Treasures of the Vault

Exhibit Hours

From the rare and priceless to the peculiar and mysterious, the artifacts in the Oregon Historical Society’s collection document everything from key moments in Oregon history to the minute details of daily life. The Oregon Historical Society’s collection contains over 85,000 artifacts, 30,000 books, 25,000 maps, and over 2.5 million photographs. Some of these gems of Oregon history are on display in the museum, but many are tucked away in our vault.

This fall, we will be showcasing some of the most spectacular pieces from our collection in the original Oregon History Museum exhibit, Treasures of the Vault. We’ve searched the vault and selected the most historic, intriguing, and unique items, many of them never before displayed, for this remarkable exhibit.

Paul Weinheimer, inventor

According to his wife Ardith, Paul Weinheimer was born in China in 1934 and was adopted when he was one year old. It is unknown when he came to the United States, but he lived in Portland and was a church organist for twenty years. He went to college in Corvallis and eventually had three antique shops located at 17th and NE Alberta, one on NW 21st, and another shop at 5 Portland Blvd. He was a member of the Craftsman's Guild and played all over the country, including Las Vegas and San Francisco. He also knew and tinkered with explosives and worked in the mines. He knew colored gemstones very well. He was a curator of jade and oriental artifacts, and was particularly knowledgeable in these subjects. Paul could play just about any musical instrument, read music, and play by ear as well. He married Ardith Mecum at Eastside Flea Market on the September 16, 1984. He was playing there when he died on October 29, 1984.

Carried by Cap. Meriwether Lewis during the Corps of Discovery’s 1804–1806 exploration of western North America

This branding iron may have been forged in 1804 at the armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, or perhaps by Pvt. John Shields, a skilled ironworker and a member of the Corps. Lewis probably traded the iron in the spring of 1806 near The Dalles. Too large for branding livestock, such irons were usually used to mark wooden packing crates, barrels, and leather bags. Lewis’s iron was also used to mark trees. Much like the traditional cross or national flag, tree blazes functioned as symbols of an imperial state’s claim to an area under the Doctrine of Discovery, a European legal theory that declared that the first European nation to “discover” a previously unexplored area occupied by non-Christians had the right to colonize it. This doctrine played an important role in justifying American claims to the Oregon Country.

Meier & Frank Department Store

The Santaland Monorail was a Christmas tradition at the downtown Portland Meier & Frank department store. The Monorail looped around Santaland with only children (under 51 inches tall) as passengers. Christmas 2005 was scheduled to be the last Christmas for Santaland, as Meier & Frank was bought by the May Company, ending the Portland tradition. A Monorail Memory room was opened Christmas 2007 by Macy’s.

Thomas Lawson McCall, 1913-1983

Governor of Oregon 1967-1975

Regarded by many as Oregon's most iconic Governor, Tom McCall's legacy includes the creation of the country's first "bottle bill," creation of the first statewide land-use planning system, protection of Oregon's beaches, and cleanup of the Willamette River.

Guest register of the California Building, Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition, Portland, circa 1905.

This is the largest book in the entire OHS Library. It is so massive that it must be transported in its own custom-made box with wheels.

Created for the 1905 exposition that brought the world to Portland, this volume includes a record of every person who visited the California pavilion at that time. This building, along with the other ornate palaces of the fair, stood for a brief time on the edge of northwest Portland, near present day NW Twenty-seventh Avenue and Vaughn Street. Although the building appeared to be a solid edifice, it was made of plaster and was torn down shortly after the exposition closed.

The OHS Library holds the bulk of the exposition’s business records, including correspondence, financial records, and ephemera. Photographs of the exposition are available in the Kiser photographs collection in the library.

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