Salem in 1996

World Events

• Iraq's known biological warfare resources are destroyed as part of the UNSCOM supervision, but many sites are not opened for inspection.
• Palestinian and Israeli governments recognize the existence of each.
• President Bill Clinton signs the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban at the UN and the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments.
• After 35 people are killed in Port Arthur, Australia, the government bans private possession of automatic and semi-automatic rifles, offering a buy-back program. ( No Australian mass killing for 20+ years.)
• In Montana, the "Unabomber" who engaged in mail bombing for nearly 20 years, killing three people and injuring 23 others, is arrested.  At Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, a bombing kills 1 and injures 111.
• An E Coli strain of infection kills 6,000 people in Japan.
• Amber Hagerman, 9 -year old murder victim, becomes the namesake of the Amber Alert System. 6-year old JonBenet Ramsay is found murdered: a case that remains unsolved.
• In Chicago, after a 3 year-old boy falls into a deep gorilla enclosure, a female gorilla, Binti Jua, sits with the injured boy until his rescue.
• "Toy Story" is first computer animated, feature film. Academy Awards:"The English Patient" (US) "Kolya" (Czech Republic). Prize-winning Books: Ship Fever and Other Stories, Andrea Barrett and Independence Day, Richard Ford.

•  

In Salem
This year the residents adopted a new Charter. The charter establishes a form of city government and functions much like the Constitution. The Territorial Legislature of Oregon granted Salem's first charter in 1957 and the Oregon State Legislature granted the city's charter under statehood in 1860, after a three-year political struggle. One of the most vocal opponents was Asahel Bush, publisher of the Salem's Oregon Statesman newspaper. The Legislative charter was amended many times over the next 136 years. Meanwhile, the citizens adopted the "Home Rule" amendment to the state constitution, making it possible for local voters to charter their own city.amen to state made it possible for a city to obtain a Home Rule Charter that could be adopted by the voters of the community. Salem finally adopted a Home Rule charter in 1996. The charter, however, did not fundamentally alter the city's form of government. The elected Mayor and Council, who serve without pay, appoint the City Manager. The City Manager hires (and can discharge) the other salaried staff members.
Our city government meets in the Council Chamber of the Civic Center, seen above. The large screen, which can be rolled up, is used for Power Point presentations by speakers who stand at the podium to the left foreground (or one out of sight to the right). In the front of the chamber are three seats. From left: the City Attorney, to make sure the legal provisions of the Charter are followed; the Mayor who conducts the meeting, is a Council member-at-large; and the City Manager who is responsible for carrying out the decisions of the Council. To each side sit the Councilors, the legislators, one from each of our eight Wards. The row of seats in the foreground of the photograph is for those Department staff representatives present to give information on an item being considered. During the Budget Sessions, those 9 committee members sit here. Where the photographer is standing there is a podium for the Recorder, who keeps an electronic tape of the proceedings, and spaces for media representatives. Seats along each side are for residents and visitors.

When you visit
One of the interesting features of the Chamber is the wall of proclamations, testimonials and gifts to the city. The Chamber meetings are always open to the public and residents are invited to attend. If one wishes to speak on a subject being discussed, there is a sign-up sheet by each entrance and copies of the agenda. Testimony is limited to three minutes, but councilors may ask questions, giving an opportunity to extend the conversation as needed. The meetings are conducted in a friendly, congenial manner and everyone is welcome. They are held at 6:30 on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. The meetings are also broadcast on CCTV.

Other events

• Mike Swaim is elected as Mayor and will hold the office until 2002. Asked about his goals for Salem, he replied: "What would I wish for our community, if I can motivate both the people and our elected representatives? It would be nothing less than what drew me, and probably you, to Salem to begin with: a community where open space is in abundance; where there is plenty of clean water for both people and industry; where history is valued; where crime is managed within tolerable limits; where the quality of life in each of our neighborhoods is elevated above expediency; where youth are supported; and where every member in the community is valued on the basis of the content of their character."
• A flood this year brought the Willamette River to a height of 35.9 feet, causing water damage to structures along the shoreline, and especially to residences in Keizer. Previous high water measurements were in 1964 (37.7'), 1880 (43.3'), 1890 (45.1') and both 1891 and 1861 (47.') High water in Mill Creek created major erosion n the North Santiam River that affected Salem's water supply for several months. Volunteers saved the new West Salem Branch Library by hastily boxing up books and equipment, and loading them into two large moving vans that moved to higher ground. The flood waters temporarily reached as much as three feet above the floor level of the library.
• The first phase of Riverfront Park opened on 23 acres in the Riverfront Downtown Urban Renewal Area along the east side of the Willamette River (not during the flood, fortunately). This was former industrial property owned by Boise Cascade.
• Salem's roots in the lumber and textile industries gradually gave way to high technology. In 1989, Siltec, a computer chip manufacturer, established a facility. By 1996, the facility had grown to more than one million square feet of manufacturing and had been renamed Mitsubishi Silicon America.
• Salem residents had their first opportunity to vote-by-mail for federal elections.
• During the 1996-97 school year a second courtyard at Waldo Middle School continued an earlier transformation in landscaping. Wes Niemela and a group of students and staff had worked for two years to collect plants from the forests around Salem and from Mr. Niemela’s garden. The courtyard garden is still a centerpiece of the school. This year, science teacher Mike Weddle and the Roots and Shoots/Leo Club are responsible for creating a second native Oregon species courtyard complete with a pond, waterfall, native Oregon trees, plants, and animals.

Salem in 1995

World Events

• World Trade Organization is established. UN tribunal charges Serbian commanders with genocide in Balkans.
• Oklahoma City federal building is bombed by Timothy McVeigh, killing 168 and wounding 680. 
• Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty signed by 170 nations. Iraq admits an offensive biological weapons program. 
• Israeli Prime Minister Rabin is assassinated at a peace rally in Tel Aviv.
• Astronaut Norman Thagard is first American to ride into space aboard a Russian launch vehicle, lifting off from Kazakhstan. He breaks the record for space endurance (14 days) and docks with Russian space station.
• Actor Christopher Reeve ("Superman") paralyzed after fall from horse.
• O. J. Simpson is found not guilty of the murder of his wife, Nicole and Ronald Goldman in the most publicized trial in U.S. history.
• The DVD, an optical disc computer storage media format is announced.
• First full-length computer animated feature film, "Toy Story", is released by Pixar and Walt Disney Studios.
• Academy Award: "Braveheart"(US), Antonia's Line (Netherlands). Prize-winning Books: Sabbath's Theater, Phillip Roth and The Stone Diaries, Carol Shields.

Former students honor their historic local school on its anniversary. Almost 100 years of student activities are recalled in a booklet entitled “Swegle Elementary Memories Past Roots Present Traditions” compiled this year. Swegle School at 4485 Market Street was built until around 1900 when George Swegle sold one acre of land on Garden Road (Market Street) to the District for $80. His fathers had settled in Marion County on property that came to be known as the Swegle Garden District. The first section of the school as we know it today (the original school was removed from the property) was built in 1923-4. The new one-room school had a potbelly stove for warmth, an outside well and pump, outhouses, and a swing made of a wooden plank that could seat six to eight students at one time. Children often crossed the dirt road to eat their lunches in the meadow. A photograph of 1925-6 shows nineteen students, only five are girls. By 1938 the school had four classrooms, a gym used as a multi-purpose room. Three teachers were assisted by a full time custodian. There were enough students to field a sports program, but no money for uniforms. One year there were not enough boys for a full baseball team so two girls played (in their school dresses) as Swegle competed with other county schools.

