Today, on Giving Tuesday, we invite you to be part of a movement that’s bigger than all of us—a movement to preserve history, celebrate community, and invest in the future.

The Mark Prairie Historical Society is dedicated to keeping the spirit of our shared heritage alive. From maintaining the historic Mark Prairie Schoolhouse to hosting events that connect us to our past, your support plays a vital role in everything we do.

How Your Support Makes a Difference:
Your contributions enable us to preserve the legacy of Mark Prairie and continue our mission to honor its history. With your help, we can:

• Maintain and care for the historic Mark Prairie Schoolhouse.
• Provide opportunities to share and celebrate our community’s story.
• Support educational programs and events for future generations.
• Strengthen the connection between our past and present.

Every dollar you give helps us protect this cherished piece of history while keeping it accessible to the community. Together, we can ensure the Mark Prairie Schoolhouse remains a place where stories of resilience, community, and history are celebrated for years to come.

Ready to Help?
Your generosity makes all the difference. Click https://markprairiehistoricalsociety.org/donate/ to contribute today and join us in preserving the legacy of Mark Prairie.

 Thank you for being part of our journey. Together, we can make history matter.

#GivingTuesday #MarkPrairieHistoricalSociety #PreserveHistory #CommunityMatters

The post 🌟 Giving Tuesday: Preserve the Legacy of Mark Prairie 🌟 appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.

The Mark Prairie Historical Society is proud to announce the addition of two bat houses on our grounds, generously built and donated by Isaac Knowlden of Boy Scout Troop 46 as part of his Eagle Scout Project. These beautifully crafted structures provide a safe haven for local bats and serve as an important step toward preserving our local ecosystem.

Bats play a vital role in controlling insect populations, including mosquitoes, and contribute to pollination. By providing these dedicated habitats, we’re not only helping protect these valuable creatures but also supporting the natural balance in our area.

We are deeply grateful for Isaac’s hard work and dedication to this project. His efforts included building the bat houses and creating a thoughtful sign reminding visitors to respect the bats’ space.

The bat houses now stand proudly on a tall pole near the Schoolhouse and are a welcome addition to our grounds. We encourage visitors to come see them while remembering to “please do not disturb sleeping bats!”

A heartfelt thank-you to Isaac for his commitment to environmental stewardship and community service. His effort will have a lasting impact at Mark Prairie and beyond.

The post Mark Prairie Historical Society Welcomes Two New Bat Houses, Thanks to Scout Isaac Knowlden appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.

For details, check out the flyer below or reach out to us at: info@markprairiehistoricalsociety.org

Hope to see you there!

The post Work Party at Mark Prairie Schoolhouse appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.

Captured by Judi Aus on the grounds of the historic Mark Prairie Schoolhouse, these Snowberries (Symphoricarpos albus) are a beautiful but toxic native plant. While their white berries are harmful to humans, they provide an important food source for birds in the winter months. The resilient Snowberry bush is a reminder of the natural beauty that has thrived here for generations.

The post Winter’s Bounty: The Resilient Snowberries of Mark Prairie appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.

Our dedicated Mark Prairie Historical Society volunteers Judi Jarosh and Judi Aus, alongside the Friends of Carus School and the Canby Historical Society, were thrilled to share Canby’s rich heritage with visitors at the recent First Thursday Night Market on May 2, 2024.

Our volunteers had the pleasure of engaging with attendees, sharing information about our organization and the exciting projects we have in progress. Being part of the First Thursday Night Market scavenger hunt added an extra layer of excitement to the evening, making history come alive in unexpected ways.

We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase Mark Prairie Historical Society as an integral part of the community and we were honored to be included in such a vibrant event.

The evening of May 2nd was a special highlight, as we participated in the placement of a time capsule at the historic Canby City Arch. The companion event at Holly Street City Hall was equally memorable, with the planting of a heritage tree, the unveiling of a plaque, and live music that filled the air with nostalgia and joy.

As we reminisce on these unforgettable moments, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all who joined us in celebrating Canby’s enduring legacy. Together, we continue to preserve and honor our community’s rich history for generations to come.

Oh, by the way! Spot the reflection of the Historic City Hall in the background of the above photo? Emerick Construction Co, the same amazing firm that is currently revitalizing the Mark Prairie Schoolhouse, was involved in it’s restoration too

The post MPHS at Canby’s First Thursday Night Market appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.

Peggy Sigler, the Volunteer Project Manager overseeing the Mark Prairie School Restoration, is recognized in the article for her achievement in winning the biannual Oregon Heritage Excellence Award.

The post Wonderful Article From the Oregon Heritage Exchange for Historic Preservation Month appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.

