Mt Hood History

Our Tribute to Oregon’s Statehood

The Villages of Mt Hood Create Sesquicentennial Souvenir

It was February 14th, 1859, Valentine’s Day when Congress admitted Oregon as the 33rd state of the United States of America. It was a reason to celebrate and now, 150 years later, its citizens are finding reason to celebrate too.

The south side of Mount Hood saw a great many of Oregon’s pioneers pass over its shoulder on their way to their “promised land”. The significance of the old Oregon Trail and the Barlow Road to Oregon’s history is undeniable and is still recognized as an integral part of the local character and culture of the communities that are located along its historical route.

What is a Sesquicentennial Celebration?

The Sesquicentennial celebration is a year-long party with many events occurring statewide. Even the United States Postal Service got into the Oregon spirit by issuing a commemorative postage stamp honoring Oregon.

Joining the celebration, the Villages at Mt Hood decided to do more than bake a cake and pop some balloons. They wanted to create a lasting treasure — perhaps something that would be saved and treasured. They chose to create a souvenir of the sesquicentennial. At the same time the event could be considered historical in and of itself. This was accomplished by the creation of three “Special Postmarks” to be used by the three village post offices, Brightwood, Welches and Rhododendron on February 14th. This also coincided with the issuance of the Oregon Postage Stamp issued by the USPS.

On Saturday February 14th, the Villages at Mt Hood held a rare three post office postal cancellation event, attended by all three local postmasters, which turned the Hoodland Fire Department into a temporary post office. Many locals as well as postal history collectors from out of the area attended the event, which was deemed an overwhelming success.

The Postmark Design

The design of the postmark is centered around an image of an immigrant wagon pulled by a team of oxen past Mount Hood. The design was created by local artist Gary Randall who has created eight other special postal cancellations for events including the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial.

Those that live along the immigrant trail that passes Mount Hood are proud of their heritage and are excited to share it with those that visit. Please come to The Villages of Mt Hood for their beauty, culture and hospitality as many others have been doing for the last 150 years.

Written by Gary Randall

 

May / June 2009

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