Welcome to Marion County’s Oregon 150 Website!
Marion County targeted two distinct projects celebrating Oregon’s Sesquicentennial. One project focused on the development of a “passport” brochure and self-guided tour tracing historical elements in each of the 20 cities within Marion County. The second project focused on a relay through the entire county culminating at the Marion County Fair. Both projects used the 150 Miles for 150 Years theme. Overall, both projects created an excitement around our state’s 150th birthday, included businesses and residents in all 20 cities, encouraged summer travel within our county, supported local chambers and businesses, highlighted the history within our county, and brought in visitors from outside the county. 150 Miles for 150 Years Tour/ Passport ProgramTo date, 190 people have confirmed completing the tour, but many more have taken portions of the trip. On September 17, approximately 116 enthusiastic people packed into the Senator Hearing Room to celebrate completing the 150 Miles for 150 Years tour of Marion County’s twenty incorporated cities. People shared their experiences on the tour, while one woman read a poem she created after taking the tour. At the event, the commissioners read the names of all those who completed the tour. The program from the event included comments from various people who participated in the event, as well as the poem that was created to honor the tour. A couple wrote an article on their experiences on the tour for the newsletter “Ford Follies” of the Willamette Valley Model T Ford Club. People completed the tour and registered a passport were given a commemorative coin and a certificate signed by the Marion County Commissioners. We are aware that there are many people who have taken parts of the tour or have completed the tour on their own without registering with us. Comments from the cities have included saying they see people walking through their communities holding the passport booklet, or asking for directions and talking to the locals. Some of the people who registered their passports commented that the self-guided tour encouraged them to stop to shop and eat in communities along the route.
Download a copy of the 150 Miles for 150 Years:PassportMapCrossword Word Find
150 Miles for 150 Years Relay Event
Marion County and sixty-six partner organizations hosted a 150 Miles for 150 Years relay event through each of Marion County’s 20 cities and a number of unincorporated communities. The relay event took place over five weekends, starting Saturday, June 13; continuing Saturday, June 20, June 27, July 4; and concluding July 11.
The 150-mile trek began at Marion County’s easternmost boundary near Idanha; ending in Salem at the 2009 Marion County Fair with a birthday celebration on the fairgrounds. The relay participants passed a unique baton, created by a local artist, Ken Schaffer, from community to community, along the 150-mile trek.
A. Idanha Marion County's sesquicentennial relay began in the City of Idanha. Forty-eight people gathered at Idanha City Hall to send off Idanha Mayor Traci Martinez, Sheriff Russ Isham, Commissioner Janet Carlson, members of the RoadKill Kruzers Car Club, and other local residents as they traveled in a car caravan down Santiam Highway 22.
B. Detroit The car caravan drove through Detroit stopping at the Detroit City Hall. Detroit Mayor Margaret Scott and members of the Detroit City Council greeted the caravan. Mayor Scott, Sheriff Russ Isham and the car caravan proceeded through Detroit’s business district.
C. Detroit Ranger Station. The caravan continued west on Highway 22, making a stop at the Detroit Ranger Station, under the direction of Acting Deputy District Ranger Rich Hatfield. Deputy Ranger Hatfield joined the caravan carrying the baton to Gates.
D. Gates. The caravan proceeded west on Highway 22, stopping at the new gazebo in the City of Gates where Mayor Mike Higgs and ten community members, three in costume, greeted the caravan. Mayor Higgs joined in and carried the baton to Mill City.
E. Mill City. The caravan traveled to the historic home of Mrs. Josephine Reid on NE Alder. Mrs. Reid and Mayor Roel Lundquist joined the caravan with Mrs. Reid carrying the baton. A community lunch at Kimmel Park served 90 lunches hosted by the North Santiam Canyon Economic Development Corporation and Marion County. The Mill City Community Choir with 15 members sang for the gathering. Ken Schaffner, the local artist who carved the relay baton, participated in the ceremony.
