Page 81 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Pacific Northwest

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epidemic. Exhibits tracing the
colony’s history fill the Old
Aurora Colony Museum’s
handsome white-frame
buildings. Many of Aurora’s
other historic buildings now
house antique shops.
Nearby Champoeg State
Heritage Area is the site of an
1843 convention at which settlers
Artifacts of early pioneers, End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center voted to break from Britain and
establish a provisional American
e End of the Museum of the Oregon govern ment in Oregon. By that
Oregon Trail Territory traces this history time, Champoeg was a thriving
Interpretive Center from the days when John trading post on the banks of the
McLoughlin, an Englishman Willamette River, having been
1726 Washington St, Oregon City. sympathetic to the cause of established by the Hudson’s Bay
Tel (503) 657-9336. Open 9:30am–5pm bringing Oregon into the US, Company in 1813. The town that
Mon–Sat, 10:30am–5pm Sun (last settled the town in 1829. In grew up around the trading post
entry 1 hour before closing). Closed 1846, the “Father of Oregon” was abandoned as a result of
Jan 1, Thanksgiving, Dec 25. & 7 built the then-grandest home devastating floods in 1861 and
= ∑ historicoregoncity.org
in Oregon, now the McLoughlin 1890; the park now comprises
House, a unit of Fort Vancouver of meadows and stately stands
Although many of the pioneers National Historic Site. of oaks and evergreens.
who crossed the country on the Displays in the visitor center
Oregon Trail went their separate E Museum of the pay tribute to the Calapooya
ways once they reached eastern Oregon Territory Indians, who once lived here
Oregon, for those who continued 211 Tumwater Dr. Tel (503) 655-5574. on the banks of the river, and
west across the Cascade Open 11am–4pm Wed–Sat. to the traders and pioneers
Mountains, Abernethy Green Closed major hols. & who came in the wake of the
near Oregon City was the end of ∑ clackamashistory.org Hudson’s Bay settlement. Its
the trail. Here they stocked up on P McLoughlin House historic buildings include a jail,
provisions and set up farmsteads 713 Center St. Tel (503) 656-5146. a schoolhouse, a barn, and
in the fertile Willamette Valley. Open 10am–4pm Fri & Sat. several early dwellings.
The End of the Oregon Trail Closed mid-Dec–Jan & major hols. &
Interpretive Center tells the story ∑ mcloughlinhouse.org E Old Aurora Colony Museum
of life on the trail in three oversized, 15018 2nd St NE. Tel (503) 678-5754.
50-ft- (15-m-) high covered wagons Open Feb–Dec: 11am–4pm Tue–Sat,
that encircle Abernethy Green. noon–4pm Sun. Closed Jan, major
Exhibits of heirlooms, the Bound hols. & 8 check website for details.
for Oregon feature film, as well ∑ auroracolony.org
as hands-on experiences and Y Champoeg State
pioneer crafts, such as packing Heritage Area
a wagon and candle dipping, Rte 99 W, 12 miles (7.5 km) west
bring past hardships to life. Visitors The stately McLoughlin House (1846) of Aurora. Tel (503) 678-1251.
can also take a guided walk of in Oregon City Open dawn–dusk daily. & =
one-thousandth of the trail.
t Aurora
r Oregon City
Road map 1 A3. * 650. n (503) 678-
Road map 1 A3. * 29,500. n 1201 5754 (Old Aurora Colony Museum).
Washington St, (503) 656-1619.
The town of Aurora traces its
Terminus of the Oregon Trail and roots to the Aurora Colony, a
capital of the Oregon Territory Utopian community founded
from 1849 to 1852, Oregon City’s by Prussian immigrant William
past prominence is largely due Keil in 1852. Similar to Shaker
to its location beside the 40-ft communities in the east, it was
(12-m) Willamette Falls, which a collective society based on
powered flour and paper mills. the principles of Christian
The mills brought prosperity to fundamentalism and shared
the city, which was the site of the property. The colony thrived
first meeting of the territory’s for more than a decade, until it Picturesque cottages in Aurora’s National
provisional legislature, in 1843. was decimated by a smallpox Historic District

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