When you visit ELNA
Swegle School has added classrooms and modern facilities, but retains the same high standards of education established by the founder and enjoys strong family support. It is in the East Lancaster Neighborhood Association neighborhood.
Another school was established in ELNA in 1995. Blanchet Catholic School was established in this year, carrying on the traditions established by Sacred Heart Academy and Serra Catholic high schools. In 2011, the school celebrated its 16th year with an Open House where student art work and Senior school memories and goals for the future were displayed. More information can be found at the school's website.
This area was annexed to the city in small sections, beginning in 1979 and continuing through the 1980s. Lancaster Drive, Sunnyview Avenue, Cordon Roar and Center Street are its approximate boundaries. Formerly a rural area, it is now a residential neighborhood with little trace of the original farms. One structure that remains from early Salem history is a farmhouse (above) on Swegle Road. Built possibly in 1904, certainly by 1917, it was part of the Zachariah Pollard Land Donation. The earliest known resident was Kenneth Hinkle who lived here between 1948 and 1980.

Other events

• ODOT purchases the Salem Train Station. Since this year, the property has been successfully nominated as a National Register Historic District. Several attempts have been made to complete the original Salem freight building, adjacent to the station, that dates back to the earliest days of Salem train service. A proposal to move the structure to Willamette Heritage Center, directly to the north, was not successful. (In 2014, due to a generous private donation,  it was announced that it will be transformed into a Greyhound bus facility.)

• Orville Roth donated land immediately behind and adjacent to the West Salem Roth’s IGA grocery store upon which to build a new library. With large donations from West Salem residents, a federal grant through the Oregon State Library, and City of Salem general fund money, the new 6,000 square foot building was built. On September 25 the new branch library celebrated its grand opening ceremony and doors opened the next day for business.
• The main library facility on Liberty Street had historical photography exhibits including local Cemeteries (January-March), Diaries (April-May) and Railroads (June-August).
• Traces of an ancient Wooly Mammoth are discovered on the Turner farm of Tip and Mary Ann Hennessey. Surprised workmen, digging a trench for a gas company pipeline, found the remains of two tusks and a jawbone. Later, a paleontologist identified the samples. Buried about eight feet deep the prehistoric tusks were estimated to be about ten to fifteen thousand years old. There were indications that a lake existed in the area at that time. Perhaps the animal was drinking from this lake at the time of its death. It probably died of natural causes.
• Six local citizens were interviewed for the CCTV program, Legacy: Pioneers in Black Salem. The panel included Kathy Bailey, David Burgess, Willie Richardson, A J Talley, Claudia Thompson, and Jackie Winters. They expressed a variety of feelings about their experiences in Salem, ranging from pride that African-Americans are now spread throughout all areas of town and all different professions, to frustration that, as Dave Burgess put it, “Salem has not accepted minority populations, period.” He pointed out that blacks and Latinos face the same problem of gaining recognition and respect in a city that is still about 80 percent white.
• In Northgate neighborhood, Adam Stephens Middle School replaces one built by Adam Stephens in 1882. He had donated the land and the lumber so the original school could be built and was the first clerk. He also wrote and taught music. Stephens was so widely respected that the Hayesville community was very nearly named Stephensville.
• Mayor Gertenrich actively participates in the formation of the North Santiam Watershed Council. Salem became a member after much controversy that the "big city" would dominate the Council. The Pringle Creek Watershed Council is also created the year.
• Bob Packwood, a respected Oregon US senator since 1965, resigns due to the Senate Ethics Committee unanimous recommendation that he be expelled for ethical misconduct.  Democratic Congressman Ron Wyden won the seat in a special election.

Salem in 1994

World Events

• South Africa holds its first multiracial elections, ending apartheid: Nelson Mandela is sworn in as the first democratic president.
• Channel tunnel, the "Chunnel", is opened between Paris and London.
• Irish Republican Army ceases military operations.
• OJ Simpson trial captives a worldwide TV audience.
• President Clinton signs the Federal Assault Weapons Ban which forbids the manufacture of certain firearms for a period of 10 years.
• Oregon legislature is the first to pass a law allowing "Death With Dignity": doctor-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.
• The 6.5-6.7 Northridge earthquake shakes the Greater Los Angeles area.
• Heather Whitestone becomes the first deaf contestant in the Miss America competition ~ she wins the title.
• In Portland, Tonya Harding pleads guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution and for trying to cover-up an attack on Olympic figure skating rival Nancy Kerrigan.
• Apple Computer, Inc. releases Macintosh computers that use PowerPC Microprocessors, a major leap in personal computer history. America Online gives users access to the Web.
• Academy Awards:"Forrest Gump" (US), "Burnt by the Sun" (Russia). Prize-winning Books: A Frolic of His Own, William Gaddis and The Shipping News, E. Annie Prouix.

Center 50+

In Salem
The Senior Citizen Advisory Commission is established this year, but the city had been involved with senior programming since 1970 with the appointment of a Senior Citizen Coordinator. The concept of an activity center for older adults was first initiated by a group of retirees who became incorporated in 1967 as the Salem Area Seniors. In December 1973, the senior citizens united in a successful fund drive. However, the soaring cost of construction kept ahead of revenue. It was not until monies from the Community Development Block Grant Funds became available in May 1975, that the total project was assured. The original Erixson Street facility was a modern, one-story structure, including a large multi-purpose room, kitchen, classrooms, activity lounge, craft and hobby rooms, and gift shop.

 In the 1976 Statesman Journal photograph (to the left) Chet Arterburn, president of the Senior Area Seniors (left), Ed Bergstrom and Opal McRae are part of a group unloading furnishings for the building, seen in the background.

The 19 members of the Commission Committee represent local residents and professional partnerships. Of the nine voting members, six shall be 50 years of age or older. The other ten shall be representatives of Senior Center partners: Chemeketa Community College, Mid-Willamette Valley Senior Service Agency, Friends of the Salem Senior Center, Salem Hospital Foundation, Retired Senior Volunteers Program, Townhouse, Inc., Alzheimer's Association, Chamber of Commerce, AARP, and Salem Electric. They serve as an advisory commission to the City Council and Salem Senior Center Staff in matters related to the operations of the Salem Senior Center. Members other than those representing Senior Center partners shall be appointed by the Mayor.

When you visit
In 2008, the Erixson facility was sold to the adjoining Salem Clinic. A new building site was cleared and partially financed by Urban Renewal Agency. A new building (Center 50+) was constructed a few blocks north at 2615 Portland Road. Center 50+. It is the only designated full-service focal point senior center in Marion County. Senior users report they use the Center because of meals, recreation, volunteer opportunities, and education. The Center has a Friends of the Salem Senior Center to aid in securing funds for improvements and operations. More than 600 seniors use the Center daily, and more than 500 senior citizens annually utilize the health screening clinics. Over 325 registered volunteers give more than 45,000 hours of service annually at the Center. Cherriots buses stop at the Center five days a week and over 2,000 times a year. More than 70% of the Center 50+ users are 70+ years of age.

