Along the Oregon Trail in Baker County, Oregon

Run to the Ruts---Save the Date!

2012-02-08T22:07:00.000-08:00

Save the Date!

Winter 2012

2012-02-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

late January at NHOTIC

Windows in Time

2012-01-18T12:30:00.000-08:00

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act. Our volunteers & staff interpreters are developing some new living history presentations for the occasion.

Here's a sneak peek at "Windows in Time," a conversation between homsteaders over coffee:

January Sunrise

2012-01-15T15:21:00.000-08:00

Sunrise from Flagstaff Hill, January 12, 2012

Dusty Ruts Banquet

2012-01-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

Trail Tenders gathered for the annual Dusty Ruts Banquet on Saturday, January 7th.
Held at Crossroads Carnegie Art Center this year, almost fifty attended.

Honored for their volunteer service were:

Susan Kolb/Volunteer of the Year
Jack Jacobson/Visitor Service Award
Mike Bainter/Outreach Award
Tonia Johnson/Marian Brown (Interpretation) Award
Austin Nickens/Maintenance Award
Sarah Durflinger/Rookie of the Year
Shelby Sieckman/Trail Tender 2.0

Those honored for giving over 300 hours of volunteer time in FY 2011 were:
Dave Noble/653 hours
Mike Bainter/524.5 hours
Susan Kolb/315 hours
Jack Jacobson/308.75 hours

Thanks to all our Volunteers!

2011-12-19T15:24:00.000-08:00

eastern Oregon sunset

2011-12-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

2011-12-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

Come enjoy the Holiday Open House this Sunday. Silent auction is Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 3:30pm. Check out some of the items at http://oregontrailshop.com/index.php?p=1_26_Holiday-Open-House

Elk on Virtue Flat

2011-11-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

(photo courtesy of Calvin Henshaw)

11 20 2011

2011-11-20T10:45:00.000-08:00

Making ornaments.........

2011-11-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

We had a great time yesterday at the drop-in ornament workshop downtown. We'll be repeating the workshop at the Interpretive Center on Saturday, from noon to 2 P.M.

Workshop is free with admission to the Center.

Come join us!

2011-11-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

Flags flying on Veteran's Day at the Interpretative Center.

The Oregon Trail in Quilts

2011-10-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

its not too late to check out The Trail That Lay Before Them - Contemporary Art Quilts
the exhibit is open until October 14th,but here's a peek at the show

October snapshots

2011-10-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning, up close

2011-10-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning at NHOTIC.......

2011-09-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

National Public Lands Day

2011-09-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

The weather was great on Saturday and volunteers pitched in to help with some maintenance tasks at the Interpretive Center. The Wagon Encampment has been weeded, the amphitheater stage received a much needed coat of linseed oil, and the Ascent Trail was improved.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Snow Birds and rabbit brush

2011-09-21T16:16:00.000-07:00

September views at NHOTIC

2011-09-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

snapshots

2011-09-13T15:17:00.000-07:00

more weekend photos

2011-09-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

photos of Wagon Encampment....

2011-09-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

...have been upload to our flickr account. Check them out!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trailtender

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

The Wagon Encampment is wrapped up for this Labor Day weekend.

We enjoyed amazing weather, vitttles cooked over the campfires, and visiting with folks from all over the US...and places further afield. Mike Buckner and his fellow mountain men camped here, sharing their skills with visitors.

Bullwhackin' Kass her oxen stopped by (they'll be pulling out tomorrow).

Thursday Outdoor Club

2011-08-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

What a blast! The last Thursday Outdoor Club activity for 2011 was August 25th -- everyone had so much fun. Ice cold lemonade, cookies, and awards were presented. Alexa Nickens and Garrett Nickens each received an award for attending at least eight of the twelve Thursday Outdoor Club sessions.

Don't forget to look for more children activities throughout the year! Our Calendar of Events is posted on our website:

http://www.blm.gov/or/oregontrail/events.php

Phil & Vivian Williams

2011-08-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

On stage here in our Leo Adler Theater! They'll be "Fiddling Down the Oregon Trail" three times today, tomorrow, & Saturday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e33sgEP8u70

Dr. Balthasar...

