OTE - Oregon Travel Experience

The 2015 Oregon heritage tree award

Posted on: October 30th, 2014 in News & Press |

OTE announces the Maynard C. Drawson Memorial Award

Oregon Travel Experience (OTE) and the Oregon Heritage Tree Program have established a new statewide award in Maynard “The Tree Man” Drawson’s name.
Maynard Charles Drawson (1925 – 2012) is considered the founder of Oregon’s official statewide heritage tree program. Founded in 1995 the program is administered by OTE, and was adopted by the agency’s governing Council.
The annual award will honor individuals (or groups) …

Read More

A lost tree gives new life

Posted on: July 23rd, 2014 in News & Press |

Image of Doug Grafe and newly elected Chair of the Oregon Heritage Committee Roger Brandt, unload milled lumber from the Barlow Tollgate Maple

Barlow Tollgate Road Maple Heritage Tree lives on

At its recent July meeting, OTE’s Oregon Heritage Tree Program Committee members participated in several special actions.
Committee member Doug Grafe, Fire Protection Deputy Chief with the Oregon Department of Forestry, unveiled a labor of love: a memorial tribute bench made from the gnarly wood of a former heritage tree.
In 2011 a pair of Oregon Heritage Trees gracing US Hwy 26 suffered a major …

Read More

The roots of history branch out

Posted on: June 11th, 2014 in News & Press |

Help celebrate the Aurora Colony Black Walnut Heritage Tree dedication

On Sunday, June 22, 2014, at 2:30 p.m., the third tree in the Class of 2014 Oregon Heritage Trees series will be honored with a ceremony in historic Aurora, Oregon.
The historic Christian Zimmerman House (located at 21514 Liberty St NE) and its current owner Brian Asher, will play host to the ceremony. The honoree, the Aurora Colony Black Walnut Heritage Tree, …

Read More

A tree on the map of history

Posted on: May 1st, 2014 in News & Press |

On Friday, May 9, 2014, at 1:00 p.m., the Oregon State Heritage Tree Program will honor one of the City of Wilsonville’s most prominent landmarks when it inducts the Robert Valentine (R.V.) Short Heritage Fir Tree into the official state roster of heritage trees. The towering Douglas fir stands on the remnants of R.V. Short’s original donation land claim at Merryfield Park in Wilsonville.
Oregon Travel Experience (OTE), the Oregon Heritage …

Read More

Oregon Travel Information Council telephonic meeting

Posted on: December 12th, 2013 in News & Press |

On Monday, December 16th, OTE’s governing Council will hold a special telephonic meeting. The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. and a brief agenda (as follows) addressed:
OPENING OF MEETING
NEW BUSINESS A) Approval of October 17, 2013 Minutes
B) Rest Area Discussion
ADJOURN
For complete meeting information, including handouts or electronic materials, contact OTE’s Executive Assistant Jenn Smith. You may contact Jenn by email or by telephoning 503-373-0155.
 
The next regular quarterly meeting will be …

Read More

Oregon Travel Information Council Meeting reminder

Posted on: October 16th, 2013 in News & Press |

Oregon Travel Experience’s governing council will meet tomorrow,  Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 11:00 am.  The meeting will take place at OTE’s Salem offices, located at 1500 Liberty St. SE, Suite 150, Salem, OR.  The public is encouraged to attend, as well as other interested persons. The upcoming quarterly meeting involves a work session to support the agency’s strategic planning workshop to be held on November 18, 2013.
Highlights of tomorrow’s …

Read More

OTE chats with Jefferson Public Radio

Posted on: September 25th, 2013 in News & Press |

Fall is here with claps of thunder and rain for the green hills we Oregonians value so much. Another asset besides our lush landscapes and wide open vistas is our publicly owned highway safety rest areas. Lately, we’ve conducted several summer road trips which lead us into strategic planning sessions, but also immediate fixes for some very old and outdated travel information kiosks.
You can read more about our short and …

Read More

Under the canopy of history, the Orenco Heritage Elm Trees

Posted on: September 24th, 2013 in News & Press |

On Saturday, September 28, 2013, a line of majestic and significant trees near Hillsboro will be formally inducted into the Oregon Heritage Tree Program. Orenco’s heritage is deeply rooted in the agricultural nursery industry of the early 1900s and the town’s elm trees are to be honored accordingly.
The ceremony is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and will be held near the historic trees’ location at the corner of 228th and NW …

Read More

Rest Area Profile: French Prairie Rest Area, milepost 281

Posted on: September 8th, 2013 in News & Press, Rest Areas |

Location: French Prairie is one of Oregon’s largest rest areas and encompasses over 40 acres on each side of Interstate 5. Located a very short distance from Portland at milepost 281, the rest stop is near major tourism and visitor attractions, including Woodburn Company Stores and the National Historic Districts of Aurora and Champoeg. ( See the map at the bottom of this history page for driving directions.)
 
Amenities: Travel information center including …

Read More

Travel Information Council to hold work session

Posted on: July 26th, 2013 in News & Press |

Session to take place Monday, August 5, 2013

Oregon Travel Experience’s governing body, the Oregon Travel Information Council, will hold a work session at the Wilsonville Water Treatment Plant facility conference room in Wilsonville, Oregon, on Monday, August 5th, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The conference room is located within the treatment plant location at 10350 SW Arrowhead Creek Lane.
The day’s activities include clarifying the agency’s vision and mission statements, and engaging in …

Read More