Other events

• Roger Gertenrich is elected as mayor.
• The historic 1859 Case House, the north Marion County home of Salem's Wallace Kay Huntington, is the subject of a series of photographs. Mr. Huntington is a noted landscape designer and frequent consultant concerning Salem's Lord and Schryver gardens.
• Sue Miller was among the women founding Abiqua School, a private Salem elementary school. Sue, like her fellow parents, believes that children in Salem needed more educational alternatives. Although originally planned as a charter school in the public school system, it was not given this designation and opens as an independent school in September, serving children in grades K-6.
• Willamette’s athletic program wins the Northwest Conference All-Sports award for the 1993-94 school year. It marks the first time the Bearcats have won the trophy since it was started in 1985-86.
• James Norman publishes "Oregon Main Street: A Rephotographic Study". Many Salem street scenes are among the 84 shown in the Oregon Historic Photograph Collection of our Salem Public Library.
• Oregon voters approve the nation's first Death with Dignity Act permitting doctor-assisted suicide.

Salem in 1993

World Events

• Benazir Bhetto is elected first woman president of Pakistan.
• European Economic Community eliminates trade barriers.
• Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas is raided by federal agents for firearms violations: 4 agents and 5 Davidians die in 51-day standoff, ending in a fire that kills 76 people.
• President Clinton signs into law the North American Free trade Agreement. He also announces his "Don't ask, Don't tell" policy regarding "gay" individuals serving in the military. 
• Janet Reno of Florida is confirmed by the US Senate as the first female Attorney General, remaining in office for the entire Clinton presidency.
• IBM announces  $4.97 billion loss for 1992, the largest single-year corporate loss in U.S. history
• The Holocaust Museum opens in Washington, DC. In London, for the first time, the public is allowed inside Buckingham Palace.
• Stephen Hawkins's A Brief History of Time holds first place on Sunday Times list for a record number of weeks. Prize-winning Book: A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, Robert Olen Butler.  The Academy Awards: "Schindler's List" (US), Belle Epoque (Spain).

In Salem

This year at City View Cemetery, Al Jones takes several photographs of the traditional Memorial Day ceremony. On the platform, the dignitaries and some of the many veterans in attendance appear to be bowing their heads, perhaps for prayer.
City View Cemetery, adjacent to the west of Pioneer Cemetery, was founded in 1893. To honor past military sacrifice and veterans, there are memorials honoring service in the Civil and Spanish-American War, members of the American Legion Post #9, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Each Memorial Day it has been the custom to hold a special remembrance program by area veterans, dignitaries, and a fly-over by the Oregon Air National Guard. Four times a year, an avenue of flags is displayed honoring the veterans of our armed forces. Each Christmas is commemorated by a large noble fir Christmas tree that holds special ornaments with dedicated nametags to remember loved ones.
Al Jones, a former sports reporter for the Statesman Journal, was a familiar figure in Salem for many years as he attended public events and ceremonies, always with his camera ready to take pictures. He is credited with saving a number of historic Salem photographs that were about to be thrown away and adding them to his large collection. Kept for many years in the basement of his Church Street home, he has donated this collection to Marion County Historical Society. It is hoped that these photographs will be archived and made available for future historical research.

When you visit
This dramatic 2008 photograph of the Civil War memorial at City View illustrates one of the military features of the cemetery. An office at the edge of the property, on Hoyt Street, has personnel who can help visitors locate graves of interest both in City View and in Pioneer Cemetery. Among the gravestones in Pioneer, you will find early families whose names are recognized in Salem history: Leslie, Bush, Patton, Holman, McNary, Moores, Dickenson, Buren, and many others. Their online directory can identify both names and location of graves.
A recent project in Pioneer Cemetery has discovered the previously unmarked graves of African-Americans of Salem. A handsome marker identifies this remarkable research.
Both cemeteries are beautiful places of reflection and repose. A collection of photographs has been added to the online Pioneer feature.

Other events

• The Scotts Mills earthquake, known as the Spring Break Quake is felt all over the Willamette Valley at about 5:30 a.m. on March 25. The Capitol is damaged. The epicenter was located about 3 miles east of town. The United States Geological Survey reported that strong motion instruments recorded peak ground accelerations of .06 at Detroit  Dam, 27 miles tot he southeast. Most structural damage consisted of toppled chimneys and failure of walls of unreinforced masonry. Few injuries were reported, perhaps because of the early hour of the quake.
• The Chamber of Commerce, looking forward to building a new facility, considers a site in Marion Square Park, now neglected and in poor condition. They ultimately choose the present location at Market and Commercial streets.
• Silver Falls, our largest state park, is dedicated. June Drake, a Silverton photographer, ran a three-decade campaign to preserve the scenic area from commercialization. Canyon Trail (770k) leads hikers past 10 waterfalls in amphitheater surroundings that allow visitors to walk behind the falls.
• Horizon Airline discontinues service to McNary Airfield. Service was temporarily restored in 2007.
• David Duniway, our first state Archivist,  dies and is commemorated in a profile written by his friend and former co-worker in Oregon historical preservation, Elisabeth Walton Potter.
• The original Leslie Middle School opened its doors on September 19, 1927 on Howard Street. Over the years it added a swimming pool, gymnasium, and cafeteria and became a center of middle school education in Salem. At its peak enrollment, Leslie Middle School had an enrollment of 1,530 students in 1956.In this year, as the enrollment of the adjoining South Salem High School continued to grow, the school district decided to use bond money to build a new Leslie School on Pringle Road. After a prolonged legal challenge to this siting, the land was acquired and the new Leslie School was built at 3850 Pringle Road South. 
• The Historic Elsinore Theatre continued as a movie theater until this year, when it is bought by STAGE (Salem Theatre Auditorium Group Enterprise), a non-profit agency and converted into a performing arts center. Since then, with generous local resident support, it has been completely renovated and ranks as one of Salem's most important cultural resources.
• The Kansas City Royals baseball team drafts Matt Moritz, an alumnus of North Salem High School.
• At Chemeketa Community College on Lancaster Drive, Building 1 is opened, housing the staff offices and campus bookstore. Since then, Chemeketa has grown to multiple campuses and serves over 50,000 students. It offers Associate of Applied Science degrees in more than 40 professional-technical programs, as well as an Associate of Arts—Oregon Transfer and a General Education degree. Chemeketa Community College is well known for its nursing, fire science, viticulture, and electronics programs.
• Oregon has the first statewide, vote-by-mail election in the United States. Ballots are sent out, usually, three weeks before the election date, after a voter's pamphlet has been distributed. To vote by mail, an individual marks the ballot for their choice of the candidates (or writes in their name), places the ballot in a secrecy envelope, seals it, places it in the provided mailing envelope, seals it and signs and dates the back of the mailing envelope. This envelope is then either stamped and mailed at any mailbox, or dropped off (postage free) at a local ballot collection center.

