Mission Mill Museum - Salem, Oregon
Posted by: 
ddtfamily
N 44° 56.057 W 123° 01.620
10T E 497869 N 4975650
Five-acre complex featuring five properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places
Waymark Code: WMH4D1
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 05/20/2013
Views: 3
Officially the “Willamette Heritage Center at The Mill,” the Mission Mill Museum provides an opportunity to see a collection of fourteen historic structures dating from the 1840s to the early 20th century. The largest is the
Thomas Kay Woolen Mill, a Victorian era factory that is one of the Pacific Northwest’s best preserved example of an English/Atlantic seaboard-style woolen mill. The mill was operated by the Thomas Kay family from 1889 into the 1960s. The main building contains two and a half stories plus a basement, providing many displays of antique (but still functional) textile machinery. Many other associated buildings, such as the Dye House, the Picker House and the Boiler Room, provide opportunities to learn about the workings of the mill complex.
The
Methodist Parsonage, originally located on the north side of the mill but later moved to the southeast corner of the property, was built in 1841 and served as a parsonage for the Methodist minister who served as director of the nearby Indian Manual Labor Training School, which ultimately became Willamette University.
Located on the east side of the museum grounds is the Jason Lee House, built in 1841 as the headquarters for the Willamette Mission, a Methodist mission located near the Willamette River near downtown Salem. The house served as a residence for up to four families at a time. It was moved to its current location in 1965.
The John D. Boon House, was moved to the museum grounds in 1972. It was built for John Daniel Boon, a local merchant and politician and was located adjacent to Boon's Brick Store a few blocks north of the original site of the Jason Lee House.
The last historic building relocated to this museum was the Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church, moved here in 1984. Constructed from 1857-1858, it is one of the oldest remaining Presbyterian church buildings in the Pacific Northwest and was originally located three miles southwest of the town of Aumsville. The church fell into disuse in the 1960s and was moved about 20 miles to this site to allow the structure to be restored and maintained.
The museum complex also contains a research library featuring more than 4,500 books and thousands of historic records. Also on site are a number of retail shops and a cafe. Guided and self-guided tours of the complex are available. A number of well-designed markers provide information about each of the museum's attractions. Entry to the grounds is free, but museum entrance requires a fee, except on Tuesdays.
Note: Click a photo to enlarge