
1943
1954
Champoeg becomes
an official State Park.
Pioneer Mothers Cabin
completed. Donald Manson
house burns down.
1977 1980 1983
Visitor Center
constructed on site
of Donald Manson’s
house.
Federal Termination
Act closes Grand
Ronde Reservation.
1992-94 1999-2000 2001
Confederated Tribes of the
Grand Ronde, which includes
Kalapuya descendents, win
back tribal rights.
Nonprofit Friends of
Historic Champoeg
formed to assist park.
Heritage apple
orchard &1860s-style
kitchen garden
planted.
Donald Manson’s
1862 barn restored.
2009
Oregon 150
celebration!
Stay tuned
for more …
Champoeg celebrates
100 years as a
historical park.