Salem in 1992

World Events

• Dang Xiaoping, leader in China, speaks in Shenzhen about that Communist nation moving towards a free market economy.
• Boris Yeltsin announces that Russia will no longer target American cities with nuclear weapons. President George H. W. Bush promises the same toward Russia and other Communist states.
• A Miami jury convicts former Panamanian ruler, Manuel Noriega, of assisting Colombia's cocaine cartel.
• 27th Amendment the US Constitutions ratified: no salary change for members of Congress until the next term of office for Representatives.
• Riots, looting and civil disobedience breaks out in Los Angeles when police officers are acquitted in their trial for "excessive force" against Rodney King.
• Bill Clinton is elected president, defeating George H. W. Bush and Ross Pirot.
• Queen Elizabeth II regrets this year as "Annus Horribilis" as the royal family endures scandals.
• Archives of Terror is discovered, revealing the fates of at least 60,000 Latin Americans tortured and killed since 1968 in Operation Condor, targeting suspected Communists.
•  Academy Award:"The Unforgiven" (US), "Indochine" (France). Prize-

 In Salem

The 1914 Craftsman bungalow (above) was built for Walter Buchner, but was sold by the family in 1942 and split into apartments during the war years when housing was scarce. After a series of occupants, tragedy struck this year: the house was firebombed, taking the lives of Hattie Mae Cohens and Brian Mock who were in a basement apartment. Their deaths were recognized in the national press where it was reported, "Four young people have been charged with aggravated murder, assault, arson and intimidation in the Sept. 26 firebombing of a basement apartment in Salem. The police say all are white supremacists with links to Oregon's highly visible "skinhead" community." Senator Gordon Smith, speaking in Congress, condemned the crime and loss of life.
Neighbors were not content that this crime of murder that took two lives should also destroy this historic house. After deliberation about what could be done, funds were collected and the house was purchased by Court-Chemeketa residents who renovated the property. It was sold to new owners who have continued to maintain and improve it. Those who worked hard in 1986 to create a historic district, and in 1992 to repair one of its properties, have remained alert to uphold the integrity of the properties and work with the Historic Landmarks Commission when exterior alterations must be made.

When you visit
The Buchner house is a private residence, but can be seen while walking along 14th Street, north of State Street, and turning right at the corner of Court Street. The Court-Chemeketa Historic Residential District has a variety of interesting properties. The Watts family owned a large area and two of their homes remain: one a grand Victorian and the other a small farmhouse with a history of bitter litigation. Mill Creek runs along behind Chemeketa Street residences, in one place so close the owners must have a bridge outside the back door in order to reach their rear property. Several Court Street houses, like the Griffith and Wiggins properties, can trace their ownership by the same family for several generations. Other houses, like the Waller, Collins-Byrd and Barquist houses have been moved into their present sites. Two active churches (St. John Lutheran and Court Street Christian) are in this district, and another (Chemeketa Evangelical) has been renovated into a residence. A slide show walking tour of Court-Chemeketa Historic Residential District is found on this SHINE website. The NEN neighborhood contains many more historic residences not in the district that can be located by searching DISCOVER by historic name, street or neighborhood name.

Note: it would be greatly appreciated if a photograph of the grand, three-story Victorian house of the Barr family could be located. It stood at the corner of Court and 14th Streets and was demolished before 1945 when St. John's Lutheran Church purchased the property.

Other events

MICAH

• The 1925 Elks Club (above) is purchased by the adjoining First United Methodist Church and renamed MICAH (Methodist Inner-city Community Activities House). It now houses offices and church archives. This was once the site of the 1871 Werner Breyman residence, one of several an early mansions built near the Capitol. It was moved around the corner onto Cottage Street for this Elks construction. The residence became an apartment house, but in the 1970s was demolished for the Willamette University law school building.
• A special Sesquicentennial Founders’ Day Weekend is held at Willamette University. It was filled with special events that included the issuing of a commemorative U.S. postal card featuring Waller Hall, and the dedication Mark Sponenburgh's bronze sculpture, Town and Gown. The refurbished Victory Bell was rung 150 times to commemorate the anniversary. Later in the year, on September 10, the Truman Wesley Collins Legal Center was re-dedicated. United States Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor was the keynote speaker.
• SEDCOR (Salem Economic Development Corporation), formed in 1982 to manage industrial sector recruitment and assist with the expansion of existing manufacturers, was reorganized this year by merging with the City of Salem Economic Division. The private/public partnership allowed SEDCOR to expand partnerships with Marion and Polk Counties. The City of Salem contracted with SEDCOR for development of the Fairview Industrial Park and administration of the City’s Enterprise Zones. SEDCOR moved to 745 Commercial St. NE where it remained until 2009. It is now located at Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry, 626 High Street NE.
• Keith Weathers became a guest conductor for the Salem Concert Band. The idea of the "In the Steps of Sousa" concerts was originally proposed by Keith this year and has become an annual tradition for their March concert.
• State treasurer, James A. Hill, becomes the first African American elected to statewide office. Born in Atlanta in 1947, he graduated with a degree in economics from Michigan State University (1969) and received both an MBA (1971) and law degree (1974) from Indiana University. He had previously served in the Oregon State Senate and House of Representatives. He served as Treasurer for two terms (1993-2001).

Salem in 1991

World Events

• US and UN forces enter Gulf War with operation "Desert Storm" to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Seventh months later, Iraqi soldiers in retreat set fire to Kuwaiti oil fields. These fires put out after extensive efforts.
• The 74 year-old Soviet Union collapses as 11 member nations become independent. Russia is renamed as the Russian Federation with Boris Yeltsin as elected president. The city of St. Petersburg regains its name. Yugoslavia is divided into Croatia and Slovenia. Germany regains complete independence from WW II occupying countries.
• Exxon pays one billion dollars to clean up Valdez oil spill.
• Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, retires. In the confirmation hearings for nominee Clarance Thomas, former aid Anita Hill testifies to his abusing her. Her testimony is disregarded and he is confirmed.
• The police beating of Rodney King is caught on tape and shown on world-wide on TV. Four Los Angeles police officers go on trail.
• The Academy Awards: "Silence of the Lambs"(US),"Mediterraneo (Italy) Prize-winning Books: Mating, Norman Rush and Rabbit at Rest, John Updike.

In Salem

Oregon State Archives Building

In 1991 the Cecil L. Edwards Archives Building was completed. Prior to 1946 Oregon had no Archive structure, no unified approach existed for preserving historical state records. The Secretary of State had custody of the records of the Legislative Assembly and the Governor. All other departments and agencies cared for their own records or placed them in the State Library, however many were presumably destroyed. Moreover, the fire that destroyed the state Capitol in 1935 consumed additional valuable records. The 1945 Legislative Assembly allocated a small amount of money to start the program under the State Library. David Duniway was hired in 1947 as Oregon's first state archivist and served for almost thirty years. He set up shop in the basement of the State Library Building, developing policies and procedures designed to improve government record keeping and preserve the most valuable documents. Eventually, the operation moved into a large warehouse with four floors of storage. Further growth and the need for climate controlled storage areas led to the opening of the current building.

When you Visit
In the Lobby of the Archives visitors are processed into the building and its records for individuals use. Archivists within the Reading room will help find the appropriate records.