2011-08-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

...will be leaving NHOTIC tomorrow evening.

Be sure to catch his show! He claims his famous Miracle Medicine is the cure for many discomforts, from the common cold to a death of two weeks standing.

Digital Photos for Kids

2011-08-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, August 18th we'll present another session of our popular Thursday Outdoor Club for kids. Join our Park Ranger from 1:30 to 3:00 for a nature hike and learn to capture great images of what you see! $2 per child (recommended for ages 8-12) and remember to bring your digital camera! Call 541-523-1843 to preregister.

NEW Native Garden

2011-08-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

The Native Garden, located in the center of the uppermost parking lot is now up and running after considerable weeding and cleanup! A gravel pathway invites visitors to stroll amongst the plants and learn about the sagebrush steppe by reading the interpretive signage. The signs detail not only the plants defining features but also their uses by pioneers and Native Americans. The hope is that visitors will gain a deeper knowledge of the connections between history and the landscape.

Plants in the garden include; Bluebunch Wheatgrass, Idaho Fescue, Sagebrush, Rubber Rabbitbrush, and Bottlebrush Squirreltail. Next year the garden will add a few wildflowers, grasses, and signs to the display! Keep a lookout for these new additions!

Burrowing Owl Burrow Building!

2011-08-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

The Interpretive Center was abuzz with excitement last Thursday as two artificial Burrowing Owl burrows were created on a grassy, gently sloping area of the Interpretive Center grounds! Several Burrowing Owls had been found this year near the highway, but did not successfully fledge any young. This sparked the idea to create artificial burrows, which have worked well elsewhere. By choosing a location and setup for the artificial burrows that the owls would be attracted to, they should be more successful in the future.

So, with a desirable site identified, three Fish and Wildlife and two BLM employees dug through the rocky earth to create the burrows. A 55 gallon drum cut in half served as the burrow chamber and a 10 ft long piece of flexible black tubing was used for the entrance tunnel. A bottomless bucket was also inserted into the hole in the overturned drum to allow for easy access into the burrow. This access point will allow for bird banding, nest monitoring, and possible camera installation in the future.

Continual monitoring of the burrows is a planned part of this project. The Interpretive Center also hopes to capture some live footage of the owls next spring to educate visitors about them. Stay tuned for more information!

Artificial chamber and entrance

Burrow entrance

Fish and Wildlife crew!

Burrowing Owl Fun Facts

-One of the smallest owls in North America!

-They have long legs and distinctive white eyebrows that sit atop bright yellow eyes.

-Unlike most owls the males and females are of equal size and typically weigh only 6 oz. at maturity.

-The owls typically eat mammals in the spring and early summer but later they switch to insects (grasshoppers and beetles primarily).

-When alarmed, young birds make a hissing sound like a rattlesnake.

-Like many other ground dwelling animals, Burrowing Owls are in decline over much of their range due to land development by humans.

Bird Boxes at Outdoor School

2011-08-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

10 kids came to make blue bird boxes this week for outdoor school. Susan and Irv Townsend graciously spent their afternoon here helping the students measure, mark, hammer, and assemble bluebird boxes for each student to take home. In addition, Susan shared a children's book with the group written by Lucille and Micki Nellis, entitled The bluebirds on Eagle Cap Ridge.
Susan explained that having this bluebird house would be like adopting bluebirds. Once the box was mounted, it would need to be checked once in a while to make sure the birds and eggs were safe; that good birds were living there not pesky ones like the English Sparrow, and the box would need to be cleaned out after the fledglings leave so that it would be ready for another bird family.

Noticing the Details

2011-08-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed the three pronged

leaves of a sagebrush look like little mouse feet?

A brightly colored carerpillar chows down

on some horehound along the Ascent Trail

Take a closer look.....can you spot the Mountain Cottontail?

Weeding Extravaganza!

