Salem History Moment
History
About
Weekly Episodes featuring interesting history about Salem, Oregon. Airs weekly on KMUZ radio in Salem. Sponsored by the Salem Historic Landmarks Commission.
Episodes
- McMinnville's UFO Festival
The McMinnville UFO Festival, held annually in May, celebrates the town's 1950 UFO sighting. It began in 1999 and is the second-largest UFO festival in the US. The episode also touches on the National UFO Reporting Center and a 1979 UFO si…
- Oregon Trail Coin
In 1926, Congress authorized the Oregon Trail half dollar coin to fund trail markers, coinciding with public interest in the trail
- The Liberty Bell visits Salem, Oregon
The Liberty Bell made a stop in Salem, Oregon, in 1915 en route to the Panama Pacific International Exposition. The event drew thousands of spectators and included a concert and the distribution of silk flags to schoolchildren.
- Salem's Qing Ming Festival
In 2017, Salem
- Oregon's First Woman Governor
Oregon
- Blossom Day
Cherry Blossom Day, celebrated on the third Saturday of March at the Oregon State Capitol, began in 1920 to promote Salem's fruit industry. Recent celebrations include partnerships with Tokyo International University and activities like mu…
- Women's History Month- Lord and Schryver
This episode highlights Elisabeth Lord and Edith Schryver, founders of a Salem landscape design firm active from 1929 to 1969. Their work aligns with the 2024 Women's History Month theme, focusing on women leaders who empower community con…
- Enchanted Forest
Roger Tofte, the designer and builder of the Enchanted Forest attraction south of Salem, died on February 13 at age 96. Tofte dedicated his free time from 1964 to 1971 to building Storybook Lane, eventually quitting his job to run the Ench…
- Black History Month
Black History Month originated as Negro History Week in 1926, an initiative by Carter G. Woodson, the founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. This celebration was expanded to encompass the entire month of Februa…
- President's Day
President's Day, established in 1885 to honor George Washington's birthday, moved to the third Monday in February in 1971. The holiday now also honors Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
- History of Valentines Day
The episode discusses the history of Valentine's Day celebrations in Salem, dating back to the 1880s. It details the Victorian era's tradition of exchanging cards and gifts to express feelings, and the emergence of 'comic valentines'.
- Cascadian Earthquakes
Salem experienced an earthquake on February 3, 1892. Historical and geological evidence, including indigenous oral traditions, indicates that the Cascadia region has a history of major earthquakes and tsunamis.
- Who Discovered the North Pole?
Frederick A. Cook claimed to have discovered the North Pole 100 years ago, challenging Admiral R. E. Peary's claim. A 1988 re-examination of Peary's records suggested he may not have reached the pole, and that Cook's claim might be accurat…
- 1885 Salem Train Wreck
The Salem History Moment episode discusses the 1885 Salem Train Wreck, which happened on January 5th during a snow storm. Passenger coaches derailed over a wooden bridge, and evidence of the era's infrastructure, like a water tower foundat…
- Kwanzaa 2025
Kwanzaa, founded in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, is an annual celebration of African American culture from December 26 to January 1. The 2025 theme is "Practicing the Seven Principles in Dimly-Lit Times: Lifting Up the Light, Hurrying the Dawn…
- Oregon Governor Patterson and Holiday House
This episode discusses Oregon Governor Isaac Patterson, his death in 1929, and the subsequent history of his former Eola farm. The farm became home to Holiday House, a Christmas tradition started by Agnes Schucking, known for its elaborate…
- Salem's First Outdoor Christmas Tree
Salem's first outdoor Christmas tree was installed in December 1913 on the Marion County Courthouse lawn. Decorated with electric lights, it may have been the first such tree in Oregon and the nation. The tree stood for 38 years, reaching…
- The Ancient Highway
This episode discusses the 1925 film "The Ancient Highway" and its source novel by James Oliver Curwood, a public domain book about a WWI veteran's adventures in the Quebec wilderness.
- Human Rights Day
International Human Rights Day, observed annually on December 10th since 1948, originated with the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In Oregon, December 10th was proclaimed Human Rights Day in 2002, and the community observes it…
- The Turkey Trot
The Turkey Trot was a popular, sometimes scandalous, dance performed to ragtime music, often banned for its perceived impropriety. Today, it commonly refers to Thanksgiving Day walks or runs, with local events in Salem including a 2002 run…
- Spotlight on West Salem
This episode details the history of West Salem, which existed as an independent town for over 30 years. It covers its development from the mid-19th century, key events like the founding of Fairview School and the opening of the Center Stre…
- Veterans Day
Veterans Day, originally Armistice Day, commemorates the end of World War I on November 11, 1918. Since 1954, it has honored all American veterans. The Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs will host the Statewide Veterans Day Ceremony in…
- Native American Heritage Month
November is National Native American Heritage Month, honoring indigenous heritage with events like the Siletz and Grand Ronde restoration pow-wows. Research into Salem's early residents and their relationships with the indigenous people of…
- Spotlight on Nell Sykes
Nell Sykes was a Salem-based schoolteacher and dietician who worked with the American Red Cross Commission to Siberia from 1918 to 1920. She resided in Salem at 1251 Center Street NE during the 1920s.