North Capitol Mall Review 1937-1991

North Capitol Mall before 1984

North Capitol Mall was now complete except for one more building that would be erected in 2002-3, the Capitol Mall Office Building. This undated photograph (also featured in an earlier year)  was taken before 1984 when the state had not finished constructing buildings in the area within the dotted lines. The State Agriculture and Employment buildings are completed, facing south to Union Street. Residences remain in the blocks north, toward D Street (lower dotted line) between Capitol and Summer Streets. They will be moved or demolished for the Veterans' Affairs Building and for the Archives (see below).
At left center of the photograph above, where the Mill Creek crosses Capitol Street, stood the Cole house, now on Hood Street. To the north (toward the foreground of the photograph) was the Hinges/Kimball house, now a private residence at 1075 Capitol Street. The neighboring Parrish and Rockenfield houses, owned by the City of Salem, are at A. C. Gilbert Discovery Village. These properties are all designated as Local Landmarks.
Before the state construction, Parrish Street cut west across from Capitol Street, and many smaller houses on each side were moved to Williams Street. The small courtyard apartments on D Street (see them at left above dotted line) are in an adjoining Williams Street development created for them.
On the area between Summer and Winter streets, the State Lands Building was completed in 1990. Several houses on the east side of Winter Street escaped demolition: the historic Moon House and German Methodist Parsonage were moved to complex of older homes off D Street and completely renovated to retain their original integrity; the Stiff, Huntington, and McGilchrist house were incorporated as offices into the Capitol Mall Heritage Park at D Street between Summer and Winter Streets. This natural area south of "D" Street and bordering Mill Creek is landscaped for pleasant moments of reflection by this historic waterway. Grant Neighborhood is directly north of "D" Street.
Other events

• R.G. Andersen-Wyckoff becomes mayor.
• This busy activity of the Salem Public Library is interrupted this year by a major renovation that caused the facility to temporarily relocate for several months during construction. One handsome addition of the main floor was the Heritage Room, the result of the generosity and the foresight of the descendants of two Salem Area families. It honors Max and Martha Gehlar and Gov. Douglas and Mabel McKay. Handsome tables, chairs and cabinets were built by Dave and Bob Anderson as their contribution to the Heritage Room. The new Loucks Lecture hall was named for former mayor, Al Loucks, an active library supporter. Not so apparent to the public was the establishment of the library's database, with its Oregon Historical Photograph Collections (used generously in this feature).
• Jim Scheppke is appointed the State Librarian, a position he held for 20 years until his retirement in 2011. As a convenience for visits to the State Library and other buildings of the North Capitol Mall, an underground parking garage serving the North Capitol Mall is added at this time.
•  

  

  The World War I Doughboy at Oregon Veterans Memorial Park

  The 1924 World War I Doughboy statue is relocated to the memorial park at the Veterans' Building. It is now a part of a collection of military memorials north of the building and along Winter Street on the west side of Mill Creek. 
•  To acknowledge the health risks of tobacco use, the Salem Hospital becomes smoke-free. In the next ten years, smoking in Oregon's commercial establishments and all public buildings will disappear.
• Proposition 5 passes: Property taxes dedicated for school funding were capped at $15.00 per $1,000 of real market value per year, and gradually lowered to $5. Property taxes for other purposes were capped at $10 per $1,000 per year. Thus the total property tax rate would be 1.5% at the end of the five-year phase in period. The measure transferred the responsibility for school funding from local government to the state, to equalize funding.
• A local ballot proposal to fund a Willamette riverside park and hotel on city property purchased from Boise Cascade is defeated.
• The Willamette Landing condominium complex is completed on Water Street in North Salem offering housing directly on the shore of the Willamette River. The lack of interest in purchasing "condos" leads the owner to offer the units as rentals.

Salem in 1990

World Events

• The US invades Panama. Manuel Noriega is deposed as leader and surrenders to the American forces.
• After 26 years in prison, Nelson Mandela is freed. South Africa ends segregation of libraries, trains, buses, toilets, swimming pools, and other public facilities.
• Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, invades Kuwait: the  UN intervenes.
• German reunification  begins as East Germany and West Germany merge their economies with the West German mark being the currency for both. 
• The Supreme Soviet approves changes to create a U. S.-style presidency: Mikhail Gorbachev elected. He is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to reform his nation.
• Juan-Bertrand Aristide is elected president of Haiti, ending 30 years of military rule.
• US companies will on longer buy tuna caught in nets that trap dolphin.
• President Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)  to protect disabled Americans from discrimination.
• Academy Awards: "Dancing with Wolves" (US),"Journey of Hope" (Switzerland). Prize-winning Books: Middle Passage, Charles Johnson and The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, Oscar Hijuelos.

Salem's Capitol Theater at Night

In Salem
The Capitol Theater, here easily distinguished for the lighted dome of its marquee, closes this year. Twenty years later, even for residents who did not live here then, it is sad that such an attractive feature of downtown life could have been extinguished. However, when this theater and the Elsinore (around the corner on High Street) were built in 1926, silent movies were quite an exciting advance in entertainment. "Talkies" were the sensation of the early 1930s. Going to the movies continued to be the favorite leisure entertainment through the Depression with tickets only a dime. Movies we look back on as classics date from the late 1930s: "Gone with the Wind", "Wizard of Oz", "Grapes of Wrath". These were followed during the early 1940s by "Citizen Kane", "Casablanca" and "Mrs. Miniver". Then came young Elizabeth Taylor in "National Velvet", Ronald Reagan in "Kings Row" and the unforgettable duo of Bogart and Bacall in "To Have and Have Not".
But the public found it more convenient to stay home once TV entertained the family in the living room. By 1956 was announced that downtown Salem would be served by only two movie houses during the winter and that the Capitol and the Elsinore would operate only at night, except for Saturday and Sunday afternoon matinees. Movie theaters have gradually changed to suit special audiences, but the older houses like the Capitol were not able to adjust and so closed.

When you visit
Take a walk east on the south side of State Street, crossing High. The first structure you pass will be the Bligh Building (now a restaurant) and then there is a small parking lot. Look at the back of the lot and you will see the impression of the theater building that is no more.

Other events

The Davis-Karn House on Hollywood Drive

• The NOLA (North Lancaster Association) neighborhood association is organized this year. One of the main residential streets is Hollywood Drive, between Sunnyview and Silverton Road. Above: This beautiful 1925 home looks like a movie set: the French windows that line the front of the house make one imagine Fred Astaire is about to dance out with Ginger Rogers. Walter Davis built the house according to the design of his wife Ella, who loved to read "movie magazines", according to her niece, Edna Munson Karn. Edna's family lived with her grandparents on their farm, also on Hollywood Drive. Edna (with her brother and sister) moved in with the childless Davis couple when their own parents moved to West Salem for orchard work during the Depression: the children wanted to continue at Parrish School. Edna met David Karn at the Crystal Garden ballroom and after their marriage in 1947, they lived in a house they built next door to this property. They moved into this house in 1982. The fifth generation of the family visits to enjoy this park-like property in NOLA.
•  North Gateway Redevelopment Board is established this year as a citizen group to advise the city on North Gateway Renewal Area projects. This 902-acre renewal area centers on Portland Road, once the main highway between Seattle and San Francisco. After the I-5 construction, the area had lost business opportunities and transportation problems that included poor traffic circulation. Due to railroad lines, some streets did not go through, or there were areas with only one access into an industrial area: that was a fire/safety hazard if one of the many trains blocked it. Projects in this renewal area also include rehabilitation for business to attract new investment and improved amenities in the residential areas.

• 

  State Lands Building on Summer Street

  The State Lands Building is built on North Summer Street between D and Union Streets. The State Land Board is Oregon’s oldest board, established in 1859 as the “Board of Commissioners for the sale of school, and university lands, and for the investment of the funds arising there from." The board has retained the same membership (Governor, Secretary of State and State Treasurer) throughout its history. It presently manages grazing and agricultural land; forest land; industrial, commercial and residential land; off-shore land, estuarine tidelands, and submerged and submersible lands of the state’s extensive navigable waterway system. The agency also manages 3 million acres of mineral rights owned by other state agencies. Proceeds from management of lands and waterways and other activities become part of the Common School Fund principal. 
• The historic Eugene Breyman residence was demolished for the new state building. The photograph below shows the location of the house with the railing of the Mill Creek Bridge in the place as in the previous picture.