2011-07-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

Volunteers and several BLM interns spent over two hours pulling invasive cheatgrass, peppergrass, and tumble mustard Friday morning. Besides lots of good conversations and a wonderful lunch the effort provided considerable help to the Interpretive Center, who is working on creating a native plant garden onsite. The garden will feature native plants of the Baker area, complete with interpretive signage that discusses the plants as well as their uses by pioneers and Native Americans of the area.

Thursday Outdoor Club

2011-07-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

Children learned about invasive and native species this past week at Thursday Outdoor Club! With binoculars at the ready the enthusiastic little participants walked on trails outside the Interpretive Center and touched, looked at, learned about, and pressed several of the invasive and native plants on the trails. This Thursday, July 28th at 1:30 children and parents are encouraged to come up to the Interpretive Center for a fun filled Nature and Survivor Skills session! Children will learn to identify scat and footprints of local wildlife, learn about how to find shelter as well as what steps they should take if they become lost in the woods. Please join us for a great time!

Panning for gold

2011-07-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

Penny Machine

2011-07-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

Look what's new in the Oregon Trail Shop---a penny machine! Four designs to from which to choose, it's proving popular with visitors & volunteers alike.

Miner's Jubilee parade

2011-07-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

The parade began with rain but ended in smiles as we made our way through Baker City! The parade, beginning at 10 am, is always a favorite event of Miner's Jubilee for locals and travelers alike and this year's was no exception. Despite the threatening sky people turned out in droves, eagerly awaiting the entries and the candy!

Trail Tenders as well as several employees excitiedly gathered before the festivities to get the wagon and banner in place as well as take some pictures of the event. By the time the parade started our pioneer garb was in place and we all held heaping pans full of sparkling gold nuggets (butterscotch candy) to dispense to eagerly awaiting hands.

We were not dissapointed! Walking on either side of the horse drawn wagon, with banner proudly displayed, we smiled, waved, and threw candy to all the little children (and some sweet toothed adults). It was another great year at Miner's Jubilee! A big thank you to all of you who made the parade and the Trail Tender's booth such a success!

We look forward to seeing you all again next year!

See what "heavy metal" meant in pioneer days!

2011-07-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

Gary Lewis of the Lone Wolf Forge will present blacksmithing demonstrations July 16 &17 at the Wagon Encampment!

Horse Gets a New Bridle!

2011-07-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

Mike Buckner stopped by last week with a new bridle for our permanent display.

photo(s) of the day

2011-07-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

Sign up for Thursday Outdoor Club

2011-06-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

...orienteering tomorrow! Designed for kids ages 8-12 & their families, ($2 per child ); we'll spend an hour and a half exploring the outdoors, learning to use a simple compass, & playing compass games. Finish up with a cup of cold lemonade served at our Wagon Encampment.

Call 541-523-1843 to register.

Thursday Outdoor Club

Morning at NHOTIC

2011-06-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

wildflowers

2011-06-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

panning for gold at NHOTIC

2011-06-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja)

2011-06-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

Lookin' out the window

2011-06-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Yellow-bellied Marmot

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-bellied_marmot

Sunday, June 12, 2011

2011-06-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

...

Look who-oo-oo is still hanging around

2011-06-12T14:48:00.000-07:00

Thursday Outdoor Club

2011-06-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

...starts tomorrow! Designed for kids ages 8-12 & their families, we'll have special programming each Thursday afternoon this summer. For $2 per child (parents attend free!), we'll spend an hour and a half exploring the outdoors. On June 9th, we'll begin with a guided exploration of Flagstaff Hill & the Oregon Trail ruts. Dutch-oven cobbler & lemonade served at our Wagon Encampment will round out the experience.

Join us! Call 541-523-1843 to register.

Survivor Kid! Sign up today!

2011-06-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Open the Gate!

2011-06-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

Our beautiful new gate has been officially opened.

Welcome to the

National Historic

Oregon Trail Interpretive Center!

Run to the Ruts!

2011-06-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

A beautiful morning on the Oregon Trail!

Here's our first place runner, #122 Bryan Kelley. He finished the course in 22 minutes, 16 seconds.

Second place went to #132 Justin Belding--23 minutes, 48 seconds.

Third place was #120 Austin Nickens--25 minutes.

