Gresham Historical Society

06/11/2026

This Sunday, 6/14, our museum turns into an open-air art studio! The Arts & Culture Fair is a free History Week event featuring demos of many different art forms practiced in Oregon. Come by from 11-4 to see art in action and learn from those who create it.

Besides artist demos, you can also enjoy folk dance performances (12-2:30) and popup exhibits while mingling with local arts and culture organizations. If that's not enough, we're closing out the day with a Gresham Public Art Walking Tour (3 pm). You won't want to miss it!

P. S. Here's a sneak peak at some of our exhibitors!

06/06/2026

Check out this feature in the The Gresham Outlook, and get ready for a week of historic activities!
https://greshamhistorical.org/history-week

05/23/2026

Congrats to Chris and the Troutdale Historical Society! You can come see Chris give a lecture on the history of the American Flag here on June 14 at 6pm. We can't wait!

Big Congratulations to Our Executive Director, Chris Garza!

The Troutdale Historical Society is incredibly proud to share that our Executive Director, Chris Garza, has been interviewed by Ruralite Magazine for an upcoming feature and cover story focused on his extensive American flag collection and passion for preserving textile history.

What started as a lifelong fascination with historic flags and the stories stitched into them has grown into a collection that is now gaining attention across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The article will not only highlight Chris’s collection and historical research but will also feature and discuss the work being done here at THS to preserve and share local history with our community.

Even more exciting, the magazine reaches an estimated 500,000 readers across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Nevada, California, and parts of Utah.

We could not be prouder to see both Chris and the Troutdale Historical Society represented in such a meaningful way. Congratulations, Chris, on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for continuing to bring history to life for so many people.

05/14/2026

Thanks to The Gresham Outlook for publishing this opinion piece in support Measure 26-261, which funds several local museums (including us!). The Gresham Historical Society, Troutdale Historical Society, Crown Point Country Historical Society, ECHO - East County Historical Organization, and Oregon Historical Society all rely on funding from this modest levy to deliver essential programming to Multnomah County.
Please remember to vote in the May 19 election!

This May, Multnomah County voters will be asked whether to continue the modest Oregon Historical Society (OHS) Levy, Measure 26-261. This levy provides funding to OHS and four East Multnomah […]

05/14/2026

A huge thank you to icandy Gresham for donating cards redeemable for a free ice cream cone! Come into the museum and try our scavenger hunt! We have easy for the kids and challenging for everyone. A fun way to spend time in downtown with the family. A trip to the museum followed by a trip across the street to Icandy. A perfect pair.

05/08/2026

Check it out! Today and tomorrow from 8am to 4pm.

05/08/2026

Come get your plants!

Our annual plant sale is happening today and tomorrow (5/8-5/9) from 8am to 4pm each day! Proceeds benefit Gresham Japanese Garden and Gresham Historical Society. Plus don't forget about the Centerpiece Workshop this evening at 6:30. We have all you need to make this Mother's Day special!

Many thanks to Gresham United VFW Post 180 for helping us set everything up!

Historic Downtown Gresham

04/27/2026

Now on the GHS blog, check out our new Digital Resources Roundup! Have you ever wondered what Gresham was like 40, 60, or 100 years ago? Did you ever look at an old building and wonder about its past? Maybe you just want to browse old photos. Whatever your research interests, we have you covered!

This blog post compiles free online resources including our podcast, online exhibits, interactive maps, digital archives, and much more.

Link in bio!https://greshamhistorical.org/blog/f/digital-resources-roundup

04/11/2026

No matter the size of the museum, collecting is all about provenance.
What is provenance? It can mean different things in different museums, but essentially, it's the history of an object - who owned it, what it was used for, when it was made, etc. Our staff and volunteers spend time on provenance research, trying to determine the historic significance of objects in our collection so we can better use them in exhibits.
This short article from the Getty shows how provenance is connected to some of the great MacGuffins of film.
What is a MacGuffin? Read on to find out!

In these films, an art object’s history is part of the plot.

02/20/2026

Next week, we're raising money to beautify Historic Downtown Gresham - and we need your help! From Feb. 22 to 28, bring us your spare change, but NOT your bills. Coins will give us points, but bills will deduct points!
(You can also help us by dropping bills in the containers of our competitors all over Downtown Gresham.)
All the money goes to a great cause!