• 

  The Eugene Breyman residence. Notice the railing of the Mill Creek Bridge crossing Summer Street.

• Salem’s Sesquicentennial Celebration observes the 150th anniversary of the founding of the pioneer Salem settlement. A series of activities enabled the whole community to join in the festivities. The Celebration Committee and other organizations scheduled events for all ages, and the Salem City Council’s proclamation officially recognized this special time in the history of our city.
• The church building at 1760 State Street, now the Church of God of Oregon, celebrates a 100th anniversary.
• In November, Barbara Roberts is elected as Oregon's first woman governor and takes office January 1, 1991.
• The Northern Spotted Owl is listed as an endangered species by the US Department of Fish and Wildlife. This and other listings lead to drastic cuts in timber harvesting with a permanent loss in Oregon employment.
• An initiative approved by voters requires seat belts for all occupants of automobiles, including car seats for young children.
• Salem's population reaches 107,786.

Salem in 1989

World Events

• East Berlin opens checkpoints in the Wall, which is demolished. The entire leadership of the East German Socialist Party resigns.
• The Dalai Lama is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
• Hirohito dies and Akihito becomes the 125th Emperor of Japan.
• Students stage a protest in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. An unknown young "Tank Man" defies the military as seen on TV around the world.
• The US invades Panama, with "Operation Just Cause", in an attempt to overthrow dictator Manuel Noriega, accused of drug trafficking.
• English scientist Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web with a commercial dial-up connection via the internet.
• Jerry Falwell announces Moral Majority, Inc. will be dissolved. He states that that "the religious right is solidly in place." 
• The "Keating Five" create a savings and loan industry financial crisis that cost many their life savings. Charles Keating goes to prison.
• Florida executes Ted Bundy for the murders of 30 young women.
• Alaska's Prince William Sound is contaminated by 240,000 barrels of oil after the Exxon Valdez goes aground.
• Academy Awards: "Driving Miss Daisy" (US),"Cinema Paradiso (Italy) Prize-winning Books: Spartina, John Casey and Breathing Lessons, Anne Tyler.

In Salem

The photograph above was taken in 1988 just before this Mill Street industrial property was donated to Willamette University and these cannery buildings demolished. The California Packing Company, developer of a Blue Lake type bean, opened a plant in Salem in 1963. They were the first to shift their entire bean production to these bush beans and they were delivered in bulk, eliminating the need for tote bins. Their Del Monte brand and shield was used after 1967. By 1970 the Salem Plant had grown to be the largest green bean cannery in the world. The company continued to grow and in 1979 merged with R. J. Reynolds, Inc. However, in the early 1980s, the company's bean production was moved to their production to their more centrally located Wisconsin plants.

A city council zoning change made it possible for Tokyo International University of America (TIUA), after a 20-year exchange student and faculty association with WU, to build a Salem dormitory on these six acres. The grand opening ceremony of TIUA (Tokyo International University America) was September 8, 1989 with Mike Mansfield, former Ambassador to Japan, Oregon's Governor Goldschmidt, Salem's Mayor Neilsen, Willamette University President Hudson and other dignitaries in attendance. Sixty Japanese students and two professors participated in that year's American Studies program. This cultural experience, now over 40 years in operation, is designed to educate students in being global citizens. By living for a year in another country, as these foreign students do, they get a resident's view of the host country. Many former TIUA students have gone on to careers not only in America, but also in countries around the world. They carry with them the values of "Vision, Courage, Intelligence" that have been promoted within this educational experience.

When You Visit

This site on Mill Street, directly south of the Willamette Heritage Center's Mission Mill property, is now the campus for students of Tokyo International University who attend classes at TIUA and Willamette University. Students use the sky bridge over 12th Street to reach the campus. The TIUA building is open weekdays and the public is free to eat at the Kaneko cafe'. The original residence hall and cafeteria have been remodeled which doubled the capacity. It is a LEED Gold certificate building. For tour information, call 503-373-3330.

Other events

Memorial at the site of our former City Hall

• Adjacent to the sidewalk at the southwest corner of Chemeketa and High streets, a shaft with plaque and picture of the old structure, is erected as a memorial to the 1896 City Hall that had been demolished 17 years before. Salem voters didn't want to pay the cost of saving the old city hall, preferring to build a new civic center. Ironically, Dr. Vern Miller, the former Salem mayor for whom the replacement city hall was later named, was unsuccessful in his recommendation for keeping the old city hall alive as a museum. Sue Bell, writing for Salemhistory website, gave us a history of our former city administration buildings, "At the beginning of Salem's municipal government history, the City officers were housed in the Rector Building located on the lower west side of Commercial Street between Trade and Ferry. The two-story frame building had been erected by William H. Rector in 1851 specifically for the purpose of a Town Hall. (Briefly, both before and after the 1855 burning of the original Capitol Building, the State government shared the premises.). As the wooden structure deteriorated, quarters for the town's officials were found in various other commercial buildings in town - - the Patton Block, built in 1869, was one of these. Later, the Recorder's Office was located at 236 Liberty and, by the early 1890s, unofficially City Hall was on Liberty Street, the southeast corner of State (present site of Key Bank)"The statuary eagle is on the ground, ready to be placed on the rocks atop the Hatfield Fountain at the Bellevue Street entrance at Willamette University. At the base of the fountain there is a plaque explaining the symbolism of the eagle's nest.
• Large national retailers such as Costco, Shopko, Wal-Mart, Target, and Home Depot recognize Salem's market potential and are opening outlets in suburban Salem, especially in the Lancaster Drive area.
• Salem's roots in the lumber and textile industries are gradually giving way to high technology. In this year, Siltec, a computer chip manufacturer, establishes a facility here.
• On May 27th, the YWCA in conjunction with Willamette University holds the first Cultural Diversity Conference on the Willamette campus to help raise awareness and promote sensitivity about equality, racial justice, violence against women, hate crimes, and affirmative action
• The body of James Michael Francke, Director of the Oregon Department of Corrections, is discovered on the floor of the north portico of the Dome Building on January 18 and an autopsy determined he had been murdered. A local petty criminal was eventually tried and convicted for the crime, and sentenced to life in prison without parole. However, the convicted killer maintains his innocence, and several conspiracy theories have been advocated. A 1995 film, Without Evidence, was written by Gil Dennis and Phil Stanford, an Oregon columnist who has investigated the case extensively. It is also based on subsequent investigations by Kevin Francke, Michael's brother.
• Willamette University football and country singer/actress Dolly Parton may not seem like a natural fit, but somehow the Country Music Hall of Fame found herself leading cheers for the Bearcats alumni football team in September. She attended the game as a friend of her business-associate Heine Fountain, a Willamette alumni who was coaching the alums. "I just love this part of the country," she told a reporter. "It’s always beautiful, and the people are always nice."

