By Laura Swanson
Pioneer of Year Nominations being accepted until June 15th. Send nominations to Ruby at ruby@tcpm.org.
From Tillamook County Pioneer Association Executive Board: To ensure the safety and the health of our many members that are in the vulnerable population for the COVID-19 virus, and because the Governor’s “Stay at Home” orders include restrictions on gathering sizes, the Tillamook County Pioneer Association has regretfully canceled our June 7th meeting. We will inform you when and where our next meeting will be held.
To join the Tillamook County Pioneer Association: You must have been born in Tillamook 40 years ago, or lived in Tillamook at least 40 years ago, or lived in Tillamook for 40 years. Membership includes unlimited admission to the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum, a discount on our three historical books, and a subscription to the Pioneer Bylines Newsletter.
Dues are from July 1 to June 30. Annual dues are $10, except for Lifetime members (those 80 years young!) Lifetime members are exempt from yearly dues. Donations are welcome. The Pioneer Bylines Newsletter goes out in January, May and September with information about the meetings. Potluck meetings are held in February, June, and October in Sandlake, Tillamook, and Rockaway.
Tillamook County enjoys a rich history. For thousands of years, Native Americans lived and thrived on the rich lands surrounding Tillamook Bay. But most of the written history that we have today begins August 14, 1788 when Captain Robert Gray sailed his ship Lady Washington into Tillamook Bay, and then on April 1, 1851 when Joe Champion became the first white settler in Tillamook County.
But it wasn’t until many of the pioneer families gathered at “Aunt” Rhoda Quick Johnson’s 90th birthday party on May 25, 1934, that the idea to create an association dedicated to preserving the history of Tillamook County was formed. Donations were solicited that would begin a small museum located in a single room in the retired county courthouse. The first donation listed in the archives was a rifle from Rollie Watson, publisher of the county’s first newspaper.
Since the Museum opened in 1935, the Tillamook County Pioneer Association has collected and maintained thousands of genealogical and historical records concerning past Tillamook County residents. The records are housed in the Museum’s Library and are available for public use. Please contact the museum to make arrangements to use these records.
For information contact Ruby at 503-842-4553 or ruby@tcpm.org or write: Tillamook County Pioneer Association PO Box 992 Tillamook, OR 97141
Check out the website: www.tcpm.org/tillamook-co-pioneer-association.html and the blog: kilchispoint.wordpress.com
