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News Release

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse Lantern To Return To Top Of Structure Aug. 11 (Photo) -08/08/25

NEWPORT, Oregon— Construction crews will use a crane to lift the approximately 11,000-pound lantern and return it to the top of the historic Yaquina Bay Lighthouse as part of the final stages of an exterior restoration 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11.

The lighthouse, built in 1871, is the only wooden lighthouse still intact on the Oregon Coast, and it’s the last example in the state of the combined lighthouse and living quarters. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department operates and maintains hundreds of historic buildings across the state including the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.

Crews plan to lift the lantern around 11 a.m. It is expected to take about an hour. The lighthouse will reopen to the public at the end of August when restoration is complete.

Event: Lantern returning to the top of the historic Yaquina Bay Lighthouse

Date: 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11

Location: Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site in Newport

Project: The $1.8 million restoration included repairs to the roof framing, chimney, brick foundation, lantern, siding, doors and windows as well as a new roof and complete exterior paint to protect the more than 150-year-old structure.

RSVP: Email or call OPRD Public Information Officer Stefanie Knowlton at 971-803-0154 or Stefanie.Knowlton@OPRD.oregon.gov to RSVP. The historic architecture project manager will be available for interviews and photo/video opportunities.

Parking is available in the public parking area, which provides a clear view of the lighthouse. No access will be allowed in the construction zone unless arranged in advance.

Attached Media Files: Yaquina Bay Lighthouse lantern removal for restoration earlier this year., Yaquina Bay Lighthouse before restoration,

Grants Available To Document, Preserve And Share Oregon History -08/05/25

Salem - The Oregon Heritage Commission is offering grants for qualified projects for the conservation, development, and interpretation of Oregon's cultural heritage. Awards typically range between $3,000 and $20,000. Projects can include anything related to Oregon heritage, and priority will be given to projects that preserve, develop or interpret threatened heritage resources or heritage resources of statewide significance. The grant application deadline is October 2, 2025.
 

Projects funded by the Oregon Heritage Grant may include collections preservation and access, exhibits, oral history projects, public education events, organizational archives projects, films theatrical performances, teaching traditional practices, public history interpretation, organizational planning that supports heritage resources, and more. Previously funded projects included a variety of projects around the state.
 

“We hope to see projects from a variety of types of organizations that engage Oregonians with heritage resources across the states and encourage the documentation, preservation, and sharing of diverse perspectives of Oregon’s story.” states Katie Henry, Oregon Heritage Commission coordinator.
 

Applications are submitted online. There is plenty of support for preparing them. “Our goal is to support organizations of all sizes all over the state in their valuable work. We provide assistance in the application process,” notes Kuri Gill, grants and outreach coordinator. Oregon Heritage grants programs staff is happy to discuss projects and review applications in advance in addition to assisting with the online application system and providing translation services on request.
 

Registration is required for a free online workshop, Tuesday, August 19, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. which addresses the application questions and explores the online application system. A recording will be available for two weeks following the workshop with registration.
 

The grant directly supports the four Oregon Heritage Plan goals:

  • Include More Voices: Expand the narrative of history told and preserved in the state to capture previously excluded or marginalized voices for a more complex and accurate depiction of Oregon’s historical events.
  • Increase Access to Heritage: Strive to engage more community members and visitors in local heritage by increasing awareness of resources and making them available to diverse audiences and potential stakeholders.
  • Promote the Value of Heritage: Share the economic, cultural, and educational value of heritage with the public and decision makers to inspire awareness, funding, and respect for long-term preservation of Oregon’s heritage.
  • Pursue Best Practices: Pursue professional standards and best practices related to heritage processes, standards, and organizational management to ensure healthy, sustainable heritage organizations.

The Oregon Heritage Commission is comprised of nine people representing Oregon’s heritage and geographical diversity who have been appointed by the Governor. There are nine advisory representatives from state agencies and statewide organizations. The commission’s mission is to secure, sustain, and enhance Oregon's heritage by ensuring coordination of heritage initiatives by public and private organizations; advocacy on its behalf; education of the public about its extent and value; and promotion and celebration of its diversity.
 

To learn more about the grants or for translation assistance, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at Kuri.Gill@oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.

Some Parks To See Updates To Parking Fees And Seasonal Camping Rates (Photo) -08/01/25

SALEM, Oregon— Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is updating some visitor fees at select parks as part of a broader, proactive effort to build a more resilient financial future for Oregon State Parks. 

Starting Oct. 1, 2025, Oregon State Parks will no longer waive the parking fee at 21 additional day-use parks. The parking fee is currently $10 for in-state visitors and $12 out-of-state visitors.  