In the Women's category, 1st Place was taken by #102 Christy Wynkoop--25 minutes, 55 seconds.

2nd Place was #110 Autumn Harrell--28 minutes, 16 seconds.

Congratulations!

Memorial Day Weekend 2011, day 2

2011-05-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

It's a windy day along the Oregon Trail!

Our pioneer re-enactors have moved inside and to the front porch (except for Kass & the oxen!) The scrapple & lentil stew have proven popular with visitors, the Center is filled with strains of fiddle music, and Karen Haas is scheduled to take the stage in our Leo Adler Theater at 2:00 with her program "Back to the Fur Trade".

C'mon up! Wagon Encampment today!

2011-05-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

The bison stew is ready to sample, huckleberry cobbler is going fast.

No rain or snow this morning, though it's a little bit breezy.

Our living history pioneers have rounded
up the wagons to recreate the sights, sounds and
smells of a frontier wagon camp.

This weekend we are portraying the early days
of the trail and foods that might have been available

at the start-off towns.

Wagon encampment is scheduled for
10:00-2:00.

Look Whooooo stopped by....

2011-05-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was busy with special activities set up for school groups---pen & ink practice, weaving, biscuits baked in the wagon encampment,

& a special Pack Your Wagon program.

We had an unexpected, but welcome guest,

on the deck just off the Flagstaff Gallery.

This little guy couldn't see inside.... but over 200 visiting fourth graders and their chaperones got an up close view of this great horned owlet.

New Saddle

2011-05-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center staff is happy to show off the new saddle that can be seen on our guide/mountain man display. A reproduction Santa Fe style saddle which, it be seen as the ancestor of all modern western saddles. The stirrups are hand carved and wrapped with leather, standard for the mountain man and Oregon Trail time-frames. Additionally a hemp hobble hangs around the horse’s neck and was used to keep horses from running away; a lead rope, necessary to tie the horse up or, as the name implies, to lead the horse around and a “parfletch” saddlebag which was a necessity for any horseman traveling long distances. Finally a quirt was added, made of spare leather and a table leg, which could be used for hurrying a sluggish animal along. Our new saddle replaces a 1890s style McClellan style saddle which was to recent for the era of the Oregon Trail. We would like to thank Mike Buckner of the U2 Saddle Shop in Vale, Oregon for the creation of the new saddle and all the effort he put in to make it look authentic and aged.

Winter's tail?

2011-05-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

--Winter either bites with its teeth or lashes with its tail.--

See more images of our May snowfall at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trailtender/sets/72157626735775682/

who-oo-oo-oo else?

2011-05-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

Who?

2011-05-15T10:03:00.000-07:00

Guest Post: Run to the Ruts Test Run

2011-05-02T14:22:00.001-07:00

It was a cool, windy, but sunny morning. This was my first opportunity to run the course that I had mapped out last winter. My strategy was to keep a steady pace, knowing that there was a long climb at the end. I chose not to wear my ipod in order to enjoy the sights and sounds of the high desert.

The starting line is on the road just above where you would enter the 2^nd parking lot. I started down the road and turned onto the service road. The service road is a smooth fine gravel road almost like a cinder track; it was very nice to run on.

Upon approaching the Stamp Mill I moved onto the paved path for a short rise and then turned off onto another short dirt path.

After that I found myself on the main paved trail heading out towards Panorama Point.

It curved around a bit so I was careful not to twist my ankle. When I saw the sign for the point, I continued on the main trail which started sloping down. After a couple of switchbacks the route turned onto a dirt trail continuing downhill towards the ruts.

A jackrabbit shot out across the trail in front of me. I had to laugh thinking of the rabbit on our poster. This trail got progressively more “technical”. This is why my photographer, who thought she was on the wrong trail, turned back.

The trail took a few dips and then dropped to the bottom after a very steep section. I have not run trails before so I did more of a “chucker hunt shuffle” down the hill than a run. It was here that I saw a marmot run across the trail. It also made me smile. From the bottom of the draw it was a climb back up to the Eagle Valley Railroad Grade Loop Trail. But it was not as bad as I thought it would be.

