I grew up in Springfield, Oregon, born in 1981, and when I was a kid in the early 90s, I remember hearing about a wild little place up in Portland called the X-Ray Café. As a kid of course with no car yet, Portland a bit out of reach as it was 2 hours away. I never...
Staying in a haunted house isn't for everyone, even if the ghost that lives there is friendly. However, there are a lot of people that seek out historical sites for their next vacation stay, ghost or no ghost. Heceta Head Lighthouse is one of those stunningly...
In the early morning hours of August 2, 1873, fire bells rang out across Portland as volunteer firefighters scrambled to battle a blaze that, according to newspaper accounts, raged “among the cottages of the poor and the elegant mansions of the rich.” The fire would...
Deeper than the Grand Canyon, rich in Native legend, steeped in tragedy, and overflowing with fierce beauty, these are the untold stories of Hells Canyon in Oregon. Along the Oregon-Idaho border lies Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge. At 7,993 feet...
In the 1950s, the United States pursued one of the most devastating policies ever enacted against Native Americans, known as termination. This policy ended the federal government’s trust relationship with tribes, bands, and individual Native people who held trust...
Writing this has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, as my eyes start to tear, and I take another deep breath trying to push forward. For 27 years, I’ve carried the weight of that day quietly — but today, for the first time, I’m sharing my personal story....
Today marks 45 years since the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens, a day etched into the history of the Pacific Northwest—and the minds of everyone who lived through it. On the morning of May 18, 1980, at 8:32 a.m., the mountain violently exploded, forever...
A beloved Southern Oregon landmark is once again in the spotlight — this time, as one of the most endangered historic places in America. The Oregon Caves Chateau, a nearly century-old lodge tucked away in the Siskiyou Mountains near Cave Junction, was officially named...
Gun control in the United States has never truly been about public safety—it has been about control. Throughout history, firearm restrictions have been disproportionately used to disarm Black Americans, marginalized communities, and anyone deemed a "threat" to the...
There’s something fascinating about Portland’s history that never fails to surprise me. Just when I think I’ve read up on all the city’s historical oddities, I stumble upon something entirely new—at least new to me. That was exactly the case when I recently learned...
Growing up in Springfield, I thought I knew all there was to know about my hometown. I’ve spent years writing about its history and highlighting all the hidden gems this place has to offer. But it turns out, there was something I had missed — an overlooked piece of...
You may think the comparison to Disneyland is a long shot, but I assure you: it's completely true. Jerry and Lu Parks had big dreams in 1964. They already owned one of the most famous restaurants on the Oregon Coast, that with a vision of the future could become a...