The parking fee does not apply to visitors who walk, bike, use public transportation, have a valid hangtag from camping at an Oregon State Park or a 12 or 24-month parking permit. Currently, OPRD charges for parking at 25 parks and waives parking fees at over 225 parks across the state.   

The 21 additional parks include some of the busiest parks in the system such as Harris Beach State Park, which experienced an estimated 2 million day-use visits last year. Visitor fees help pay for maintenance and operation.  

Some overnight camping rates will also see updates for visits beginning May 1, 2026: 

  • At all parks:  
  • Cabin and yurt prices will increase to the top of the rate range year round. (Top rates vary from $72 for rustic yurts to $129 for deluxe cabins/yurts)
  • Boat moorage fees will increase from $15 to $20.  
  • Overnight parking, overflow camping and primitive camping fees will increase from about $10 to at least $15 per night.  

The park system faces a projected 14% budget shortfall due to increasing costs, impacts from record visitation and a reduction in lottery funds for operations. These targeted fee adjustments, along with internal efforts to reduce costs, modernize procurement and explore new revenue, will help maintain current service levels and ensure the system remains strong and accessible now and in the future.  

“State parks are some of the most beloved spaces in Oregon, but we have struggled as a state to sustainably fund them. We’re working to reimagine the future of Oregon State Parks as financially resilient system that will serve generations to come,” said Director Lisa Sumption.  

State parks has three main sources of funding: a little less than half comes from constitutionally dedicated lottery funds, about 15% comes from recreational vehicle license plate fees and roughly 35% comes from park fees from visitors. It is not funded by general fund taxes. 

For visitors looking to save on parking, there are annual and 24-month parking permits available for Oregon State Parks. The 12-month parking permit costs $30 and the 24-month permit costs $50. You can buy them online.  

Oregon State Parks is also collecting feedback to help guide its effort to reimagine a stronger resilient park system. The survey includes priorities for new and existing experiences, services and amenities as well as views on public-private partnerships, sponsorships and other funding options.  

Attached Media Files: harris beach view (1).JPG, LaPine State Park, Tryon Creek State Natural Area,

Seeking Public Comment On Proposed Changes To ATV Sound And Safety Equipment Rules -08/01/25

SALEM, Oregon—Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is seeking public comment on proposed changes to sound and safety equipment rules for All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) use on public lands in Oregon.

House Bill 2232 was signed on March 19, 2025 and became effective upon passage. The bill transfers rulemaking responsibility for ATV safety equipment and noise emissions from Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).

State Parks has temporarily adopted ODOT and DEQ’s rules for 180 days under ORS 183.335(5)(a). OPRD is taking public comment on proposed permanent rules.

Public comments on the proposed rule change will be accepted through 5 p.m. Augus 31, 2025, and can be submitted:

A public hearing will be held for the public to provide comments.

Once the public comment period ends, the proposal with any incorporated updates is slated to go to Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission in September for possible adoption.

National Park Service Lists Mill Place House Site In Salem, Marion County In The National Register Of Historic Places -07/30/25

SALEM, Ore. – The Mill Place House Site, also known as the Jason Lee House Site, is among Oregon’s latest entries in the National Register of Historic Places. The listing was submitted alongside the Oregon Country Methodist Mission Sites: 1834–1847 Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPD), which provides the historical framework for evaluating properties associated with the mid-nineteenth century Methodist mission to present-day Oregon and Washington. Both the site nomination and the MPD were recommended for approval by the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) at its February 2025 meeting and accepted by the National Park Service in late June 2025.
 

Originally built in 1841 by Methodist missionaries as part of their newly established Central Mission Station, the Mill Place House was the first dwelling constructed in what would become Salem. The house itself was relocated to the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill site at the Willamette Heritage Center in the 1960s, and the site has since been covered with a modern parking lot. Excavations conducted in 2020 confirmed the presence of handmade brick foundation elements below the parking lot and recovered domestic artifacts from the mission period that reflect the structure’s early residential use and continued archaeological integrity.


The site is significant for its association with the Methodist Mission’s efforts to Christianize and assimilate Indigenous communities and to establish Euro-American settlement ahead of a period of rapid and widespread colonization in the Pacific Northwest. As part of the broader Central Mission Station campus overseen by Reverend Jason Lee, the site reflects national ideologies of Manifest Destiny and Christian missionary outreach during the mid-nineteenth century. It is also significant for its potential to yield further insights into the lives of Methodist missionaries and their interactions with the Santiam Kalapuya people in the Chemeketa region.


