Oregon State Parks Trust - History

History

Oregon State Parks Trust filed its articles of incorporation on May 16, 1995. Founding trustees included Lucille S. "Lu" Beck, Brian G. Booth, Cynthia J. Ford, Lynn W. Newbry, and Nancy N. Russell. A. W. "Bill" Sweet, Loran L. "Stub" Stewart, and Robert L. Meinen were ex-officio members. Jackie Franke was the liaison officer for Oregon State Parks Trust and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, a position she held through March 15, 2000.

According to its initial articles of incorporation, Oregon State Parks Trust's principal purpose is "to acquire, obtain, and maintain funds or property for donation to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department for public park or public recreation purposes." Its mission is "To engage in activities that improve the quality of life in Oregon by preserving and improving Oregon's natural, cultural, historic and recreational sites for the enjoyment and education of present and future generations."

Oregon State Parks Trust was registered as a charitable organization with the Oregon Department of Justice on June 19, 1995.

The organization held its first official meeting on August 23, 1995. At that meeting, former state legislator Lynn W. Newbry was elected Board Chair (a position he held through 1996), and the trust and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department entered into a historic agreement to establish a working relationship to benefit Oregon's state parks.

Oregon State Parks Trust's accomplishments include:

• Raising $900,000 of the $4.2 million price to purchase the Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site, near Wallowa in northeastern Oregon. This new park will open to the public in October 2009. A public dedication ceremony will take place October 10, 2009.
• Raising over $200,000 for new interpretive displays at the Champoeg State Heritage Area visitor center.
• Raising $2.1 million of the $4 million renovation of Vista House at Crown Point, including funds for the installation of ADA-compliant accessibility to the site.
• Raising $1.5 million to help restore the 140-year-old Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum in John Day, including inventorying and accessioning over 30,000 artifacts.
• Raising $321,000 to restore the Collier Memorial State Park and Logging Museum, including implementing the first phase of an innovative interpretive plan for the site and developing new exhibits designed to enhance understanding of Oregon's timber heritage.
• Raising $125,780 for the Willamette Mission State Park "Ghost Structure" (an open-sided metal structure that depicts the mission buildings and is located on the original mission site),and interpretive kiosks at the "Eden at the End of the Oregon Trail".
• Raising funds for interpretive displays and educational programming at several state parks, including Cape Lookout and Fort Yamhill.
• Raising funds for the design and printing of Junior Ranger and Junior Beaver activity books for children, including the first bilingual (English and Spanish) edition in 2007.
• Raising funds to establish trails at Detroit Lake State Park, Silver Falls State Park, Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, Cove Palisades State Park and others.
• Raising funds for the construction of a handicap-accessible fishing pier at Farewell Bend State Recreation Area.
• Raising funds for yurts at Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park and several inland locations.