Salem in 2013

World Events

• Jorge Mario Bergoglio becomes Pope Francis, first Pope from Latin America. He is a reformer of the Church and an advocate for the poor. ( "Francis: Pray for Me", 2015 film)
• On April 15, two homemade bombs ripped through the crowd of fans and runners at the Boston Marathon finish line, killing three and wounding nearly 300 others. 
• In June, Documents released by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden shed light on the extent of US espionage operations in various parts of the world and threatened to damage US relations with some key international players. ("Snowden", 2016 film)
• Prince William and wife Kate welcome a son, Prince George, on July 22.
• On Aug. 21, reports emerged from a Damascus suburb of a sarin gas attack, a grim event in a civil war that had already cost the lives of 100,000 people and spurred the largest refugee crisis in a generation.
• Former South African president and leader of the anti-apartheid movement Nelson Mandela died on Dec. 5.
• New words "twerk" and "selfie" were added to the dictionary this year.
• Academy Awards:"12 Years a Slave"(US),"The Great Beauty" (Best Foreign Film, Italy)  Prize-winning books: The Good Lord Bird, James McBride and The Orphan Master's Son, Adam Johnson.

In Salem

•  In April of 2012,  a colorful Oregon heritage exhibit was mounted in the Marion County Courthouse Community Hall.  Each of the twenty framed collections of photographs and memorabilia offered what that Marion County city considered significant to tell its story. The exhibits were constructed by local committees or by an individual volunteer. Above each poster is a wood carving representing the shape of Marion County with the locality of the city clearly distinguished. At the opening ceremony, the County Commissioners greeted guests from around the county, especially thanking the creators of these handsome displays.  Each city had a representative there to speak about what that city had selected to put in their colorful poster.

 Community Hall of the Marion County Courthouse
View the Marion County Courthouse exhibit
 

• Commissioner Sam Brentano, who was the inspiration for the exhibit, encouraged this author and her son to become acquainted with Marion County cities.  On our day-trip adventures, Tom and I discovered many scenic back roads and he took photographs in each city.  Each one reviews the community history, offer a brief profile of the city today and includes our discoveries there as visitors. KMUZ interviews with representatives of each city can be heard on their archives. The series also appeared in the Sunday edition of the Statesman Journal newspaper for twenty weeks. It is now the topic "Marion County 20" on this website.

• Scott Casebeer, President of Capitol Auto Group, was selected as the 2012 First Citizen of the year by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Casebeer's two sons, who have worked at the dealership, are the great-grandsons of the founder of the company, Douglas McKay.  McKay entered politics was elected governor of Oregon, then Secretary of the Interior in the Eisenhower administration.

• A brochure useful to realtors and property buyers this year is entitled "Historic Property Designation". Produced by the Historic Landmarks Commission, it outlines the benefits and responsibilities of purchasing and maintaining structures in the city that have been designated as Local Landmarks or National Register. It reminds owners that exterior changes, visible to the public, must be approved by the HLC before any work is begun.  The HLC meets once a month to discuss proposals brought before the Commission and suggest improvements or necessary alterations to owners' construction plans to comply with city codes.

Salem lost three outstanding residents this year, Mike McLaran on March 30, Bill Tebeau on July 20 and Orville Roth on October 13. All three, in very different careers, had important roles in the development of the city and shaping its character. The Statesman Journal reported:

• Mike McLaran's death stunned the business community. The longtime Salem Area Chamber of Commerce executive died March 30 while jogging in southeast Salem, the victim of an apparent heart attack. McLaran, 53, grew the chamber's membership and gave the organization a strong, unified voice. From 1995 through 2011, McLaran served as the chamber's chief executive officer. Even after stepping down as CEO, McLaran continued to work closely with the chamber as a consultant. He was involved in such milestones as the development of the Salem Conference Center and the campaign to win a grant for the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. At McLaran's memorial service, business and community leaders filled the 1,200 seat Salem Alliance Church to near capacity. 
  
• "Make it a great day!" That was William "Bill" Tebeau's daily motto. It was also front and center July 20 in the brightly lit hospitality room at Center 50+ in Salem, where Tebeau's family give their patriarch a fittingly warm, often poignant, but overall cheery celebration of life memorial. An engineer, educator and pioneer, Tebeau, 87, was the first African American male to graduate from Oregon State University, which he did in 1948. He died July 5. Scores of well-wishers turned out at the center to honor a man who was described as at once deeply knowledgeable on many subjects and humble about himself.
• The Mid-Valley lost one of its most enduring symbols of community and charity Oct. 13 when longtime civic leader and businessman Orville N. Roth died of a heart attack while visiting family in Honolulu. The 79-year-old co-founder of the Roth's Fresh Markets grocery chain grew his empire from a single store in 1962 to nine markets in 2013.  He was known throughout the state as much for his unfailing support of children and those less fortunate as for his business.
  