Excavation of the Mill Place House Site began in 2020 as the first phase of a public archaeology initiative led by the City of Salem. The work provided critical information that supported the site’s nomination to the National Register of Historic Places and laid the foundation for further research into locations associated with the former Oregon Indian Mission Manual Labor School. Fieldwork continued with investigations at the Parsonage site on the Willamette Heritage Center grounds between 2022 and 2024, followed by excavations on Willamette University’s campus in 2025. Funded by a Certified Local Government (CLG) grant awarded to the City of Salem’s Historic Landmarks Commission by Oregon Heritage, the multi-phase project continues to shed light on this important chapter in local history. Additional details and updates are available on the City of Salem’s project webpage: https://www.cityofsalem.net/community/things-to-do/history/oregon-mission-indian-manual-labor-training-school-archaeology-project.


The National Register of Historic Places is a federal program, maintained by the National Park Service under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and administered locally by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, an office of the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). Properties listed in the National Register are:

  • Recognized as significant to the nation, state, or community;
  • Considered in the planning of federal or federally-assisted projects;
  • Eligible for federal tax benefits;
  • Qualify for historic preservation grants when funds are available;
  • Eligible for leniency in meeting certain building code requirements;
  • Subject to local laws pertaining to the conservation and protection of historic resources.

Oregon state law requires local governments to provide a minimal level of protection for properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Decisions about how to accomplish this goal reside with local governments, which also have the authority to create and regulate local historic districts and landmarks.


More information about the National Register and recent Oregon listings are online at oregonheritage.org (under the heading “Designate”).

Seeking Feedback On Procurement, Contracting Rule Updates -07/28/25

Salem, Oregon— Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is gathering public comments on proposed procurement and contracting rule updates now through Aug. 31.

The proposed rule updates seek to implement changes based on SB 838B. That legislation provided OPRD a limited exemption from the state’s Public Contracting Code to better serve park visitors and support local businesses. The exemption does not apply to surplus property, information technology, photogrammetric mapping or telecommunications.

This rulemaking opened for public comment on July 28, 2025. The public is invited to comment on the proposed updates through 5 p.m. Aug. 31, 2025:

Individuals who require special accommodations to view the meetings should contact Jo Niehaus at least three days in advance of the meeting at jo.niehaus@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-580-9210.

Once the public comment period ends, the proposal with any incorporated updates is slated to go to Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission in September for possible adoption and implementation.

New Survey Gathers Feedback To Help Build A More Sustainable Future For Parks (Photo) -07/24/25

SALEM, Oregon— Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) wants to better understand the public’s values and priorities for the future of state parks through a new survey as it launches a strategic initiative to reimagine how parks are funded, operated and supported.

OPRD faces a potential 14% budget shortfall for park operations by 2027 even with recent fee increases. The gap is due to increasing costs, the impact of higher visitation and changes in lottery funds. The strategic initiative will work to address that shortfall before 2027.

“For more than a century, Oregon’s parks have been a source of pride, joy, and connection for communities across the state,” said Lisa Sumption, OPRD Director. “But the way we fund the system has not kept up with how Oregonians use and value it today. We’re not waiting for the crisis—we’re planning ahead to build a more resilient and relevant park system.”

OPRD launched an online survey this month to collect feedback from visitors and potential visitors about their priorities for new and existing experiences, services and amenities as well as views on public-private partnerships, sponsorships and other funding options.

The survey is open to everyone and will help inform decisions about the future of state parks. Those who complete the survey have the option of entering a drawing for a free Oregon State Parks annual parking permit. 

Oregon State Parks continues to experience record visitation with more than 56.6 million estimated visits in 2024. It is one of the most visited park systems in the country.

This level of use significantly increases wear and tear on aging park infrastructure, driving up maintenance needs and long-term operational costs.

Parks’ funding comes from three main sources. A little less than half comes from constitutionally dedicated lottery funds, about 15% comes from the agency’s share of recreational vehicle license plate fees and roughly 35% comes from park fees from visitors. Oregon State Park operations is not funded by general fund taxes.

“We already operate leanly, but we’re also taking a hard look at costs and spending decisions as we plan the future. We’re building new partnerships with Oregon businesses and growing opportunities for visitors to experience state parks in new and innovative ways,” Sumption said.

In addition to operating more than 250 state parks and maintaining hundreds of historic structures, the agency also manages the ocean shore, the State Historic Preservation Office, ATV safety programs and permits as well as multiple grant programs for trails, ATVs, historic structures and local government projects.

For more information about the survey or to learn about ways to support parks, visit stateparks.oregon.gov/ or take the survey at bit.ly/stateparksurvey.

Attached Media Files: Sam Boardman Arch Rock, Wallowa Lake State Park, Silver Falls State Park,

Oregon Heritage Commission To Meet July 27-28 In St. Helens, Rainier And Online -07/15/25

Rainier – The Oregon Heritage Commission will meet July 27 in downtown St. Helens for tours and July 28 at the Rainier Historical Museum and online for the Business Meeting.
 