I would call the Eagle Valley Railroad Grade Loop Trail more of an old dirt road. I found it a little rough for switching from one side to the other, so I tried to look ahead to pick my lane. But then again, I don’t have any trail running experience. Once I left the Eagle Valley Railroad Grade Loop Trail I was on a short paved stretch down to the ruts again.

Then I met “the elephant”. The Accent Trail is a .8 mile dirt trail with a 370 foot elevation climb.

As hard as I tried not to, I must admit that I had to walk a time or two to catch my breath.

When I got to the top I came to this sign. Read it now, as you will be near the end and won’t want to stop.

I then had just a couple more switchbacks and ran past the wagons towards the exit road. I ran the short jaunt down the road, back to the 2^nd parking lot and Finish.

Just for comparison, my average 5K time is around 25:00 min. I ran this 5K route in 29:20 min. I found this to be a very fun yet challenging run. Those who run trails will find it enjoyable. It is also a great route for those thinking about giving trail running a try.

But for whatever reason, I hope everyone signs up for Run to the Ruts being held on June 4^th. It is going to be a fun time for all. But we need you in order to make it better. Yes, we even have room for those wishing to walk the route.

See you on the trail!

--kb/ ch--

a new coat of paint

2011-05-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

saddles

2011-04-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a behind-the-scenes-peek at some historic saddles from NHOTIC's collections.

-kb-

April afternoon

2011-04-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Tree-mendous

2011-04-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

Here's the newest addition to our "Pack Your Wagon" exhibit.

We think it's just tree-mendous!

2011 Summer Programs

2011-04-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

Oh, deer

2011-04-14T14:58:00.001-07:00

today, looking across Baker Valley

2011-04-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

“...Bother us tomorrow, today we buy no sorrows,
doo, doo, doo, Lookin’ out our back door...”

Antelope

2011-04-12T09:50:00.001-07:00

Marmot

2011-04-11T16:33:00.001-07:00

Time to Sign up to Run to the Ruts!

2011-04-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

5K Fun Run---June 4th! Sign up now!

Call us at 541-523-1844
OR
online at:
oregontrailshop.com

Wagon's Packed --Ready to Go!

2011-03-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Our "Pack Your Wagon" exhibit was in constant use over Spring Break.
These "pioneers" are ready to head west.

From our photo workshop last Saturday...

2011-03-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

(photos courtesy of Debbie Henshaw)

Coming Soon: Spring Break!

2011-03-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

Between March 21 & 25th, NHOTIC will offer children's activities each afternoon.

March 21:
Horses- Learn to read (then make your own) brands like those used on wild horses who live on public lands!

March 22:
Bird Feeder - Create a simple bird feeder to take home!

March 23:
Soap Carving - Carve your favorite animal from soap.

March 24:
Plant A Garden - Get ready for spring; plant your own starter garden & take it home with you!

March 25:
Rag Dolls - Make a ragdoll just like the pioneer children had!

* All workshops occur from 1:00 to 3:00 pm and some may have minimum fee to cover craft expenses.

*Pre-registration is encouraged.

Pack Your Wagon

2011-03-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

Run to the Ruts! June 4th

2011-03-06T13:46:00.000-08:00

C'mon! Call! Register!

Digital Photography Workshop---March 19!

2011-03-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

Save the date---Saturday, March 19th---to attend our digital photography workshop. From 10:00 to 2:00 (bring your own sack lunch!), instructor Slade Elbert will teach you how to get the most out of your camera. He says,

“Join me in discovering the hidden world that lies within your camera.
Spend an afternoon stalking and capturing the wild and elusive images that
are present all around us. Topics to be discussed include composition,
light and shadow, seeing small, and the basics of flash photography. There
will be an opportunity for assistance with photo manipulation on the
computer.”

Thanks, Jesse!

2011-02-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, February 26, we officially opened our "Pack Your Wagon" special exhibit. Thanks so much to all the volunteers who turned out to help greet visitors, lead activities, & present programs. A special thanks to Jesse Christensen, who brought his mountain man skills, his sidekick "just Dave", and cousin Taylor.

