Banks Historical Society

03/22/2026

We're working on a grant project with the Banks School District. We are looking to add to the information we have about Flora Munford, wife of Dr. William Munford of Banks, Oregon back in the early 1900s.

We know she was a local mover and shaker, first woman on the Banks City Council (and an officer) and she helped run the town pharmacy circa 1910. There she sold postcards with images of the (then unincorporated) town of Banks and we believe she was the photographer for at least some of them.

We have some images that we believe were taken by Flora and/or other members of her family. If you have any of the old Banks postcards or any other information about Flora that you can share, we'd love to hear from you!

02/26/2026

"We hope this will serve as both a cautionary tale and a positive example for creation of successful National Register applications for other communities, organizations and individuals to act quickly to preserve their historic architecture before it’s all gone."

Banks Union High School, built in 1920, was up for consideration for the National Register of Historic Places, but it's now ineligible. https://bit.ly/3OCd8xl

Earlier this month, the district moved forward with demolition on the building just days before the state's historic preservation committee held a hearing to try and save it.

02/10/2026

The Banks Historical Society has just been accepted into the Fred Meyer Community Rewards Program! It's a cost-free way to support the Banks Historical Society.

As a Fred Meyer shopper, your purchases can earn donations for the Banks Historical Society each time that you shop with your Fred Meyer Rewards Card. It doesn’t cost you, the shopper ANYTHING, and you still earn your rewards points and other benefits from using your card!

HOW: Use your existing card – or get a Fred Meyer Rewards card at any Fred Meyer store customer service desk – and use it to sign up for a Fred Meyer online account at fredmeyer.com.
1. Log into your into your Fred Meyer online account
2. Click on the Community Rewards tab on the left panel of the accounts dashboard
3. Search for “Banks Historical Society” either by name or by entering our Fred Meyer Non-Profit Organization (NPO) number: HU062 and then click Enroll.

Again, this program does not cost you, the shopper, a cent, but every purchase you make using your rewards card will help support the Banks Historical Society!

How does this cost-free charitable giving work? Fred Meyer maintains a pool of funds it designates for charitable giving to qualifying participating non-profit organizations, like the Banks Historical Society.

At the end of each quarter, Fred Meyer makes a donation to each of these participating non-profits in an amount based on the percentage of spending by supporters like you, as it relates to the total spending of all participating Fred Meyer Community Reward organizations.

So if you haven’t yet signed up, please do! And remember to swipe your registered Fred Meyer rewards card – or use the phone number related to your registered Fred Meyer rewards card – whenever you shop at Fred Meyer. Each purchase, large or small, adds to our quarterly donation!

Thank you, in advance, for your cost-free charitable giving!
Banks Historical Society
Fred Meyer NPO number HU062

01/17/2026

https://forestgrovenewstimes.com/2026/01/17/banks-historic-high-school-nominated-for-national-register-as-demolition-nears/

The Banks Historical Society says it has cleared the first major hurdle toward protecting the city’s historic high school building. But it likely won’t be standing by the time the […]

12/18/2025

NEWS ALERT

Historic Banks Union High School Accepted For State Review For Nomination To The National Register Of Historic Places (Photo) - 12/17/25

The 105-year-old two-story brick building is currently slated for demolition by the Banks School District.

Banks, Oregon – December 17, 2025 – The Banks Historical Society today announced that a year-long application process for the nomination of the historic Banks Union High School building to the National Register of Historic Places has been accepted for review by the Oregon State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP). The review is scheduled for Thursday, February 19, 2026 at approximately 11:15AM Pacific Time. Public comments are now open – email to [email protected] with your comments or to request information to speak at the meeting.

“Acceptance for review by SACHP is the first step to official National Register designation,” said Laurelen Jabbour, president of the Banks Historical Society. “This indicates the significance of this building to our state’s cultural heritage, and it re-asserts the importance of considering the building’s historic status before permitting it to be demolished.”

A private citizen’s group began efforts to save the building in November 2024 and in June 2025 the Banks Historical Society launched a Save the Historic Banks Union High School campaign. Their aim has been to preserve the 105-year-old building – the first Union High School in Washington County and the only remaining original historic brick structure in the city of Banks.

The building is slated to be demolished soon to change the footprint of a new high school campus, however construction of a new school does not absolutely require demolition of the historic building, which could be upgraded for non-school use as administrative or commercial offices.

Separate from the Banks Historical Society’s efforts with SACHP, the private citizen’s group has now launched an effort to put the demolition of the school on the ballot for a district-wide vote. More information on that effort and where to sign the petition can be found HERE.

To learn more, get involved in the National Register effort or to make a tax-deductible contribution toward preservation efforts, please visit bankshistory.org. For more information on the project and ongoing updates, visit the Banks Historical Society page.

About the Banks Historical Society

The mission of the Banks Historical Society is to preserve, protect, and promote the history and heritage of Banks, Oregon – and all municipalities and rural areas within the Banks School District – through educational programs, exhibitions, community engagement and recognition of local, state and national historic landmarks and resources in the service area. The all-volunteer Banks Historical Society is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and historical purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

https://flashalert.net/images/news/2025-12/7506/185683/Historic_Banks_Union_High_School_2025.JPG

12/02/2025

It's GIVING TUESDAY! If you have an appreciation for history, heritage and learning, please support us on this special day using our donation form at: https://bankshistory.org/

We are a 100% volunteer organization and we depend on donations for our existence. Your donation will help us deliver educational programs and community outreach while helping us continue our archiving efforts to preserve and protect the history of Banks and the surrounding area.

Thank you for your support! 🙏

Welcome to the Banks Historical Society Our Mission The mission of the Banks Historical Society is to preserve, protect, and promote the history and heritage of Banks, Oregon—and all municipalities and rural areas within the Banks School District—through educational programs, exhibitions, commun...

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving!

11/27/2025

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

11/20/2025