The agenda for the business meeting includes:

  • A presentation by a member of the Made by Us Youth250 bureau on initiatives related to connecting Gen Z and history organizations and historic sites for the 250th commemoration of the country in 2026
  • Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon
  • Recommendations for projects funded by the Oregon Heritage Commission’s FY26 Cultural Trust Partner grant
  • Annual overview of grant projects funded by Oregon Heritage grant programs
  • Update on the 2026 Oregon Heritage Plan process

This meeting is open to the public and there is an opportunity at the beginning of the meeting for public comment. Public comment can be made in person, online, or written submission. For online attendance, registration is required. To view the full agenda, register for the virtual meeting, or learn more about public comment options, visit here.
 

Special accommodations for the meeting – including translation services – may be made by calling (503) 986‐0690 or Kimberly.Spivey@oprd.oregon.gov at least 72 hours prior to the start of the meeting.
 

The Heritage Commission’s nine Governor appointed members represent a diversity of cultural, geographic, and institutional interests. The Commission’s nine advisory members include representatives from the Oregon State Library, Oregon State Archives, State Historical Records Advisory Board, Higher Education Coordinating Committee, Travel Oregon, Oregon Historical Society, Department of Education, State Historic Preservation Office, and the Department of Land Conservation and Development.
 

The Commission is the primary agency for coordination of heritage activities in the state. This includes carrying out the Oregon Heritage Plan, increasing efficiency and avoiding duplication among interest groups, developing plans for coordination among agencies and organizations, encouraging tourism related to heritage resources, and coordinating statewide anniversary commemorations.
 

There are currently two open Governor appointed positions, one representing the Portland region and one representing the Southern Oregon region.
 

More information about the Oregon Heritage Commission is available online at www.oregonheritage.org and from Commission Coordinator Katie Henry at 503-877-8834 or katie.henry@oprd.oregon.gov. 
 

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Advisory Committee To Discuss Proposed Rules For ATV Sound And Safety Equipment -07/10/25

SALEM, Oregon—Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is creating a rulemaking advisory committee to discuss possible changes to sound and equipment standards to All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) use on public lands in Oregon.

House Bill 2232 was signed on March 19, 2025 and became effective upon passage. The bill transfers rulemaking responsibility for ATV safety equipment and noise emissions from Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).

State parks has temporarily adopted ODOT and DEQ’s rules for 180 days under ORS 183.335(5)(a). OPRD is in the process of reviewing the previous rules and developing permanent rules.

The current rules on noise emissions vary by type of vehicle. Requests have been made for a reduced sound limit in Oregon.

Many states use 96 dBA (decibels measured using the A-weighting scale) tested at 20 inches from the exhaust at a 45-degree angle at half RPM (revolutions per minute).

The proposed changes would update definitions for ATVs and look at other safety equipment standards. The committee will meet online 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, 2025 to review and discuss the proposed rule changes. The meetings are open to the public and can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/@oprddirectorsoffice5783/streams

The meeting agenda will include discussions to review sound levels and flag requirements to be consistent with other states. Committee members, appointed by OPRD, include individuals from around the state who are members of the off-road community, law enforcement, land managers and impacted neighbors.

After the committee reviews the proposed changes and staff make updates based on feedback and recommendations, the proposed rule will be open for public comment in August 2025. More information about this rulemaking is available on the OPRD website:  https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PRP/pages/PRP-rulemaking.aspx

Individuals who require special accommodations to view the meetings should contact Ian Caldwell, at least three days in advance of a meeting at ian.caldwell@oprd.oregon.gov

Historic Cemeteries Commission Meets July 24 -07/10/25

The Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries (OCHC) will meet in Grand Ronde at the Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center, and via online meeting on July 24 at 9:00 a.m. The agenda includes discussion of the National Register of Historic Places and a presentation on the 2024 historic cemeteries grant projects. The meeting is open to the public and the agenda includes an opportunity for public comment. Meeting information is on the agenda or you can follow this link to register for online access information.


State law established the seven-member Commission to maintain a listing of all historic cemeteries and gravesites in Oregon; promote public education on the significance of historic cemeteries; and help obtain financial and technical assistance for restoring, improving and maintaining their appearances. For more information about commission activities, contact coordinator Kuri Gill at 503-986-0685 or by e-mail at kuri.gill@oprd.oregon.gov.
 

Special accommodations for the meeting – including translation services – may be made by calling (503) 986‐0609 or Kimberly.Spivey@oprd.oregon.gov at least 72 hours prior to the start of the meeting. For call-in details and the agenda or more information about the commission, visit www.oregonheritage.org.