The Mazamas: For The Love Of Mountains On View November 11 Through March 24 At The Oregon Historical Society -11/02/23
This exhibition celebrates the history and community the Mazamas, an outdoor education, recreation, and conservation nonprofit, has cultivated since its inaugural climb of Mount Hood in 1894.
Press Images: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1TL2YCZuwxmvY2LZ2Nbr8htNduuXbOK4a
PORTLAND, OR — Join us on a uniquely Oregon journey, scaling mountains, constructing trails, engineering forests, conducting research, conserving resources, studying glaciers, and exploring the magnificence of the Pacific Northwest. For 129 years, the Mazamas have created, nurtured, and continued to grow a community of outdoor enthusiasts. We shine a headlamp on all of these endeavors in a new original exhibition The Mazamas: For the Love of Mountains, on view at the Oregon Historical Society in downtown Portland (1200 SW Park Avenue) from November 11, 2023, through March 24, 2024.
“The ice ax of the Mazamas digs deep into our state’s identity as a place of natural splendor, deeper than most Oregonians likely know,” says Mathew Brock, Mazama Library and Historical Collections Manager and exhibition creator. “From Portland notable William Gladstone Steel’s pioneering work to establish Crater Lake National Park to our early role in building the iconic Eagle Creek Trail in the Columbia River Gorge, the Mazamas have championed conservation and environmental advocacy, all while encouraging and inspiring outdoor recreation.”
This exhibition offers a glimpse into the Mazamas storied past, showcasing its evolution from a group of intrepid mountaineers to a multifaceted organization providing education and resources to outdoor enthusiasts. It highlights the pivotal role the Mazamas have played in fostering a love for nature, imparting essential outdoor skills and championing the conservation of our cherished landscapes.
Must-see objects that will be on view include the alpenstock owned and used on the inaugural climb of Mount. Hood in 1894. The same alpenstock was used again in 1994 and 2019 on repeat ascents of Mount Hood, celebrating the
Mazamas’ 100th and 125th anniversaries. Also on display is a 1940s-era, hand-crafted parka worn by Marianna Kearney, who among other notable acts as a Mazama, brought, assembled and rode a bicycle at the top of Mount Hood in 1947. The exhibition also showcases a Powder Puffs flag retired in 1976, which was carried on women-only climbs of Mount Hood.
Looking toward the future, the Mazamas stands poised as a beacon of responsible recreation in the Pacific Northwest. With a focus on empowering individuals to enjoy the outdoors while preserving its integrity, the Mazamas is set
to play an even more vital role in encouraging sustainable practices. The organization is dedicated to scientific exploration, engaging in research to deepen our understanding of the natural world, and advocating for evidence-based conservation efforts.
"It's an honor to share the Mazamas history with exhibit visitors. We think our story is compelling and closely connected to the splendors that make Oregon so special," says Mazama Board President Greg Scott. "But as proud as we are of
the past, our compass is set to the future. With more and more people recreating in the mountains, it's up to organizations like the Mazamas to help them explore responsibly and conserve our precious natural resources."
The Oregon Historical Society’s museum is open seven days a week, Monday–Saturday 10am–5pm and Sunday 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. Learn more and plan your visit at ohs.org/visit.
About the Mazamas: The Mazamas is an outdoor education, recreation and conservation nonprofit formed at the summit of Mt. Hood in 1894. Its mission is to inspire everyone to love and protect the mountains. It offers hundreds of hikes and climbs annually, teaches people to recreate responsibly, promotes land stewardship, and encourages scientific exploration and research.
About the Mazama Library and Historical Collections: Established in 1915, the Mazama Library is nationally recognized and boasts one of a handful of remaining mountaineering collections in the country, with more than 10,000 books, magazines and journals, The Mazama Historical Collections has extensive collections of archival documents, photographs and historical climbing equipment dating back to the earliest days of Pacific Northwest mountaineering. The library and collections are open for research to Mazama members and the interested public.
About the Oregon Historical Society: For 125 years, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of objects, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, 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.