Events

Oregon Area Historical Society

Events

The Oregon Area Historical Society Museum’s 2025 events.  This list is a work in progress and more dates will be added soon.

Visit us on Tuesdays from 10am-3pm, the first Saturday of the month from 9am-12pm, or by appointment.

2025 Events

Recent Blog

Heather Young OAHS Board President, Publicity Coordinator and Tuesday Crew Volunteer

Greetings Oregon Area Historical Society followers!  My name is Heather Young.  I am the publicity coordinator for the OAHS and museum.  I also update the website and Facebook and I’m part of the Tuesday crew and am the current Board President.  

I am going to use this blog space to promote future events, summarize past events, talk about interesting bits of history and touch on things going on at the museum.  It is my hope to update this space once a month (fingers crossed…I have a child in musicals and it’s musical season…all the time).  


Let’s talk about memberships for a minute.  As I write this, we are working on our Annual Membership Meeting coming up in March for all of our current members.  Looking at our list, we can’t help but notice fewer membership renewals for 2025, both business and individual.   Did you know that your membership dues and donations are our major source of income for the Historical Society. Your membership dues allow us to maintain a local historical museum and help us provide interesting programs, events, informative newsletters, and historical articles in the Oregon Observer.

A new perk to our members is the opportunity to meet with one of our genealogy volunteers to help you learn more about your ancestry.  All members receive a one time, one hour, one-on-one genealogy session.  And it doesn’t matter if you are from Oregon or not.  We’ll help because we love it!  Being from Oregon is a plus though.  We have an extensive collection of Oregon family files.  Business Members!  We offer history of your building and/or property or land.  

If you have renewed your memberships for 2025, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  If you haven’t, there’s still time to send your renewal in in order to be invited to our Annual Meeting in March.  Please reach out to us if you have any questions.  

Thank you Oregon!

This Month in History

100 Years Ago – January/February 1905

Reminiscences 

(Published in the Observer on January 1, 1925; taken from the Observer Files 40, 30, and 20 years ago)

January 1, 1885: While at the rink skating, Wm. Byrnes fell and fractured his left collar bone.  Dr. Sanger was called and made him quite comfortable. — Hon. J. S. Frary has sold 120 acres of his farm to a Mr. Hanson for $47.50.

January 3, 1895: Carl Nelson, while returning from the dance Tuesday evening, got caught on the crossing south of this village, and had his buggy demolished by a passing train. He and his lady friend escaped with light injuries. 

December 29, 1904: The Oak Hall Creamery Company paid $1.12 per hundred for milk during the month of November.  — D. E. Kiser will leave this week for Durand to engage in the lumber business. Mrs. Kiser will leave for Leavenworth, KS to spend a few weeks with her sister before going to Durand.

Tune in Radio Fans

The first series of broadcast programs by the Victor Talking Machine Company, in which world- famous artists of the first rank, will be broadcast Thursday night, January 1 at 9 p.m. sharp Eastern Standard Time. Miss Bori and Mr. McCormick will sing in the studio of Station WEAF, New York City.  This performance by such artists has never yet been heard by radio. These programs by Victor will cover the whole range of music from grand opera to jazz and will be those of really great artists in various kinds of music.

Funds for New Fire Truck are Coming In

There has been considerable interest manifested in the announcement made two weeks ago that a movement has started  to raise funds for the purchase of a new motor fire truck. Indications are that the campaign for funds will be a success. Local firemen have been selling tickets the past week for the home talent play Thursday night.

Local Creamery Again Operating

After being idle for several years, the Oregon Creamery has again been transformed into a thriving enterprise. The unsightly boards which covered the windows and doors have been removed and the building again has the appearance of housing a live industry. The icehouse in connection with the plant has been filled with ice and the interior of the operating room has been renovated and painted. Vats and other equipment have been thoroughly cleaned and a new separator installed. A new churn and more vats are on the way and will be installed when they arrive. J.C. Shampnor was chosen as manager, and Henry Deleth was engaged as a butter maker.  

