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News Release
"Freeze the Day" and Plan a Visit to the Oregon Historical Society's Newest Exhibition on Oregon's Winter Sports History - 11/30/21

MEDIA TOURS: Schedule an exhibit tour with OHS Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk and Olympic luger Jack Elder by contacting rachel.randles@ohs.org.

PRESS KIT (WITH IMAGES): https://bit.ly/ohsfreezetheday

 

Portland, OR — November 30, 2021 — Oregon’s unique topography and climate have created an environment of endless possibility for outdoor recreation. Whether engaging in leisure activities on the weekends or competing in professional athletic events, Oregonians have long enjoyed experiences shaped by snow and ice. As the chill of winter enters the air, the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) invites visitors to discover the magic, awe, thrill, and camaraderie Oregonians have enjoyed for generations in its newest original exhibition, Freeze the Day! A History of Winter Sports in Oregon.

Countless individuals have shaped the history of winter sports in Oregon, including Native people who developed and adapted technology and cultural practices to survive and thrive with the snow and ice of winter months. Euro-American emigrants who arrived in the nineteenth century began to explore ways to recreate in the mountains, lakes, and rivers. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Oregonians started building alpine resorts, sporting clubs, and recreational facilities across the state.

This work set the stage for championship athletes to grow and blossom. Freeze the Day profiles 13 such athletes, including Olympic snowboarders Ben Ferguson and Chris Klug, luger Jack Elder, figure skater Tonya Harding, and Special Olympics Oregon snowboarder Henry Meece. Innovators also flourished, such as Hjalmar Hvam, who developed the world’s first workable safety ski binding, and Oregon Adaptive Sports, which provides snow opportunities to community members with disabilities. Visitors will also discover many of the ice sports that people enjoy throughout the state as well as beloved teams past and present, from the Portland Rosebuds to the Portland Winterhawks.

“With the Winter Olympics coming up, a visit to Freeze the Day is the perfect way to brush up on your Oregon sports history as we anticipate cheering on Team USA next February,” said OHS Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk. 

While snow may not be falling in the gallery, visitors can “catch a snowflake” within the exhibit, and rather than melt, watch the snowflake come to life in their hand. Visitors can also look for friends and family in a community scrapbook and share their love of Oregon’s wintry weather online using the hashtag #OHSFreezeTheDay. 

“Whether or not you are a winter sports afficionado, or simply an admirer of Oregon’s natural wonders, this fun and immersive exhibition has something for visitors of all ages,” said Tymchuk.

Discover how winter sports continue to shape Oregon’s cultural fabric with a visit to Freeze the Day! A History of Winter Sports in Oregon, on exhibit December 3, 2021, through July 17, 2022. The Oregon Historical Society’s museum is open seven days a week, Monday – Saturday from 10am – 5pm and Sunday from 12pm – 5pm. Admission is $10, with discounts for students, seniors, teachers, and youth. Admission is free every day for OHS members and Multnomah County residents.


About the Oregon Historical Society

For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms & website (ohs.org), educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view. 

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