Willamette Heritage Center - Salem, Oregon

Our first stop of the day was Willamette Heritage Center. This museum is actually several historic buildings on 5 acres of land. You are able to enter all of the buildings and they are all wheelchair accessible. Having Scottish heritage, we really enjoyed the Kay Woolen Mill with its plaid and machinery displays.

BONUS ADVENTURE

Oregon State Hospital - Salem, Oregon

While the hospital itself is large, the museum is only a small portion. It is very interesting and worth the visit, but it was overwhelmingly sad for us because we've had a close family member that experienced "treatment" in the 1950s that would now be considered cruel and inhumane torture.

Fort Stevens - Hammond, Oregon

 

With a name like Fort Stevens, we just had to bring Grandpa for a visit. He even wore his Stevens Coat of Arms shirt. We didn't camp this time but we drove by the cabin we once stayed in. https://jillianmichelestevens.blogspot.com/2019/06/fort-stevens-state-park-warrenton-oregon.html

BONUS ADVENTURE

Fort Clatsop

Moving from a State of Oregon Park to a National Park, Fort Clatsop is located in the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. It was just a short drive from Fort Stevens. We really like the replica of the actual fort. We happened to get there in time to watch a flintlock demonstration. The demonstration was actually more than that and very good, but the end of it with a live flintlock musket demonstration was really the highlight. Another really cool presentation was use of native sign language.

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden - Portland, Oregon

 

With Grandpa Howard in town for a Portland/Seattle vacation, we took him to Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. We had tickets for another day but Mondays are free and it fit into our schedule a bit better.

This lovely garden is nearly ten acres of mostly accessible paths on varying elevations, over and under bridges. Although we got in free, it would have been well worth the cost of admission.