  
  
    

 

Salem in 1873

World Events

• A new capital city, Budapest, is formed from the communities of Pest, Buda and Obuda. It became the co-capital with Vienna of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and a center of prosperity and culture.
• The Canadian Parliament establishes the North-West Mounted Police, enforcing federal or provincial policing.
• The army conducts wars against the Indians: Modoc engagements and General Custer clashes with the Sioux.
• Impressionist paintings are exhibited in Paris and the Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally), a London public center of entertainment and education, was destroyed by fire shortly after it opened.
• In Iowa, Jesse James and Younger gang pull off the first successful train robbery in the west.
• Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a patent for using copper riots to strengthen pockets of denim work pants.
• Coors Brewing Company begins making beer in Golden, Colorado.
• In Russia, Leo Tolstoi publishes Anna Karenina.

In Salem 
 This year John Minto locates a pass though the Cascade Mountains that is named for him. In 1882, he will survey the Santiam Pass. However, he is best remembered in Salem for his purchase of the island that bares his name. He was among the first to raise merino sheep here and was instrumental in the State Fair move to Salem. He was an author and poet, in the style of his idol, Robert Burns. He served various state offices, including four Oregon legislative sessions. His 1915 obituary states, "On one of his visits to the recent legislature, Mr. Minto fainted while sitting with his friend and was revived with difficulty. That excitement and exhaustion caused by his attendance upon the legislative sessions may have hastened his end."

When you visit
His 1869 house (pictured above) stands on the north end of Saginaw Street, south of the two other Minto family houses built by his son, Douglas: one was constructed in 1921; the other in 1926.
These South Central Area Neighborhood (SCAN) properties are a fine starting point for a walk south on Saginaw Street to Fairmount Hill, a residential area recently considered for nomination as a historic district. West of Commercial Street, a Fairmount walk will begin south of Mission Street (Owens Street is a good starting point, with historic residences and new apartment complexes and for nine blocks wanders south, up the hill past the mansions of Salem's Pre-Depression 1920s, to an abrupt end at Rural Street. To the rear of those houses lie the long east-west stretch of Pioneer Cemetery and the south border of the neighborhood. Saginaw is a through street, but detours into Fir, Fairmount and John Streets will offer street views of many attractive homes and well designed landscaping. SCAN (which is also on the east of Commercial) has monthly public meetings on the 2nd Wednesday, 6:30 pm at South Salem High School, 1910 Church Street SE.

Other Events

• The Marion County Courthouse (often seen in this classic 1903 photograph) is completed this year. Notice the Post Office and the State House in the background. The Methodist Church is to the right. The former Courthouse that had been moved in 1871 to make way for its grand successor, housed various businesses before ending life as a livery stable at the turn of the 20th century. This Courthouse, built by Wilbur F. Boothby and associates, blended exuberant Victorian styles, reflecting 19th century community pride in public buildings. Marion County paid W.W. Piper $4,500 as supervising architect for his elaborate French Renaissance design. Final costs for the permanent Courthouse were between $110,000 and $115,000. The 34,710 square foot Courthouse rose 136 feet upon 33-inch thick brick walls, culminating in an elaborate mansard roof crowned by a 51-foot cupola. A $1500 four-faced clock was set within the tower beneath a cedar rendition of Thema, Goddess of Justice. (In 1905, the gilded lady was replaced by a 10 foot tall, 900 pound hollow copper statue nicknamed for her catalog order number.) The County Jail was on the ground or "basement" floor, the County Clerk and other public offices on the "first floor" and the Courtroom was on the third floor with a fourth floor "attic" above. This building was demolished in 1952.
• The process of municipal law did not always run smoothly in Salem this year: it is reported in the newspaper that vigilantes took a prisoner from the city jail and punished him with "tar and feathers".
• Opposition to Chinese workers was voiced by the Salem Weekly Mercury for July 11. The editor charged that Republicans constituted the board of county commissioners and that the board had a reputation so foul as to drive carrion crows away from Marion County. "It employs Chinese to work the county roads. White men are plenty and need the work."
• Gustavus Hines died this year. With his wife Lydia as companion, the couple were outstanding pioneers of Oregon and Salem. He was the author of several books that are important resources for any study of Oregon's history. They include works with long titles such as Life on the Plains of the Pacific: Oregon, Its History Condition and Prospects: Containing a Description of the Geography, Climate and Productions, with Personal Adventures Among the Indians during a Residence of the Author...while Connected with the Oregon Mission: Embracing Extended Notes of a Voyage Around the World.