F. Stayton. After lunch, the caravan continued west on Highway 22 to Stayton, concluding the day at Stayton’s Community Center Park, 400 West Virginia Street. Members of the Stayton/Sublimity Chamber of Commerce, the Stayton City Council, and city staff greeted the relay.
F. Stayton. The relay began anew on July 20. Sixteen members of the Salem Bicycle Club gathered at Stayton’s Community Center Park, greeted by Mayor Gerry Aboud, former mayor Virginia Honeywell, city staff and the Santiam Canyon Stampede Rodeo Queen, Cami Smith. Mrs. Honeywell carried the baton to Sublimity.
G. Sublimity. Cyclists traveled north on Cascade Highway, turning onto Sublimity Road for a brief stop at Chemeketa Community College’s Santiam Campus, where Mayor Gene Ditter, Commissioner Sam Brentano, Marion County Deputy Administrator Jan Fritz, members of the Stayton/Sublimity Chamber of Commerce and Sublimity residents greeted them.
H. Aumsville. Leaving Sublimity, cyclists turned east from Golf Club Road onto Mill Creek Road to Aumsville, where they were greeted at Mill Creek Park by Aumsville residents and Mayor Harold White.
I. Turner. Cyclists proceeded on Mill Creek Road to Turner, stopping briefly at Burkland Park on Boise Street. Turner City Councilor Mary Lou Moore, Turner staff, and Turner residents greeted the cyclists.
J. Jefferson. Cyclists headed south on Cook Road and wind around scenic Marion Road SE, concluding the day’s trek in Jefferson where they were greeted by Jefferson Chamber of Commerce officials at Royal Wallace Park. The Chamber sponsored a community picnic and watermelon was served to everyone.
J. Jefferson. Mayor Michael Myers and Karen Wells of the Jefferson Community Center sent off a caravan of ten area bicyclists lead by Glen Marlatt, which made their way northward on Talbot Road, with a stop in the community of Talbot. Four members of a local car club continued on Liberty Road South to Salem, to the Battle Creek Courthouse Athletic Club. Members of the Salem Chamber of Commerce greeted the car club and participated in handing the baton from the car club to the Willamette Valley Road Runners.
K. Salem. Eight members of the Willamette Valley Road Runners, led by Patti Swearinger, left the Battle Creek Courthouse Athletic Club - their destination: the Salem World Beat Festival at Riverfront Park on Front Street along the Willamette River. Runners joined the Small World Children’s Parade as the start of the World Beat Festive. Mayor Janet Taylor presided over the activities carrying the baton in the Small World Children’s Parade. At the end of the parade, the Festival organizers recognized the relay and Mayor Taylor handed the baton back to the Willamette Valley Road Runners. The relay then proceeded northward to Keizer.
L. Keizer. Road Runners continued northward after brief stops along River Road North in Keizer to Keizer Rapids Park. Keizer businesses, the Keizer Community Band, members of the Keizer Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor Lore Christopher joined in the festivities, greeting Fenny Roberts from the Road Runners and Keizer participants. With music from the band and a crowd of fifty watching the festivities, the baton was handed to Alex de Meurers, a member of Keizer Boy Scout Troop 121. The relay proceeded by 10 canoes and 5 kayaks north on the Willamette River to Willamette State Park. There the Boy Scout troop passed the baton to Keizer Chamber Director Christine Dieker and chamber member Audrey Butler who carried the baton in kayaks on to San Salvador Landing near St. Paul. The kayak group spent about six hours on the river. At San Salvador Landing, the trek concluded for another day.
M. St. Paul. St. Paul Mayor Cathy Connor, Sheriff Russ Isham, members of the Marion County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, St. Paul Rodeo Queen Kimberly Ernst, and other rodeo royalty traveled two miles on horseback from San Salvador Landing to the City of St. Paul. There the baton was handed to Commissioner Patti Milne as she joined in St. Paul’s renowned 4th of July parade.