Salem in 1988

World Events

• In 1979, to stabilize the politics of Afghanistan, the Soviet Army sent in troops. After more than 8 years of conflict, and the disruption of detente with the US, the Soviet Army now begins withdrawing from Afghanistan.
• The Arab Al-Qaeda militant group is founded as terrorists to oppose the Soviet move into Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden is a leader.
• The Iraq-Iran War ends with a cease-fire, to Iran's advantage, monitored by the UN. This conflict caused more than a million fatalities.
• In a Presidential debate, Democrat Michael Dukakis is asked a personal question about the death penalty he opposes. His answer is considered to have been an important factor in his defeat by the Republican Vice-President, George H. W. Bush, that November.
• Pan Am flight 103 explodes over Lockerbie, Scotland with 270 fatalities.
• Gallaudet University, the only university for the deaf in America, elects its first president who is deaf himself, Dr. I. King Jordan.
• Scientific Senate testimony declares that Global Warming has begun. The U.S. Surgeon General states that nicotine is as addictive as heroin.
• The first McDonalds are opened in Communist countries.
• "Phantom of the Opera" opens on Broadway and is still playing in 2018. Academy Awards: "Rain Man" (US), "Pele the Conqueror" (Denmark) Prize-winning Books: Paris Trout, Peter Dexter and Beloved, Toni

In Salem
For those who cherish an English ambiance, the Tudor Rose, opened his year, was the perfect getaway for a British-style lunch or a cup of tea in the afternoon. A shop inside the entrance welcomed diners with gift selections one would find in a English village of the 1980s and the decor of the dining room matched that atmosphere with old-fashioned wallpaper, lace curtains, and table settings that include a tea-cozy for the pot. Located above the south side of Pringle Creek among the trees, diners could imagine themselves in a peaceful rural setting. Alas, to the regret of loyal customers of almost twenty years, it closed in 2007. Below, a photograph taken just before demolition.
When you visit

Waterplace now occupies the site of the former Tudor Rose. This property includes land that was previously used for a motel and is directly across Liberty Street from the Civic Center. In the planning stage, a taller building was proposed, but residents in the adjoining SCAN neighborhood objected, for environmental reasons, during the City's Design Review process and the building was scaled back to its present height. During construction, its promotion hailed, "Innovative architecture and environmental stewardship blend together in a new mixed-use office and retail development that redefines how we work." The building is positioned to take advantage of the natural beauty along Pringle Creek. Completed in April of 2010, it houses offices and a restaurant, following the precedent of the Tudor Rose and the earlier Sambo's. Like these other recently built local structures, its architecture and use has been determined by Salem's community acceptance.

Other events

Mahonia Hall

• Mahonia Hall, the former Livesley residence on Lincoln Street, becomes the official residence of Oregon's governor. Purchased by private donations, it is maintained by the state. The governor and his wife occasionally open the house for guests invited for worthwhile community events and tours of the first floor are conducted periodically. The original owner, Thomas A. Livesley, mayor of Salem from 1927 to 1931, was known as the "Hop King of Oregon" He served in the legislature as Marion County State Representative from 1937-39. He built and owned the First National Bank Building in 1926-27. After his death the building was called the “Livesley Building” and more recently the "Capitol Tower or Center". Another noted structure he left the community is this Tudor style family home on Lincoln Street in the Fairmont Hill district. He died in 1947 at the age of 84.
• Sylvia Dorney, continues the evolution of her family's three-generation Salem business enterprise renaming it as Greenbaum’s Quilted Forest. The business started as a dry good’s store, Greenbaum’s Dept. Store, in 1900; became a fabric store; Greenbaum’s Fine Fabrics, in 1946; and finally in this year as shop offering creative quilting ideas, supplies and instructions. The shop is in the last remaining section of a beautiful historic structure that was built in 1889, and is located at 240 Commercial Street in the heart of the downtown historic district.
• On Mill Street, dramatic changes are occurring in the block that has been industrial. On the south, the Del Monte cannery is closed and enclosed by a fence with two rows of barbed wire at the top. (This will become the campus of Tokyo International University.) To the north, on the property that had been the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill, the Mission Mill Museum association has begun renovating the Card Room and Spinning Room on the second floor of the mill building and adjacent Dye House.
• Sue Harris Miller completes her third term as mayor of Salem and Thomas Neilsen is elected.
• The Salem Area Mass Transit District consolidates its administration, operations and maintenance activities on an 8.4-acre facility acquired and constructed with a combination of local, state and federal funds. In the next April, U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield and Governor Neil Goldschmidt officiated at the open house. In 2001, a permanent transfer station and administrative office, Courthouse Square, was built on the site. At the present time, July 2012, structural faults in the parking bus parking area caused the transit center to be moved to a temporary location on nearby city streets. The building itself has been evacuated for inspection of possible construction faults and consultants are evaluating choices between demolition and extensive repair.
• Mano a Mano, a nonprofit agency, opened in Salem this year, providing English classes and social services for Salem's Latino community. Today the vision of Mano e Mano is that Latinos and low-income people of our community will enjoy a quality of life and attain a standard of living comparable to other Oregonians. The Family Center is now located in the James Ramsey III House, 1460 Capitol Street NE.
• The Smothers Brothers, a TV popular comedy act comes the Salem for a performance at the Oregon State Fair.
• This year the Salem Outreach Shelter began providing housing for homeless men. Because so many families needed shelter, the focus transitioned to programs for them. Up to 15 families reside at the shelter at one time for an average of four to six months. During this time families must strive for a successful future with permanent housing, stable income, and a resource base to obtain long-term stability. In 2001 the shelter merged with the YWCA of Salem. In 2007 it moved to accommodate more families. The goal of the shelter is to assist families in accomplishing their dream of returning to a sustainable living situation so they can take their place as contributing members of the community.

Salem in 1987

World Events

• Rudolph Hess (aged 92), WWII NAZI, is found dead in his Spandau Prison cell. The last prisoner in the complex, it is soon demolished.
• President Reagan visits Berlin, challenges USSR to "Tear down this wall!"
• King's Cross fire in London subway kills 31 and wounds 100.
•  US Congress charges Reagan with "ultimate responsibility" for the Iran-Contra deception, but he is not prosecuted. (See 1986) His nominee for the Supreme Court, Robert Bork, is rejected by the Senate.
• Jim Bakker resigns from the evangelical "Praise the Lord" television network after his personal misconduct is revealed.
• 18 months old Jessica McClure falls down her aunt's well in Midland, Texas. Rescuers work 58 consecutive hours to free her from the 8-inch well casing. The drama is seen around the world by television.
• AZT is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the use in treatment of AIDS.
• Starbucks Coffee stores open in Seattle. Simpson cartoon appears.
• Academy Awards: "The Last Emperor" (US), "Babette's Feast" (Denmark). Prize-winning Books: Paco's Story, Larry Heinemann and A Summons to Memphis, Peter Taylor.

Residences along Court Street in the Historic District

In Salem
The Court-Chemeketa Historic Residential District (above) was established this year. This small area of two streets is limited on the east and north by Mill Creek, on the south by State Street and on the west by a 1984 barrier across 13th Street that eliminates auto traffic. This area, separated from the early city center by the 12th Street rail tracks, Willamette University and the Capitol, was home to many of Salem's pioneer families and small water-powered businesses. The businesses are gone now, but the residences reflect the domestic designs popular in the broad period between 1860 and 1937. Bonnie and Roger Hull led a resident group in the research and documentation necessary for this successful nomination to the National Register.
It is no coincidence that both Court-Chemeketa and Gaiety Hill/Bush's Pasture Park Residential Historic Districts are founded at this time. These were basically neighborhood enterprises, sponsored by their residents, many of whom were involved in the Inventory described below.
Today, the Historic Landmarks Commission offers professional direction to owners of designated historical properties for making exterior alterations through Design Review by the Community Development Department staff recommendations and Commission approval.

