NRHP Reference # 73001579 Area 2 ha Added to NRHP 8 May 1973 | Built 1889 Opened 1889 Phone +1 503-585-7012 | |
 | ||
Address 1313 Mill St SE, Salem, OR 97301, USA Hours Closed today SundayClosedMonday10AM–5PMTuesday10AM–5PMWednesday10AM–5PMThursday10AM–5PMFriday10AM–5PMSaturday10AM–5PMSuggest an edit Similar Bush's Pasture Park, Riverfront Park, Gilbert House Children, Oregon State Capitol, Minto‑Brown Island Park Profiles | ||
Willamette heritage center mission mill salem oregon
Willamette Heritage Center is a museum in Salem, Oregon, United States. The 5-acre site features several structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places including the Thomas Kay woolen mill, the Jason Lee House, Methodist Parsonage, John D. Boon House and the Pleasant Grove (Condit) Church. The houses and church were relocated to the mill site. The Center also includes a research library and archives of Marion County history.
Contents
- Willamette heritage center mission mill salem oregon
- Willamette heritage center
- Mill history
- Museum
- Structures on the National Register of Historic Places
- References
The Center was created in 2010 from the merger of the Mission Mill Museum Association (est. 1964) and the adjacent Marion County Historical Society (est. 1950).
Willamette heritage center
Mill history
The Thomas Kay Woolen Mill was started in 1889, by Thomas Lister Kay, whose descendants eventually founded Pendleton Woolen Mills. The workforce of 50 labored 60-hour weeks. In 1895, a fire destroyed the mill. Ground was broken on a new mill structure on December 20, 1895 in the same location. This building, designed by architect W.D. Pugh, is the brick structure that stands today. the building opened to the public on May 15, 1896 to speeches,demonstrations and music.
The mill was operated by four generations of Kay family members. Thomas Lister Kay died in 1900 and his son Thomas B. Kay took over as president and served until his own death in 1931. Thomas B. Kay's son Ercel took over for his father, and Ercel's son Tom Kay took over for him.
The mill announced its closure in 1959, and all operations ceased by 1962.
Museum
Visitors can tour the mill buildings with displays of original 19th and 20th century machinery and photos about industrial wool processing.
The houses and church have been restored and furnished to a mid 19th-century appearance. The Jason Lee House features a special exhibit about early Oregon during the time of the Methodist Mission.
The museum includes a water power interpretive exhibit by Portland General Electric. The exhibit demonstrates how the mill was run using the water from Mill Creek.