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’Talk of the Town’ Sept. 18 Originally published in The Chronicle Vol. 139 Sept. 8, 2021 JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
The community is invited to celebrate the 100year anniversary of the St. Helens railroad station, now known as the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce building at 2194 Columbia Boulevard. The celebration set for Sept. 18, is being called “Talk of the Town, with a Roaring 20’s theme. South Columbia County Chamber representative Judy Thompson said the building’s 100-year anniversary presents the perfect opportunity to bring awareness to the rich history of the community’s development. The building was constructed in 1921 as a railway station for freight shipping and passenger transport and provided an Astoria to Portland route. “Close your eyes for a moment and see if you can visualize the hustle and bustle of commerce and passenger transportation of times past,” Thompson said. “Surely the railway station was hub of our community. Not every town has a 100-year-old railway station still standing faithfully as the first building ones see that welcomes visitors and those that call St. Helens home.” According to Thompson, with industrial growth and expansion of railway services passenger transportation ended in 1952 at the railway station and
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At the South Chamber of Commerce and Railway Station posing for this photo is Orion and his mother, Christina Rice who owner Christina’s Chest at 2035 Columbia Boulevard, and daughter Azalea. Seated, is Judy Thompson.
the station closed in 1997. The structure was then transformed into the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. Thompson said that over past several months, sponsors, businesses, volunteers, and other community organizations quickly joined the celebration planning with no lack of enthusiasm and
creativity. “To help our community recognize and appreciate the past history of this building, Columbia County Museum Association’s knowledge and resources of the past will help our community better understand the value of our community’s development and how this railway station building
is so relevant to past, present and future,” Thompson said. The celebration begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 with Columbia County veterans posting the flags, Pledge Allegiance to the Flag with National Anthem, followed by community speakers. Period music will be provided by the Larry Jackson Big River Big Band with Ellie Wieneke. Also performing will be Ukulele Orchestra. Vintage cars, motorcycles, and industrial vehicles will be on display. The Columbia County Museum Association has created amazing photos on poster boards that reference the railway station and buildings from decades past,” Thompson said. The museum will also provide a guided walking tour of the uptown Houlton District. “This uptown part of our town has many buildings decades old that hold the hopes and dreams of merchants past and present,” Thompson said. South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Merchant Gift Shop will be open for shoppers. InRoads Credit Union will provide a photo booth for memorial pictures. An early evening merchant social hour is also planned for business folks to network. The Portland Pink Grayline open-sided trolley will offer free passenger rides from uptown to downtown with trolley stops along the way, offering an on board conductor to speak of times past. Thompson encourages
trolley passengers to get off at trolley stops and enjoy what merchants have prepared. “The Railway Station Centennial Celebration is happening because of generous sponsors, business people giving of their time and talents, volunteers, and organizations that will create awareness as to how special this 1921 railway station is to our community and our country,” Thompson said. “Perhaps this centennial celebration will inspire our community to embrace, protect, and sustain this special building for another 100 years.” Thompson said the planning for the centennial celebration started in March. Organizers, mindful of possible COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, focused on what could be done for an outdoor centennial celebration. The closure of Milton Way from Columbia Boulevard to St. Helens Street will allow an open area for activities and social distancing, she said. The Chronicle’s Sept. 15 editions will feature a special section presenting the Railway Station Centennial Celebration that will include the program agenda, trolley route, and Columbia County Museum Association’s Houlton District’s walking tour. For more information about the celebration, contact Judy Thompson 503-397-6056, or visit Railway Station Centennial Celebration Facebook Event. The South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce may be reached at 503-397-0685.
Local performing arts tradition returns Originally published in The Chief Vol. 130 Sept. 10, 2021 JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
The Clatskanie Arts Commission’s (CAC) Performing Arts series is returning with a host of musical events planned following last year’s cancellation and rescheduling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series kicked off on Labor Day with a free concert with the North Coast Big Band sponsored at Clatskanie City Park by Donna Garlock. The Fernhill Bluegrass Band with the Bloomer Family is set to perform at 3 p.m. Sunday Sept. 19 followed by five other concerts. All of the concerts are being held at the Birkenfeld Theatre in the Clatskanie Cultural Center, 75 S. Nehalem Street in Clatskanie. See the scheduled attached. Trying 18 months “The past 18 months have been trying for not only performers but also venues such as ours which were required to close their doors during the COVID pandemic,” A Clatskanie Arts Commission founding member and the current secretary/treasurer Elsa Wooley said. “When things improved in early spring/summer, 2021 and
we were allowed to open our doors once again, we decided to take a leap of faith and book our 32nd season. All of our ticket holders were so gracious and held their unused tickets for canceled performances, so we decided our first obligation was to them and those performers to rebook them.” Wooley said the commission is pleased to have the Fern Hill Bluegrass Band with the Bloomer Family, Sundae and Mr. Goessl, the Karen Carpenter Tribute Band and pianist Sarah Hagan returning. Also added to the performing lineup is violinist, Aaron Meyer, and his band, and Men of Worth with friends. “We realize that COVID, and especially the variants, are not going away and we plan to follow the guidelines set up by the State of Oregon,” Wooley said. “We want everyone to be safe and to keep venues such as ours open so, as of today, we are requiring masks to be worn by all in attendance. We will socially distance as best as we can.” Wooley said the commission is asking anyone that may be ill, have been exposed to COVID, or have been asked to self-quarantine, not to attend these performances. “As guidelines change so shall we,” she said. “Please check our website, clatskaniearts.org for the latest
restrictions. If you have tickets from previously canceled performances, we will honor them this season.” History The Clatskanie Arts Commission began in 1988 by local piano teachers who wanted to raise enough money to purchase a grand piano for use by their students, according to Wooley. “With the theme “88 in 88”, the piano teachers, along with local supporters of the arts, not only raised enough to purchase that piano but to start a performing arts series, she said. “The first series celebrated the piano with each performance. Then it became time to broaden the offerings and present a wide variety of musical experiences to our audiences. This has remained the goal of CAC as it begins its 32nd Performing Arts Series.” According to Wooley, the community has always been very supportive of all phases of the arts, and has had many young men and women become successful musicians, artists, actors, and writers who use their artistic talents in creative and productive ways. Even though this area is considered “culturally deprived” because of its rural location, Wooley said the Clatskanie Arts Commission is proud that it has been able to bring world-class perfor-
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Sourdough and Armstrong have performed in Clatskanie during the Clatskanie Arts Commission’s musical series. The series is resuming following last year’s cancellations and rescheduling.
mances at affordable prices to be supported and enjoyed by our audiences. “CAC has supported other areas of art – art shows, writing contests, and Missoula Children Theatre workshops and it is excited to be involved with the mural project presently taking place in Clatskanie,” she said. The CAC Board, over the years, has been an eclectic group of community people from Clatskanie, Rainier and St. Helens, who have the goal of bringing the best
possible, most varied artists to perform here, according to Wooley. “In most years we attend the Arts NW Booking Conference where performers show us their best 12-minute acts,” she said. “We take into consideration not only their talent but their stage presence and personalities. We have been very fortunate to have the support of local businesses and individuals who help subsidize the artistic fees for these performers, so we are able to keep our prices very affordable.”
For many years all CAC performances were held at the Clatskanie Middle/High School. “When the restoration of the IOOF Hall began, we were fortunate to partner with the Clatskanie Foundation in the restoring and designing of the Birkenfeld Theatre which is now our home,” Wooley said. For ticket information and more details about the Clatskanie Arts Commission Performing Arts series, call 503-728-3403.
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