Mark Prairie Historical Society is thrilled to celebrate the recent news that Peggy Sigler, our volunteer manager of the Mark Prairie Schoolhouse Restoration Project, will be receiving the Oregon Heritage Excellence Award and will be recognized at the 2024 Oregon Heritage Conference Award Dinner on April 18^th in Hillsboro. Locally, she will be honored at the May 1 Canby City Council meeting as part of the kick-off to May Historic Preservation Program. 

Thank you Peggy! You are amazing!! We are very proud of you and thankful for all that you do!!!

Join us in celebrating Peggy’s well-deserved accomplishment!

The post Mark Prairie Historical Society’s Peggy Sigler to receive Oregon Heritage Excellence Award appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.

But from the wreckage emerged a beacon of hope, fueled by the love and dedication of our community. Since that fateful day, our dedicated team of volunteers has poured thousands of hours into the restoration effort, fueled by a passion to preserve history, and uphold the legacy of the Mark Prairie Schoolhouse. Through their tireless dedication and the generosity of supporters like you, we’ve raised over $700,000 towards rebuilding this beloved landmark.

As we commemorate the 3rd anniversary of that ice storm, we’re filled with gratitude for how far we’ve come. With just $100,000 left to raise, we’re on the brink of completing our mission. The exterior stands proudly restored, a symbol of our community’s resilience. Now, our focus shifts to the interior – repairing, restoring, and updating to ensure the schoolhouse continues its tradition as a vibrant hub for community gatherings and events.

Soon, the doors of the Mark Prairie Schoolhouse will once again open to the public to use and to rent, welcoming all to create new memories and celebrate special moments.  Let’s rejoice in the progress we’ve made and the bright future ahead!

Join us in this final push to complete our restoration journey. Together, let’s ensure that the Mark Prairie Schoolhouse continues to stand as a beacon of community spirit, and as testament to the enduring spirit of love and resilience for generations to come. 

The post 💖✨ Celebrating Love, Resilience, and Community! 🏫✨ appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.

The post Happy New Year! appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.

INDIGENOUS HOMELANDS 

Since time immemorial, the land south of Canby, now known as Mark’s Prairie, was home to the Ahantchuyuk (or “Pudding River”) band of the Central Kalapuyan tribe. Their homelands stretched from Willamette Falls south to now-Salem, hemmed by the Cascade Range to the east and the Willamette River to the west.  In the 1830s, explorers and trappers unknowingly brought malaria to the region. Without immunity, the Pudding River bands were depleted by the epidemic. People of the Molalla tribe from the foothills to the east moved into the established but vacant villages in the region surrounding the Molalla River, while the few remaining Ahantchuyuk people banded together close to the Pudding River and nearby Champoeg. 

The Kalapuyans were a “wealthy” people. They used controlled burns to maintain Mark’s Prairie, nearby Gribble Prairie, Baker’s Prairie (the current site of Canby) and other areas as open meadows for easier hunting of game and harvesting of their local foods, including acorns from the Oregon white oaks on this site, wild strawberries, and camas near the creeks. Because the creeks and nearby rivers, along with the wetlands, oak savannahs, and dense fir forests, provided a moderate climate and good life for the people, Ahantchuyuk were a non-nomadic tribe.  To the east of Marks Prairie, the creeks are at their closest until they meander and merge to the northwest, then drop down the bluff to the Molalla River.

Mark Prairie is sandwiched between the later (Barlow-Monitor) Market Road 9 and (Canby-Marquam) Market Road 10 with (Gribble-Macksburg) Market Road 26 connecting the two across Gribble and Dove Creeks.  These roads were likely Native American trails for thousands of years, making this a “high-traffic” location even then.  From discovery of artifacts, it is believed that at least two permanent villages were located nearby, although no artifacts are known to have been found at the Mark Prairie Schoolhouse site.

In the 1830s, trappers released from service by the Hudson’s Bay Company and other mountain men who had come west were settling on the fertile lands of the Willamette Valley. Missionaries from the east were establishing churches and schools to convert and “save” the indigenous people. Settlers arrived in greater numbers as the Oregon Trail enticed more to head west to the Land of Eden, with the Barlow Trail over the Cascades opening in 1846.  The Mark family arrived in 1847. By 1850, tracts of 160 and 320 acres were settled as Donation Land Claims by American emigrants. On Jan 22, 1855, the Kalapuya ceded the entire Willamette River drainage in treaty. By 1900, their once-abundant population was estimated at less than 300 people.

Today, people of Kalapuyan and Molalla descent are part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.

By Peggy Sigler

The post Mark Prairie’s Indigenous Past appeared first on Mark Prairie Historical Society.