Willamette Heritage Center

10/25/2026

Our holiday night market has always been a favorite during Magic at the Mill, and this year we've expanded our vendor list for the biggest night market in WHC history!

Join us Thanksgiving weekend, Friday November 27 5:30 pm to 9pm and Saturday - Monday from 5:30 pm to 8pm! Plan to come and shop local vendors that represent all your favorite small businesses in the Salem community.

10/24/2026

🚂Oregon weather can be tough on our outdoor exhibits. Last winter, our beloved train table took a hit from the rain, leaving our Caboose Crew with a little extra cleanup and restoration work...

To help protect it for the future, we've installed a semi-permanent covered structure that will keep the worst of the weather at bay while creating a more welcoming space for visitors to stop, explore, and enjoy the trains.

It's one more way we're caring for the details that make Willamette Heritage Center special.

Thanks again to our outstanding facilities team and volunteers for doing the heavy lifting!

10/23/2026

Ever heard of hairwork? 👀

Deepwood is hosting a talk all about this fascinating (and perhaps unexpected) craft, and one of our very own collection pieces will be on display!

Go pay them a visit, discover the history behind this unique art form, and see a little piece of Willamette Heritage Center's collection up close.

Learn more here:

A few tickets are still available for History & Artistry of Victorian Hairwork in 19th-Century America Talk, happening on Saturday, October 24th from 3-4pm!

Come to this History Talk as historian and hairwork artist Diane Irby offers insight into the intricate and deeply sentimental art of transforming human hair into lasting keepsakes. This engaging presentation explores the history of Victorian hairwork and its significance within nineteenth-century American culture. The presentation examines the diverse techniques used to create hairwork, traces the rise and eventual decline of the practice, and highlights the important role it played in the lives of women during the Victorian era, offering opportunities for creative expression, artistic accomplishment, and personal agency within the social conventions of the nineteenth century.

Tickets are $15 each; Current Deepwood Members receive free admission (current Deepwood members only, discount does not apply to non-member guests).

Pre-registration is required for all guests. Purchase tickets by calling our office at 503-363-1825 or visiting the link in our bio!

10/22/2026

Salem-born James “Jimmy” Cecil Deacon (1904-1999) worked as a weaver at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill from about 1924-1942, alongside his father George. Deacon also moonlit as an organist, playing the organ to accompany silent movies in Salem’s theaters. Upon his move to Portland, he also played for The Oaks Amusement Park skating rink.

Learn more about Deacon here: https://www.willametteheritage.org/cecil-deacon/

PHOTO SOURCE Mill worker group photo (detail) WHC Collections M3 1992-008-0003

10/21/2026

Explore some of Salem’s spooky past! Spooky Stories from Salem History is a collection of eerie stories and pen pictures for enjoying as a walking or driving tour or listening to by a fire. Each story connects to a real-life event or place in Salem’s history or was written by a Salem author and brought to life in dramatic fashion by some of the museum’s wonderful volunteers!

Right now, we are offering $5 OFF "Spooky Stories!" Pick it up at our museum store, or download your digital copy through the link below between now and Halloween!

Learn more About the booklet here: https://www.willametteheritage.org/spookystories/

10/21/2026

Come watch Salem Fiberarts Guild work their magic on the 4th floor of the Mill Building next time you take a tour. (If the green light is on in the elevator, they're there!)

Also, don't miss the handweavers sale happening November 6-7 from 10am to 3pm. "The sale is a way to give members a place to sell the items they make and is the only fundraiser for our organization." -SFG

10/21/2026

✨ Help bring Magic at the Mill to life! ✨
Magic at the Mill returns Thanksgiving weekend, and we’re looking for living history volunteers to help make the magic happen!

Do you love dressing up, stepping back in time, and giving back to your community? We’d love to have you join us! Be part of a beloved holiday tradition and help us create special memories for our community this season. 🎄

Get
https://www.willametteheritage.org/volunteer/

10/15/2026

In the news on this day in 1960, the dedication of two, six-foot menorah at Salem’s Temple Beth Sholom.

Made in Chicago, the menorah were given in memory of Morris and Irving Klorfein by Gussie Klorfien and Bertha Grenley. They were supposed to arrive in time for the observance of Rosh Hashanah, but got mistakenly sent to Portland, so were dedicated at the Simchat Torah service instead.

A similar image appeared 15 Oct 1960 in the Oregon Statesman identifying Mrs. Gussie Klorfein and Jacob Weinstein at Salem’s Temple Beth Sholom. WHC Collections 2006.064.0503.034

10/15/2026

📣 Conversations 250 is happening THIS SATURDAY, October 17!

Don’t just come to listen. Come ready to participate in thoughtful dialogue about how we can build community better, even in the midst of our differences.

Join us at the Willamette Heritage Center for one or both of these FREE conversations:

How Do You Do Community?
🗣️ Speaker: Kerry Driver
🕐 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Talking Values Across Divides
🗣️ Speaker: Lowell Greathouse
🕞 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Different perspectives don’t have to keep us apart. Come ready to listen, share, and explore how we can move forward together!

10/13/2026

🎄 Volunteers Needed! ✨

Want to be part of the magic? Magic at the Mill is returning to the Willamette Heritage Center Thanksgiving Weekend, November 27–30, and we need volunteers to help make this year’s event extra special!

It takes a community effort to bring this holiday tradition to life. Whether you can lend a hand for one shift or multiple evenings, we’d love to have you join us!

If you are interested, click the link below to learn more about available opportunities.
https://www.volgistics.com/appform/1872848728