Free OTE Heritage Programs, March 23

Dive into Oregon history and heritage–with Oregon Travel Experience’s latest publication, Deep Roots. The annual publication is available free of charge to the public, as long as supplies last. Deep Roots provides snapshots of Oregon history, culture, and heritage–introducing the reader to a variety of events, people, and geographical wonders. The eight-page print version is produced in black and white, and is styled after an antique newspaper. An online “flip-book” and mobile-friendly version is available on the Oregon Travel Experience (OTE) website at www.ortravelexperience.com. The 2016 volume features articles by community heritage volunteers and professionals from across the state. Lafayette’s Sheri King writes with passion about collaborating with OTE and local government officials to install two interpretive historical markers in her town’s park. Travel Information Council member and Clackamas County Commissioner Charlotte Lehan describes how the Oregon Historical Marker Committee contemplates future installations and an upcoming restoration project of the Grove of the States–Oregon’s historic collection of state trees. Setting the stage for Oregon Arbor Month in April, a feature article about Oregon’s newest Heritage Tree (the Lee Oak Tree) illustrates how a grassy fertile plateau cradled the region’s earliest occupants and transitioned to the bustling town that is now the thriving City of Canby. The Lee Oak Tree was planted by the pioneering Lee family on their Donation Land Claim over 146 years ago–and stood witness to the arrival of the Oregon & California Railroad Line in 1870. For more information on how to obtain a free copy, or to request multiple copies for tourism/travel and historical/heritage organizations, telephone Jess Carbone at 503-373-0155 or send an email to jessicac@oregonte.com. Oregon Travel Experience (OTE) Heritage Programs include the Oregon Heritage Tree Program and the Oregon Historical Marker Program. OTE is a semi-independent state agency charged with promoting public safety, preserving the recreational value of public travel on state highways and promoting economic prosperity by directing motorists into nearby communities. This includes preserving the natural beauty and aesthetic features of rest areas, and providing information regarding and maintaining points of scenic, historic, cultural and educational interest.