Two Madison Men Picked Up by Local Officers

The men, with booze under their belts, came to Oregon to “have a good time.”  After driving through town several times, on their last trip they attempted to run down Marshal Tusler, who summoned Deputy Sheriff Howard Zink to his aid. The offenders were found in front of Herman Johnson’s residence where they stopped perhaps for the purpose of taking another drink from the supply of moonshine found in the car. The two men offered resistance but were overpowered and were marched to the village lock-up where they spent the night sobering up. The next day, they were taken to Madison and turned over to Sheriff Daggett. 

75 Years Ago – February 1950

 

Local News

Sherman Linn, a former Oregon resident and well known for the artistic masonry work he did on the Hallelujah Campgrounds, (now owned by the Free Methodist organization), passed away at his home at Goodman Missouri on February 3rd.  He had not been ill, and his death was quite sudden. 

Peter Nygaard, 77 a resident of Oregon for the past 36 years died at home Thursday afternoon after a month’s illness. Two years ago, he made a trip back to his native land, Norway where he visited relatives and friends for several months.  

Born in Luster, Norway, May 29, 1872, Mr. Nygaard came to the United States in 1890 He was married to the former Karen Lund, March 29, 1902. 

Hamburger Machines to Be Made in Oregon

There seems to be no end to inventions that tend to save labor and speed up service.  The latest invention that has come to the writer’s attention is a hamburger machine which will be manufactured in Oregon by the Wisconsin Mold and Tool Company. 

The inventor of the machine is Frank S. Nanna of Chicago, who has been at the local plant for the last few weeks getting it ready for production. 

It seems he and his wife stopped at a hamburger shop in Chicago one evening, before going home.  It took the operator 8 minutes to prepare. On the way home he thought there must be a way to speed up the process. 

His invention will cook five broiled hamburgers per minute. They are not fried in grease and taste more like steak. 

Policemen Wanted

Does anyone in Oregon want to become a Madison policeman?  The Police and Fire Commissioners are short of applicants residing in Madison and therefore have extended the territory to secure applicants to the whole county.  The applicant must be between the ages of 23 and 31, weigh at least 150 pounds, be 5 feet 8 inches tall, and must meet other requirements.  The beginning salary is $242.57 per month with increases until the maximum of $272.57 has been reached. 

New Minimum Wage

The new 75 cent minimum wage per hour which went into effect January 25th is said to be vague, fuzzy, complex, difficult and in some instances impossible to understand.  Only the courts can interpret it, and this will take years. It will be thirty days before any rules are issued.  In the meantime employers must guess what the framers of the law meant and hope that their guess is right.

Claim against the Village

A claim against the village of Oregon in the sum of $12,903 has been filed with the village clerk by Mrs. Mary King for injury and damage sustained on August 17 while she was attending a free movie in the village park. During the showing of the picture, it is alleged that the plank on which Mrs. King and several others were sitting gave way and her leg was caught under the plank and crushed. She was in a Madison hospital for about four months following the accident. 

50 Years Ago: February 1975

 

Howard Zink

The Oregon community will miss Howard Zink, who has decided to discontinue operations of the House of Home Fashions in Oregon. Howard has been a workhorse in the Chamber of Commerce since he arrived in Oregon almost seven years ago to open the furniture store. He served three years on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce. As chairman of the retail committee, he worked diligently on many activities such as the annual “Penny Days,” the Christmas Santa photo presentation, Summerfest and many other activities. 

Roeber Pharmacy

The Roeber Pharmacy has announced plans for expansion into larger quarters in the building formerly operated by the House of Home Fashions. Roeber stated that a larger facility is needed to display merchandise and properly serve the patrons in the constantly growing Oregon area. It will have the advantage of public parking in the rear.

Thomas Kohlman

Thomas Kohlman, a student at Oregon High School, was selected to attend a Presidential Classroom for Young Americans in Washington, D.C. He is the son of Paul and Kathy Kohlman and will arrive in the nation’s capital on February 22 to join with other students from all over the country who are attending Classroom ’75. 