-kb-

Edible Log Cabins

2011-02-26T12:40:00.000-08:00

To celebrate President's Day, we offered a drop-in workshop: Edible Log Cabins.
Everyone enjoyed learning a little bit about early homes in Eastern Oregon, and built their own small version to take home and....
EAT!

-kb-

Childrens Exhibit

2011-02-25T10:00:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow, February 26th, we will be officially opening our childrens' exhibit! Kids can learn to load a wagon just like the pioneers did, play a game that teaches them about the animals along the trail, read about the pioneers, and many more exciting activities. So bring your family up and enjoy all the fun here at the center!

Friendly Neighborhood Residents

2011-02-25T09:32:00.000-08:00

Cheri, one of the NHOTIC employees, just told me a story about a family of crows, or possibly ravens, that visits every year. They nest in the same place at the center and raise their babies here. The young birds then perch on the same spot and teach themselves how to fly by jumping off our eastern fire escape. Sounds like a fun spectacle to watch doesn't it! Well it seems the trend is continuing because our crows/ravens have returned and are setting up for another nesting year!jd

an ermine is...

2011-02-13T13:19:00.000-08:00

...a weasel in a winter coat

To see more photos of this winter time visitor, check out our flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trailtender/

Anemoi in Oregon

2011-02-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

Wind Speed 33 mph with gusts of 40

Blacksmithing in August

2011-02-02T15:54:00.001-08:00

Dan Klug of White Hart Forge will lead a two-day blacksmithing workshop at NHOTIC on August 13 & 14, 2011.

Coming in Fall 2011... "The Trail That Lay Before Them"

2011-01-30T09:57:00.000-08:00

Opening just after Labor Day 2011... art quilts from across the nation.

Preview: Summer 2011

2011-01-26T14:35:00.001-08:00

The summer 2011 events calendar for the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is filling up fast. If you are planning your summer vacation now, keep some of these events & programs in mind:
May:
Memorial Day Weekend Wagon Encampment
Karen Haas karenstoryteller.com

June:
Michael "Bad Hand" Terry http://www.warriorsplus.com/
Bill Boycott buffalobillboycott.com

July:
Hank Cramer http://hankcramer.com/

August:
"Illinois" Doug Tracy http://www.illinoisdoug.com/
Mike Follin as "Dr. Balthasar and His Marvelous Miracle Medicine Show"

September:
Labor Day Weekend Wagon Encampment

"Run to the Ruts" Save the Date!

2011-01-25T12:37:00.000-08:00

Preliminary plans are in place....we'll hold our (first ever) annual "Run to the Ruts" at the Interpretive Center on June 4, 2011!
This challenging 5K run from the top of Flagstaff Hill, down to the Oregon Trail ruts, and back again will begin at 9AM. Walkers are welcome, too.
Stay tuned for more details on entry fee, cool t-shirts, food, etc.
Save the date---June 4th!

New flickr account

2011-01-18T11:49:00.000-08:00

Check out these photos of our Dusty Ruts Banquet on our NEW flickr account.

(thanks to Debbie Henshaw!)

What a difference a day makes!

2011-01-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

Sunny today

Foggy yesterday

Dusty Ruts Goes Tropical!

2011-01-11T15:58:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, January 8th, Trail Tenders held our annual awards banquet at Community Connection in Baker City. Mocktails, flowery leis, and pineapple upside cake were enjoyed by all.

Here's our new president for 2011:

And (most of) the whole group:

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

How did Oregon Trail pioneers celebrate the holidays?

2010-12-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

The Oregon Trail migrations happened in the mid 1800’s, when many American holiday traditions were established that are still celebrated today - such as Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and Christmas cards.

For Oregon Trail pioneers their 5-6 month journey across the western half of the continent brought them to Oregon in September or October, and their time and energy was dedicated to finding or building a home, finding work, and recovering economically and physically from the grueling trip. Christmas was usually a very simplified celebration, but one of the most popular activities was community dances or parties.

