08/03/2023
Very cool 😎
Information courtesy of Restore Oregon
Restore Oregon has selected 14 historic projects across Oregon to receive a 2023 DeMuro Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation, the state’s highest honor for the preservation, reuse, and revitalization of architectural and cultural sites.
Woodburn has received this distinguished honor for its work on the Woodburn Historical Museum and the Bungalow Theatre.
The restoration of both structures to form a single community-focused complex was a project nearly 40 years in the making and an excellent case study for saving a rural historic theater–a category of Restore Oregon’s Most Endangered Places list since 2020.
Restoration work included seismic updates, façade improvement, and interior remodels of both the Woodburn Museum and Bungalow Theatre. Combined, the two buildings now offer a unique community meeting and event space that houses a stage for plays, presentations, and movies. The space also highlights the rich cinematic, architectural, and cultural history of Woodburn, which is one of the most culturally diverse communities in Oregon, with a Russian Old Believer population of 15% and a Hispanic population of 56%. In fact, over 90% of downtown businesses are owned and operated by Latino families.
The City of Woodburn, along with many hardworking volunteers, community members and fundraisers, hope this downtown gem will serve as a popular meeting place and community hub where people will gather, socialize and learn more about Woodburn’s diverse history.
Read about all 14 DeMuro Award winners here: https://restoreoregon.org/2023/08/02/60824/