David Brown

Mr. and Mrs. David Brown, owners-operators of the Waterfall Restaurant and B&O Enterprises returned from a five-day business-pleasure trip to Jamaica. They were among 27 guests of Owens Trailer Manufacturing Company of Sturgis, Michigan. David Brown was honored by the company as being their number one salesman in the United States for 1974.

School Board Considers Year-round Schedule to Solve Over Crowding

The basic decision to be made by the school board is whether to go to a year-round school, using the 45-15, or go to another form of scheduling. Also to be considered is whether the board should use the scheduling change as a permanent solution or whether a short-range stop-gap solution should be sought. The board is faced with the decision of how to resolve the problem after having two referendums for bonding to build on and remodel the present high school to relieve the present overcrowded situation fail. 

“Heritage Day” at Middle School

On February 5, the students, and teachers in Unit D at the Middle School held a festive occasion in conjunction with their social studies. Students studied and planned activities which included displays, a guest speaker and a luncheon. The luncheon featured a variety of ethnic foods such as pizza, meatballs, tacos, pasties, lutefisk, chili, fish pudding, sauerkraut, hominy, German potato salad, lefse, kringles, kolachi, and other tasty dishes. Children and teachers wore costumes and early American clothing. 

25 Years Ago: February 2000

Local News

Florence West celebrates 100 years

An entire century – not too many people live to tell its tales.

Florence West is no different. “I didn’t think I would ever reach the year 2000”, West said. 

West, who was born February 13, 1900, will celebrate her 100th birthday this month.  She will be able to tell many tales when friends, family and members of the community gather in her honor at the Brooklyn Community Center Sunday, February 13, from 1-4pm.

“Hard work” is the only ingredient West cited for her longevity.  It has always been a part of her life. 

Memories of her childhood are fresh in West’s mind.  She recalls seeing the first car in Brooklyn when she was about 8 or 9. It was called the White Steamer and a mechanically inclined boy from a large family brought it around to show off its funny sounding horn. There were no doors, and no top so mainly wheels and an engine. 

When she was 12 or 13, West said her father built a cement silo that still stands northeast of the village off highway A between Brooklyn and Oregon. West mixed the cement while her father formed the silo. She only asked her sisters for help when the silo got so tall that she couldn’t mix the cement fast enough and at the same time guide the horse connected to a pulley for wheeling the pail to her father. “Dad told me that if there was ever a storm, go to the silo” The silo is reinforced with old wire and machine parts mixed into the cement. 

West grew up taking care of her younger twin sisters, Sylvia, who died in 1966 and Selma, who died in 1997.  Her sisters were fragile throughout their toddler years and her mother suffered from migraines.  Although she helped take care of them, West remembers feeling bad when the doctor who delivered them would visit her sisters and give them a penny, but not her. 

She rode to school in a school bus, actually horses and a wagon. This is when West learned the art of tatting. One of her friends owned a tatting shuttle and let her try it out during the ride.  Although she begged to take it home the friend did not relent so West sat at home with a ball of old cord and learned to make tatting designs. Her mother died while she was at Beloit College.  In the early 1920s, West traveled with her father and worked on the road.  She cooked for 12 men on an old gas stove housed in a little trailer. In 1925, West married and moved to a farm west of the village where she raised her family for 44 years.  She gave birth to two boys and a girl, Erwin, Kenneth and Annatta.

“Brookly is not what it used to be”, West said. She mourned the loss of many businesses.  She recalled the village having five grocers, two blacksmith shops, a furniture store, two Millinery shops and Bowman’s dairy.  Before the bank expanded there was a Gambles store and a drug store. 

Every hour the train used to travel through the village. A flagman kept careful watch near the tracks and warned pedestrians when the train was coming. 

Her favorite work on the farm was in the garden, both vegetables and flowers. She had an Amaryllis plant which has survived since 1935 and at one time boasted 60 blossoms.  A flower garden still blooms outside of her Kerch Street home. 

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Old house

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Field with horses and a house

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Men's 1920 basketball team all lined-up

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