Here is a description by Tina Zumwalt Howard, a pioneer of 1854, describing typical pioneer parties:

“…my father took me on horseback all over the country, to dances. Sometimes we would go 40 miles to a dance. He would make from $10 to $15 a night, playing for a dance. I learned a jig when I was about nine years old, and I also learned to play the violin, banjo, piano and accordion. In those days the dances started right after supper. A good substantial meal was served just before midnight, and refreshments were served at about four a.m. Refreshments in those days didn’t mean a cup of tea and a sandwich. It meant all the deer meat and potatoes you could eat, as well as cakes and pie, and coffee made out of burnt rye or burnt bread crust.”

-sl-

Ravens

2010-12-23T16:12:00.000-08:00

The sun will come out- TODAY!

2010-12-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

The morning started off windy with some mixed rain and snow showers. The surrounding mountains were cloudy, but by 11am, the sun came out and the snow covered mountains showed their beauty.

The snow is starting to melt and the trails are looking inviting. If the sun keeps peaking through you might just see some bunnies basking in the sun!

Going Viral

2010-12-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

We have a new facebook page so go online and add us. Click the like button and share the page with all your friends!!

Click here to go straight to the site.

jd

Twilights beauty

2010-12-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

Here is the view our staff was privileged to see at the end of the day.

Mr. Cottontail goes to Baker

2010-12-08T10:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had an honored and unexpected visit. Mr. Peter Cottontail decided it was a very good day to see the sites at The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. He hitched a ride on our high lift, driven by our very own Paul Barber. He said the ride was very smooth for the most part, a little bumpy going over the ruts, but what can you expect, it is the Oregon Trail. Once inside he took a tour of the Center and found it quite intriguing and portrayed the difficulties of traveling over the Oregon Trail. Much to his delight it was almost like being at home. After a good visit he realized time had flown by and his family must be getting quite worried about where he was since he had not left a message as to where he was going. Paul was finished with his work, it was a good time to hitch a ride back home to the great outdoors. He did leave his seal of approval and was very delighted with his visit. I was even able to get some farewell pictures of his return home. Thank you for your visit Mr. Peter Cottontail. I’m sure he will share his adventures with the rest of his family.

c.g.

Open House Fun

2010-12-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who attended our open house and who helped out. We had a lot of fun this year!
Special thanks to Trail Tenders, the Baker Community Choir, the Bel Canto Choir, and Salt Lick #39.

kb

A Winter Wonderland

2010-12-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

Flagstaff Hill and the Interpretive Center are blanketed in snow but we are still here everyday from 9-4 for the general public. Come on up to see the view we enjoy every day of the valley around Baker City and while your at it come inside to see the beautiful Christmas decorations and the exhibits. Lastly everyone definitely needs to come to the center this Sunday, December 5, for our 19th Annual Holiday open house. From 1-4 o'clock we will be playing music, offering refreshments, door prizes, have a silent auction, a cake walk, and having lots of fun here at the center. We hope to see you all here and while your at it invite your friends, the more the merrier.

jd

Music and Dance

2010-12-02T09:53:00.000-08:00

NHOTIC recently received a grant from the Oregon Historic Trails Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation to create a film about traditional frontier dance and music. The purpose of the project is to help preserve this music and some historic dances by teaching them to a new generation. Although some music and dance can be preserved through written records, you never quite get it until you see it and hear it - it is best preserved through film and recording, and by teaching directly to others. The Center will be working with Phil and Vivian Williams of Voyager Records who have already done a tremendous amount of research on American traditional music and dances of the western frontier, and are working on a book for educators. We will film some of our popular musician performers throughout the upcoming year with stories behind some of the songs plus lyrics, and film instructions and examples to learn the dances. Our aim is to have the film and related information available in a downloadable format by end of 2011 for use by teachers, community groups, or anyone who wants to learn traditional music and dance of the American West. If you have any ideas to help us with this project please send them to our e-mail address. OR_NHOTIC_Mail@blm.gov

sl

Miner's Jubilee Parade

2009-07-22T09:22:00.001-07:00

Spring is on its way...

2009-03-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

...the ground squirrels are out and about.