- Celebrating 100 Years of Salem City Planning
Salem History Moment celebrates National Community Planning month, highlighting Salem's planning history since its first commission in 1925. An event on October 15th offers a chance to learn about planning's impact, especially on underserv…
- Indigenous Peoples Day
Salem has celebrated Indigenous People’s Day since 2021, honoring Native Americans and their contributions. The episode highlights Chemawa Indian School, its history, its focus on tribal identity, and the athletic achievements of its stude…
- Spotlight on Salem Human Rights
This episode of Salem History Moment covers the city's 2023 human rights work. It features a historic research report on policies impacting underserved communities since 1857, the Human Rights Commission's Community Belonging Survey, updat…
- Hispanic Heritage Month
Salem marked National Hispanic Heritage Month with a series of events, including the Latino Leadership Network's breakfast and summit, the Urban Art Fest celebrating immigrant culture, a city council proclamation, and an exhibition on the…
- Salem's Capital Pride in the Park
Salem’s 47th Annual Capital Pride in the Park Festival is scheduled for September 20th at Riverfront Park, celebrating the LGBTQIA2S community. The event highlights queer indigenous history, referencing exhibits on Shimkhin, a 19th-century…
- Salem's Art Fair
The Salem Art Fair began in 1949, sponsored by the Salem Art Association. Earlier art fairs were held in the late 1930s and early 1940s, funded by the Federal Art Project, a New Deal WPA initiative.
- Back to School
This episode of Salem History Moment discusses the history of schooling in Salem, Oregon. It covers the transition from early log cabin schools to wooden structures, and the eventual construction of the first brick school, Garfield school,…
- Spotlight on Oregon's State Fair
The Oregon State Fair, which started in 1861, found its permanent home in Salem in 1862 at the Marion County Fairgrounds. Three historic buildings remain on the grounds: the Criterion Schoolhouse, Horse Stadium, and Poultry Building.
- Spotlight on Englewood Park
Englewood Park, purchased in 1926, was Salem's first city park and involved a controversial acquisition. The city's first Parks Committee was formed in 1936, with Elisabeth Lord, of Lord and Schryver, managing Salem's initial eight parks.…
- Spotlight on Prohibition in Oregon
On July 29, 1925, the first man from Marion County, Oregon, was imprisoned for violating prohibition laws. The episode discusses bootlegging adventures, including a 1932 incident resulting in a prison break, drawing from Oregon Historical…
- Spotlight on Coast Guard SPARS
This episode discusses the SPARS, the US Coast Guard Women's Reserve founded in 1942 during WWII. It highlights their motto, 'Semper Paratus,' and shares personal accounts from recruits, including experiences with discriminatory policies,…
- Spotlight on Guide Dogs for the Blind
Guide Dogs for the Blind, established in 1942, is the largest guide dog school in North America, having trained over 16,000 dogs. They offer free services, including training and support, to improve mobility for blind and visually impaired…
- Spotlight on Oregon's UFO Festival
Oregon
- Spotlight on Salem's Lord & Schryver Conservancy
This episode highlights the work of Elizabeth Lord and Edith Schryver, founders of the first professional women landscape architecture firm on the West Coast. Their legacy in Salem, Oregon, is maintained by the Lord and Schryver Conservanc…
- Spotlight on Salem's Chinese History: Helen Ng Mun Tayne
This episode details the life of Helen Ng Mun Tayne, a Salem native born in 1906 to a Chinese immigrant hop grower. She served in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and retired from the U.S. Army as a Chief Warrant Officer 3 in 1964. Tayne i…
- Salem's Chinatown
Salem once had a Chinatown from the late 19th to early 20th century. Its residents made significant community and cultural contributions, with George Lai Sun being a notable leader. Evidence of their traditions, like the Qing Ming Festival…
- Willamette University's First Teacher: Chloe Clarke Willson
This episode profiles Chloe Clarke Willson, a Methodist missionary and the first teacher at the Oregon Institute, which later became Willamette University. The discussion explores her background, her work as an educator, and her legacy in…
- The Nation's First Woman Governor
Caralyn (Carrie) B. Shelton became the Nation's first female Governor of Oregon in 1909, serving temporarily before women had the right to vote. Her tenure preceded the 19th Amendment by 11 years.
- Women's History Month
This episode of Salem History Moment marks Women’s History Month by highlighting Salem schoolteacher and Red Cross volunteer Nell Sykes. It also provides resources for further learning about the American Red Cross's work in Russia.
- UFO Sighting
In 1964, an 11-year-old boy named Charles from Salem, Oregon, reported a UFO sighting. His letter to Cape Kennedy resulted in a response, and the sighting was added to the Air Force's Project Blue Book records, a study of UFOs conducted fr…