May is National Historic Preservation Month and for Oregon communities throughout the state it’s an opportunity to reflect on significant places, artifacts, and collections that help tell the stories of our past as well as to recognize contributions that individuals and organizations preserve those stories and places. Celebrate National Historic Preservation Month with 28 heritage organizations displaying historic military vehicles, artifacts, and engaging exhibits that tell Oregon’s story and highlight the contributions of individuals and organizations to local preservation projects. On Thursday, May 28, Heritage Programs, a division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, will host the 7th Annual Preservation Month Fair at the State Capitol State Park in Salem. Community organizations and several state agencies will highlight the history of their institutions and their work to preserve important sites related to historic events, persons, and places. The event will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the grounds of the State Capitol on the north side of Court Street, opposite the Capitol building. It is free and open to the public. Participating exhibitors include the Willamette Heritage Center; Salem Landmarks Commission; Historic Deepwood Estate; Bush House Museum; Salem Pioneer Cemetery; Salem Museum of Mental Health; Oregon Military Museum and Historical Outreach Foundation; Oregon Aviation Historical Society; Philip Foster Farm National Historic Site; Friends of Timberline Lodge; Friends of the Oregon Caves Chateau; Oregon Black Pioneers; Hoover-Minthorn House Museum; Frank Lloyd Wright’s Gordon House; Restore Oregon; University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History; Oregon State Parks with friends groups from Silver Falls and Champoeg State Parks and the Oregon Historic Trails Advisory Commission; Oregon Cultural Trust; Oregon Department of Forestry; Oregon Department of Transportation; Oregon State Capitol Foundation; Oregon State Archives, and the Oregon State Library. The displays will include an operating World War II M3A1 Stuart Light Tank and a Korean War Jeep. A free tour of the Capitol dome will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the information kiosk in the Capitol.