When you visit

Walking tour slide shows of our three historic districts are found here on SHINE. In addition to the Court-Chemeketa Historic Residential District, there are the Gaiety Hill/Bush Pasture Park and Salem Historic Downtown districts. The best way to enjoy our character of our city is to walk in the neighborhoods and urban parks to see for yourself the value of historic preservation.
A catalog of properties individually listed as National Register or Local Landmark (not in a historic district) can be found on the DISCOVER website. It has been given that name because it reveals many interesting historic properties, not yet designated, in all 19 neighborhoods. On this website, you may search by neighborhood, street address or family name. Viewers are welcome to Comment on DISCOVER to correct or add information.

Other Events

One of the most important resources for learning about Salem history is the Historic Salem An Inventory of Historic Places, a 1987 spiral-bound collection of 101 photographs with information about local personalities and properties of significance. Produced this year by the staff of the Historic Landmarks Commission under the leadership of Mark Siegel, and with the help of many trained volunteers, it remains a basic source of information about our architectural and cultural past. In the years that have passed, designations have changed, some houses have been demolished, others moved. However, the Inventory remains a valuable snapshot of the historical properties in the core of the city at that time: only 6 of the 19 neighborhoods were surveyed.

• During his term of office, Governor Atiyeh established new public safety programs for Oregon's traditional fishing and lumber trades and took measures to attract new industries to the state, bringing thousands of jobs. He initiated the state's lottery, launched a worldwide tourism initiative, and got the Columbia River Gorge designated as a national scenic preservation area. After Ateyih's term, the governor's residence on Winter Street became headquarters for the Department of Environmental Quality for the State of Oregon. It has now been moved slightly north to accommodate the North Capitol Mall Office building.
• Kathryn Gunnell, a prominent Salem personality and noted photographer dies this year. Leaving no heirs, her professional collection was left to the Marion County Historical Society.

The Frederick and Nelson Store, on the Liberty and Chemeketa Streets site of the former Lipman's, closes this year.

The Devereaux Apartments, managed by the St. Vincent de Paul Society, serves as a shelter for the homeless.

The star logo is prominently displayed on the walls of the Salem Centre Mall as the new second floor of Marion Parkade gives entrance into the retail stores.

Salem in 1986

World Events

• Space shuttle "Challenger" explodes on takeoff killing 7 astronauts, including schoolteacher, Christa McAuliffe.
• A mishandled safety test at Chernobyl, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union,  sends radioactive particles over Europe, kills over 4000 people and damages almost 7 billion in property.
• Desmond Tutu is the first black Anglican bishop in South Africa.
• A secret Iran arms supply by the Reagan administration is revealed, but the disappearance of official documents handicaps the investigation. Eleven officials (but not Reagan) were convicted, including the Secretary of Defense, Casper Weinburger. Convictions were dropped or the  individuals pardoned by President George H. W. Bush (VP in 1986).
• At least 5 million people form a human chain from NYC to Los Angeles to raise money to fight hunger and homelessness.
• American Jewish professor, Elie Wiesel is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as Chairman of the President's Commission on the Holocaust.
• Greg LeMond is the first American cyclist to win the Tour de France.
• Les Miserables wins multiple awards on Broadway. Academy Awards: "Platoon" (US), "The Assault", (Netherlands). Prize-winning Books: World's Fair, E.L. Doctorow and Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry.

In Salem
After a fund drive effort of six years, the Mark Hatfield Library at Willamette University opened with a dedication on September 4 this year. Willamette's original library was established in 1844, two years after the school was founded. The library was housed in Waller Hall before moving to its own building (now Smullin Hall) in 1938. The academic library is named in honor of former Senator Mark O. Hatfield, a 1943 graduate of Willamette and former member of the faculty.
Dr. Daniel J. Boorstin, Librarian of Congress, gave this tribute:
"Following the trail of the early settlers and missionaries who found their way to your beautiful valley, Willamette University continues to awaken explorers of the mind. Mark Hatfield has carried the best traits of the missionary and the explorer to the nation's capital. To the deliberations of the Senate he has brought a large vision and a broad culture. There can be no more appropriate tribute to Willamette University's effort to educate the whole man than the Mark O. Hatfield Library."

When you visit
The two-story, redbrick building has abundant glass that brings light inside to the reception lobby, the 24-hour study and private areas, and to the materials collections. The library is one of the first academic libraries on the west coast to automate its card catalog and circulation systems. Of special interest is the portion of the second floor housing the public papers and, on display, the personal memorabilia of the career of Senator Hatfield.
In the Plaza before the main entrance there is a handsome Clock Tower and flowing west along the north side of the building and continuing across the campus, is the historic Millrace. This diversion of Mill Creek brought early waterpower to the industries of the growing city and is a dominant landscape feature of the center of the campus, redesigned when the library was erected.

Other events

• At a residential fire, fireman Bob Benson was working his way through the tangle of the upper floor. The drug processing tenants had reconnected wiring to mask the use of electricity. Bob's oxygen tank on his back touched a live wire, sending electricity into his body. He remembers nothing except awaking on the ground outside, with his father-in-law, George Ventura, leaning close and asking if he were conscious. This scene was caught in this Gerry Lewin's Statesman Journal photograph. Bob recovered and is now serving with the department as a Captain. He and his wife have been active in collecting memorabilia and artifacts for the fire department exhibits in fire stations #5. #7, #10 and #11. A memorial for his father-in-law is at Fire Station #5 at 1520 Glen Creek Rd NW.

High Street Bungalows in Gaiety HIll/Bush's Pasture Park Historic District

• Gaiety Hill/Bush's Pasture Park, a National Register Historic District is established this year. The bungalows on High Street, the Bush family residence and barn of Bush Pasture Park are significant features. A walking tour slide show is on the SHINE website.
• In 1983, when Boise Cascade began cutting back its Salem operation, Chemeketa Community College was asked to help retrain employees. The project was so successful that the college combined several programs into a Training and Economic Development (TED) Center in 1986. The downtown facility (moved to a new location in 2009) is dedicated to the improvement of businesses and organizations throughout the Mid-Willamette Valley.
• Two noted Salem cultural leaders of Salem retire this year: Wes Sullivan, Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Statesman Journal and popular chronicler of our city's history; and Carl Hall, after a nearly forty-year association with the Willamette University that resulted in his reputation as an educator as well as an artist.
• A popular movie and TV star, James Garner, visits Salem during the production of a TV film.
• Norma Paulus had been elected Secretary of State in 1976, the first woman elected to statewide office in Oregon. As Secretary of State she instituted Vote-By-Mail, the first in the nation. She was reelected to serve the maximum two terms allowed under the Oregon constitution. In 1986, she is the Republican candidate for governor, but loses by a small margin.
• The Children's Discovery Room at the Salem Public Library, a project funded by the Salem Rotary Club, opens in December as a portion of the main floor of the Library devoted to allowing children to explore inter-active displays and learn about their surroundings.
• The Southeast Mill Creek Association is organized. The neighborhood includes the area around the McNary Airport and extends south to Corbin University.
• Starting this year, the Salem Center retail mall added the theater complex at the intersection of Marion and High Streets as well as the pedestrian sky-bridges between JC Penney's and the south building. Shortly thereafter the remaining sky-bridges were built: Marion Parkade to Mervyn's; north building to Meier and Frank; over Center Street connecting the two mall buildings.