Enjoy! And if you have any comments on stories, suggestions for column topics or other feedback — or if you're coming by the OSU campus and have time for a cup of coffee with a fellow history dork — drop me a note at fj-@-offbeatoregon-dot-com any time!
Other years’ articles:
Get The Podcast:
Socialize:
Do Other Stuff:
— 1947, LAKE COUNTY — COLUMN N° 477 — JANUARY 7, 2018 —
Oregon lost its governor, secretary of state, and Senate president when their Beechcraft Bonanza slammed into the side of a ridge southwest of Lakeview.
In the tall tales of 1840s almanacs, the “King of the Wild Frontier” had a lively interest in the Beaver State. But he did get a few of his facts wrong ...
It's nearly certain that Drake was guilty only of extreme naivete — and his landlord, after murdering a neighbor, knew he could pin the crime on him because Drake was black.
Troutdale Airfield is just 10 miles from Portland International — and built to serve Cessnas, not Boeings. But one dark night in 1962, a jumbo-jet pilot got confused....
When the Oregon National Guard was called up, Oregonians felt vulnerable to Japanese invasion. So they loaded their rifles and possed up, ready to give 'em hell!
It was obvious to nearly everyone that Chee Gong was innocent. But one of his tong brothers had murdered Lee Yik and disappeared, and blood had to answer for blood.
Native Americans told Coronado there was a fabulous just to the north. All he found were Indian villages. But, was there a real city behind this vague legend?
A startup newspaper in Albany was determined to see Mattie Allison hanged, one way or another.But when her court case got started, the real story came out ...
They'd left Condon with a wealthy rancher and murdered him on the way. Only then did they realize how bad it would look to show up at their destination without him ...
Taken to Ocean Park after being nearly killed in a shipwreck, William Begg was nursed back to health by Maude Taylor – who turned out to be the love of his life.
The cops wouldn't return her call, and they would be gone by morning. So Mrs. Whitlock picked up the phone – at 10:15 at night! – and woke up the District Attorney.
Off Yaquina Bay, the lumber schooner Frank W. Howe suddenly filled with water. Luckily, the cargo of railroad ties kept her afloat – for a week-long fight for life.
White-hat con man Deadwood Dick was the hero of dozens of dime novels in the late 1800s. But his New York author didn't really know much about the West.
Murderer Pleasant Armstrong said he had no idea what came over him. But a strange woman claimed, in court, that he was the victim of a family of murdering hypnotists.
The rumor was that a cell of Polish radicals based in the White Eagle planned to assassinate President Roosevelt ... luckily, one of the Oregonian's reporters spoke Polish.
A defeat in the Oregon primary, for candidate John F. Kennedy, would have sent the message that his Catholic faith was a deal-killer; a win would signify that it was not.
A handful of California newspapers started a UFO scare in 1896 with a series of stories of sightings. But were they making it all up? (TL;DR: Yes, they were.)
While looking for a crashed plane, aviator Kenneth Arnold saw a squadron of strange shining objects ... “nine saucer-like air craft flying in formation.”
This article is still under its 60-day embargo. Click here to find it on the Web site of a member newspaper or other publication.
— TILLAMOOK COUNTY — COLUMN N°505— JULY 22, 2018 —
“Beeswax Wreck” mystery has been solved: That wax is from 1693
This article is still under its 60-day embargo. Click here to find it on the Web site of a member newspaper or other publication.
— CLATSOP COUNTY — COLUMN N°506— JULY 29, 2018 —
14-year-old girl ended family feud the hard way ... with a shotgun
This article is still under its 60-day embargo. Click here to find it on the Web site of a member newspaper or other publication.
— LAKE COUNTY — COLUMN N°507— AUGUST 5, 2018 —
Developer's Christmas Valley dream never came true
This article is still under its 60-day embargo. Click here to find it on the Web site of a member newspaper or other publication.
— JOSEPHINE COUNTY — COLUMN N°508— AUGUST 12, 2018 —
“Temporary insanity” didn't save bereaved woman from murder rap
This article is still under its 60-day embargo. Click here to find it on the Web site of a member newspaper or other publication.
— CLATSOP COUNTY — COLUMN N°509— AUGUST 19, 2018 —
Rumrunners rescued shipwreck victims, went to prison anyway
This article is still under its 60-day embargo. Click here to find it on the Web site of a member newspaper or other publication.
— MULTNOMAH COUNTY — COLUMN N°510— AUGUST 26, 2018 —
Little-known activist stopped state plan for forced sterilizations
This article is still under its 60-day embargo. Click here to find it on the Web site of a member newspaper or other publication.
— MULTNOMAH COUNTY — COLUMN N°511— SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 —
First truly portable chainsaw was invented in Oregon
This article is still under its 60-day embargo. Click here to find it on the Web site of a member newspaper or other publication.
— MULTNOMAH COUNTY — COLUMN N°512— SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 —
Watching bugs in a stump led to invention of modern chainsaw
This article is still under its 60-day embargo. Click here to find it on the Web site of a member newspaper or other publication.
October columns will be posted here when finished!
After each column is written, it is sent out to participating newspapers, community radio stations, and other media outlets, which have exclusive rights to it for 60 days; after that, it gets posted here. If you rep a media outlet and would like more info about getting on our list, e-mail us or DM us at @offbeatoregon on Twitter.
November columns will be posted here when finished!
After each column is written, it is sent out to participating newspapers, community radio stations, and other media outlets, which have exclusive rights to it for 60 days; after that, it gets posted here. If you rep a media outlet and would like more info about getting on our list, e-mail us or DM us at @offbeatoregon on Twitter.
December columns will be posted here when finished!
After each column is written, it is sent out to participating newspapers, community radio stations, and other media outlets, which have exclusive rights to it for 60 days; after that, it gets posted here. If you rep a media outlet and would like more info about getting on our list, e-mail us or DM us at @offbeatoregon on Twitter.
