Banks Historical Society Announces Series Of Fall Local History Presentations At Banks Public Library (Photo) - 10/14/26

The free, all-ages “History Thursdays” series will feature three unique presentations taking place on November 12, 19 and December 3 at 7:00pm at the Public Library in Banks, Oregon.

Banks, Oregon, October 15, 2026 – The Banks Historical Society, in partnership with the Banks Public Library, today announced “History Thursdays,” a series of all-ages presentations exploring a different eras in the history of Banks, Oregon and the surrounding area. As a part of the series, the Banks Historical Society is also holding the Flora Munford Photography Competition, “Banks: Then and Now,” also announced this week, with winners to be showcased at the library during the December 3 event. All presentations are free and open to the public. 

November 12, 2026, 7:00pm

On the Banks of Dairy Creek: A History of People and Place – Long before the settlers came, the Atfalati Indigenous people called this area home. This presentation will share some of their history and delve into the stories of the first Oregon Trail settlers who made their home here – the Wilkes family. The audience will discover how they got along as neighbors living on the banks of Dairy Creek before the Atfalati were removed to the Grand Ronde Reservation.

November 19, 2026, 7:00pm

Banks: A Town on the Move – In the earliest years of the 20^th Century the town of Greenville literally picked up and moved – buildings and all – to Banks. This presentation will look at why and how that took place. It was originally delivered to the 6^th grade engineering class at Banks Middle School. Their assignment: to figure out how entire buildings were moved two miles up a dirt road with only the tools and technologies available between 1901 and 1906. The students’ final projects will be on display.

December 3, 2026, 7:00pm

Flora Munford: At the Birth of Banks – For the first time ever, this presentation will share the story of Flora Munford. She was a mover and shaker in Banks for nearly 40 years, yet her story is unknown to most area residents. Flora was a remarkable woman who moved here in 1908 as the wife of the town doctor. She soon became a church and civic leader, an advocate for women and children and an entrepreneur, and she served as treasurer on Banks’ first city council when the town incorporated in 1920. Flora was also a wonderful photographer who documented the birth of Banks with her camera. 

Photography Exhibit: Banks, Then and Now

The Banks Public Library will be showcasing some of Flora Munford’s photographs of Banks taken around 1910 alongside the winners of the Banks Historical Society’s “Banks, Then and Now” Flora Munford Photography Competition.

This community history series is supported, in part, thanks to a grant from the Cultural Coalition of Washington County.

About the Banks Historical Society

The mission of the Banks Historical Society is to preserve, protect, and promote the history and heritage of Banks, Oregon—and all municipalities and rural areas within the Banks School District—through educational programs, exhibitions, community engagement, and recognition of local, state, and national historic landmarks and resources in the service area. The Banks Historical Society is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and historical purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible and are eligible for Oregon’s Cultural Tax Credit.

Banks Historical Society Announces “Banks: Then And Now” Flora Munford Photography Competition (Photo) - 10/14/26

The competition challenges photographers of all ages to re-create Flora Munford’s historic 1910 photographs of Banks, Oregon from the same vantage point today. 

Banks, Oregon, October 14, 2026  – The Banks Historical Society today launched the Flora Munford Photography Competition “Banks: Then and Now.” The challenge for photographers is to choose one of Flora Munford’s historic 1910 photographs of Banks, find the location where the original photographer stood and photograph the same view as it looks today. Entries will be judged on similarity of vantage point, composition/visual interest and how effectively the photograph illustrates change over time. 

The photography contest is being held in conjunction with the Banks Historical Society and Banks Public Library’s fall “History Thursdays,” a series of three local history presentations to be held at the Banks Public Library on November 12, 19 and December 3 at 7:00pm. 

No special camera is required – smartphone photos are welcome. Winners will be awarded in three age categories: 12 and under, 13 to 17 and Adult. Winning photographs will be showcased at the December 3, 2026 presentation of “Flora Munford: At the Birth of Banks” at the Banks Public Library at 7:00pm. 

Details about the competition, contest source images and the competition entry form are available on the Banks Historical Society website.

Photo submissions must be received by midnight PT on November 15, 2026.

“In addition to taking some of the earliest photographs of Banks, Flora was also a highly influential person in church and civic life here for nearly 40 years – including having served as treasurer on the very first Banks City Council when the town incorporated in 1920,” said Jennifer Allen Newton, secretary of the Banks Historical Society and one of the presenters of the history series.  “Despite Flora’s many contributions to the community, most people here have never heard of her. We aim to change that!” Newton added.

About Flora Munford’s photographs 

Beginning around 1908 - 1910, Flora Munford took some of the earliest photographs of Banks. Her images give us a rare glimpse into the birth of the town, which grew rapidly in the wake of incoming railroad lines in 1906 and 1911. 

Flora photographed homes, horses, buggies and cars on dirt streets. She captured the people and the iconic false-front buildings of local merchants, including the Banks Pharmacy, which Flora owned with her husband, town doctor William “Doc” Munford. Flora turned some of her photos into postcards, which she sold at the pharmacy and sent to family and friends. Winning photographs will be displayed at the library, next to Flora’s photograph of the same scene.

This project is funded, in part, by a grant to the Banks Historical Society from the Cultural Coalition of Washington County.

About the Banks Historical Society

The mission of the Banks Historical Society is to preserve, protect, and promote the history and heritage of Banks, Oregon—and all municipalities and rural areas within the Banks School District—through educational programs, exhibitions, community engagement, and recognition of local, state, and national historic landmarks and resources in the service area. The Banks Historical Society is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and historical purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible and are eligible for Oregon’s Cultural Tax Credit.