HERE'S WHAT YOU MISSED THIS 2024-2025 SEASON: 

September 4, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM 

Linus Pauling in Portland, China and Beyond by Chris Petersen 

The Northwest China Council is excited to be hosting a talk about Linus Pauling in honor of the 30th anniversary of his death. Chris Petersen, Editor of Visions of Linus Pauling (World Scientific Publishing 2022) will present about Dr. Pauling’s life and his career achievements, which included becoming one of the great scientists of the 20th century.

October 2, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM 

The Maryhill Museum of Art by Amy Behrens

Discover the Maryhill Museum of Art's history, collections, and goals for the future from their Executive Director, Amy Behrens! The mission of Maryhill Museum of Art is to ignite a journey of educational enrichment in the Columbia Gorge with their artistic and historical collections. Sam Hill began building Maryhill in 1914 as a mansion called Beaux-Art. It was never used to live in and in 1917, it became a place for French art to be collected and exhibited.

November 6, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM 

Oswego Suffragists: A Force for Change by Kathryn Sinor and Courtney Clements

Using new research from the Oswego Heritage Council's new exhibit, meet the women in early Oswego who fought to better their community. These women didn't sit around, waiting for voting rights to be given to them; they organized and fought for it, enacting change in Oswego both before and after woman suffrage passed in 1912. How did they do this? Discover the stories behind the new exhibit!

February 5, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM 

They Never Asked: Senryū Poetry from WWII by Shelley Baker-Gard, Michael Freiling, and Satsuki Takikawa 

Poems composed by numerous Japanese American poets during WWII were kept in a journal by Masaki Kinoshita and discovered by his grandson Duane Watari. These poems and their translations were compiled into the book They Never Asked: Senryū Poetry from the WWII Portland Assembly Center. Selected poems will be read in Japanese and English by translators Satsuki Takikawa and Mike Freiling. 

March 5, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Before the Show Began: Theaters of Oregon by Darrell Jabin

Theaters have always captured our imaginations. Their architecture and lighting have drawn us inside. Their decorative lobbies have let us know something special was about to happen. Our presenter, Darrell Jabin; Oregon’s Traveling Historian, toured and photographed dozens of theaters. He researched opera houses, vaudeville, movie palaces, drive ins and neighborhood theaters. He interviewed historians, theater owners and directors of community theaters to create this informative and entertaining presentation. Join Darrell Jabin for an interesting discussion and share your memories about a unique part of Oregon history.

April 2, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

In Collaboration with LO Reads: Portland Books Through Bars

Portland Books Through Bars formed in the mid-1990s as a sister program to Seattle Books to Prisoners, emerging with a shared mission to combat educational inequity and censorship for people who are incarcerated. Over the decades, the organization evolved into a dedicated collective working to challenge restrictive policies and advocate for the transformative power of books. Portland Books Through Bars will dive into their history, their work, and how it relates to our LO Reads 2024 selection, How To Read A Book by Monica Wood. 

2018

Stephen Beckham, Oregon's Backwoods Utopias

Nancy Dunis, Pioneer Women of Lake Oswego

Linda Beutler, Heirloom Clematis in the Garden

Gregory Nokes, Troubled Life of Peter Burnett

Mark Browne, Theresa Truchot: A Jewel of Many Facets

Rachel Verdick/Dorothy Atwood, Historic Preservation and Path to a Sustainable Future

Marge Easley, League of Women Voters History 

2019

Dr. Stephen Beckham, NW Indians

Jan Newton Becker, Aurora Colony History

David Charvet, History of Magic and A Performance

Darrell Jabin, Discovering Oregon History through the Blue Book

Mark Browne, Historic Forensics in Collection Preservation

Susanna Kuo, Rediscovering a Lost Oswego Family: Pomeroy

Dr. Stephen Beckham, Theodore Roosevelt

2020

Dr. Stephen Beckham, Studies in Climate Concerns

Cece Otto, Release of WWI album

Angel Ocasio, History of Ukelele and Performance

2021

Zachary Stocks, Oregon's Black History 

Paul Lyons, Springbrook Park and its Women

Stephanie Wagner, Tryon Creek

Mike Goodrich, 400 mil yrs of Oswego History (Geology)

2022

Dr. Stephen Beckham, Theodore Roosevelt and TR Library

Kim Hewey, Beginnings of Chautauqua

R. Gregory Nokes, Massacre for Gold

Cece Otto, Songs from America's Past

Nancy Dunis, Eva Emory Dye

2023

Katie Henry, Preserving Your Heritage

Courtney Clements, Local Diaries

Dr. Stephen Beckham, Sewing Seeds for Today and Tomorrow: Oregon Indian Tribal Economies

Charlene Green, If Walls Could Talk

Cece Otto, Prohibition: 90 Years of Temperance, Temptation and Song

Doyeon Lim, Arirang: Korean Folk Songs on Kayageum

Linda Holden, My Great-Grandmother, Mrs. Margaret Henderson, Pioneer Entrepreneur

Dr. Stephen Beckham, Whistle Punks and Misery Whips: Logging the Willamette Valley, 1850 to 1960

2024

David Charvet, The History and Mystery of Magic

The Family Archivists, Preserving Your Family's Legacy

Dr. David Campion, The Transformation of Modern India

Kathryn Sinor, All My Love to You, Charlie Boy: A Story from the OHC Archives

Dr. Sylvia Gray, Ask the Ancients: Astonishing Advice for Daily Dilemmas