N. Champoeg. Following the parade, Sheriff Isham and Commissioner Janet Carlson traveled on Highway 219 to Champoeg Park. At the Park, eighty-five members of the Rose City Harley Owners Group visited the visitors’ center and exchanged the baton before traveling to Butteville and the Historic Butteville Inn for lunch, hosted by the Friends of Historic Champoeg (Greg Leo, President) and Marion County. Dan Pech carried the baton.
O. Donald, Aurora, Hubbard. After lunch, the Rose City Harley Owners Group traveled eastward and south on Butteville and Donald Roads to the City of Donald. There Mayor Todd Deaton greeted the relay and carried the baton to the City of Aurora. In Aurora, City Recorder Laurie Boyce and Aurora residents greeted the relay at Aurora City Park. The relay continued to Hubbard down Pacific Highway 99E. Hubbard Mayor Jim Yonally greeted the procession at Riveres Park in Hubbard.
P. Woodburn. The trek concluded at Centennial Park on Parr Road off Front Street in Woodburn. Relay participants were greeted by Mayor Kathy Figley, city staff, and members of the Woodburn Chamber of Commerce. Fourth of July festivities were held in the park as the relay concluded for this day.
Q. Gervais. The last day of the 150-mile trek began at Centennial Park in Woodburn, with a three-mile walk to Gervais, sponsored by the Woodburn Chamber of Commerce and North Willamette Habitat for Humanity. Sixty members of the Chamber, including Chamber President Rick Hensel, and Habitat for Humanity dressed as vegetables and/or raised funds for Habitat for the walk. Mayor Shanti Platt and Gervais residents greeted the delegation. Twelve students involved in the Gervais High School Mr. and Miss Gervais pageant and ten members of the Model T Ford Car Club accepted the baton to carry to Mt. Angel.
R. Mt. Angel. The Mt. Angel Oktoberfest Committee and the Mt. Angel Chamber of Commerce hosted a community-wide event for the relay. Mayor Rick Shiedler, Oktoberfest President John Gooley and Oktoberfest Public Relations Director Jerry Lauzon greeted the relay participants, who had lunch under the Glockenspiel hosted by Marion County and the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest Committee.
S. Scotts Mills. After the Glockenspiel rang at 1 pm, six members of the JFK High School cross country track team, under the direction of Coach Steve Ritchie, took the baton from Mt. Angel through Scotts Mills, taking a break at Scotts Mills Park. Mayor Ron Bielenberg, members of the Scotts Mills City Council, members of the Scotts Mills Volunteer Fire Department and Scotts Mills residents greeted the runners. The track team continued to Silverton, via Hazelnut Ridge and North Abiqua Roads.
T. Silverton. In Silverton, the baton was passed from the track team to four members of the Silverton Runners Club, convening at Town Square Park. Silverton Chamber of Commerce, Silverton City Council members, former mayor Ken Hector, and Silverton residents sent off the runners, who took the last 12-mile leg to Salem. Bill Cummins, Silverton City Council President, led the ceremony.
U. Marion County Fair (at the Oregon State Fairgrounds). The fair crowd greeted our runners as they arrive at their final relay destination at the Marion County Fair. The Silverton Runners were joined by the JFK High School Track Team who ran through the fairgrounds to the Main Stage of the Marion County Fair. With 200 people looking on, Commissioner Carlson and Terry Sol of KBZY radio led the group in singing Happy Birthday and the baton was handed to Amy Vandegrift of the Marion County Historical Society. The baton and other items from the 150 Miles for 150 Years Relay will reside on display at the Historical Society. A huge birthday cake, made by Tiffany Hilby Cakes, was served to everyone.
In summary, almost 3,000 people showed up to observe the relay as it made twenty-six stops on its way through Marion County. Three hundred and thirty three people participated in the relay utilizing nine different modes of transportation. Finally, seventy organizations and individuals worked to make all five Saturdays of the relay a fun, family-friendly, and memorable event.