POWERLAND HERITAGE PARK Powerland Heritage Park is a must for anyone who loves vintage fire trucks and tractors. Tour over 14 independent museums dedicated to antique farm machinery and engines, plus visit the Caterpillar Museum, which exhibits machines that helped build the state of Oregon. Kids will love the Great Oregon Steam-Up, two summer weekends in July and August filled with activities from a parade of vintage tractors and trucks to full-size trolley rides. Other festival highlights include panning for gold, a firefighting challenge, and blacksmith and flour-milling demonstrations. Mark your calendar for the Train and Trolley Fest held every June, where family fun includes behind-the-scenes tours at Willow Creek Railroad, unlimited trolley rides at the Oregon Electric Railway Museum and an impressive LEGO rail display in the Trolley Station. But that’s not all — the park draws crowds all year long for the popular Pacific Northwest Truck Show, Powerland Halloween (where you can ride a trolley with pirates!) and a joyful Holiday Sparkles event for the winter season. Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” but more importantly, it tells the stories of the people who have worked and lived at the 130-year-old hospital through a variety of artifacts, documents, photographs and audio recordings. Take a self-guided tour following John Ritter’s Stories of the Underground & Downtown Salem Lore Tour to learn about the city’s fascinating history and notable architecture. Created by a local historian, you’ll learn about life in downtown Salem in the 1800s including a thriving underground with vaults, opium dens, tunnels, a disco and a dynamic Chinese population. HISTORIC COVERED BRIDGES For a quiet escape, walk or bike across the region’s historic covered bridges. Bicyclists can explore the 45-mile Ritner Cycling Loop and pedal through some of Polk County’s most scenic landscapes, including the Ritner Creek Covered Bridge. The stately bridge has Gothic windows and a cedarshake roof, and it is the only remaining structure of its type in Polk County. Another scenic ride is the 57-mile Stayton-6 Bridges Cycling Loop in Stayton, southeast of Salem. Cycle past farms, orchards, vineyards and six historic covered bridges on this tranquil route. The 90-foot StaytonJordan Covered Bridge was rebuilt and relocated to Stayton’s Pioneer Park. You can enjoy the grassy park and grab breakfast at the nearby Covered Bridge Cafe. Also resplendent and packed with rich history is the 84-foot-long Gallon House Bridge, which was built in 1916. The illustrious namesake traces back to the bridge serving as a meeting place for moonshiners during Prohibition. It’s the oldest covered bridge in Marion County. MUSEUMS IN THE REGION The Salem area has an intriguing heritage, and many excellent museums and historical homes bring that history to life. First stop: Hangar C at McNary Field houses the B-17 Alliance Foundation Museum and a restoration facility where you can watch volunteers restore the B-17 Flying Fortress, known as “Lacey Lady,” back to airworthy condition. Additionally, the museum displays uniforms, equipment, and photographs of the men and women who served our country during World War II. Learn about Oregon’s forest history through displays about fire lookouts, the Civilian Conservation Corps, logging and firefighting tools. Salem’s Forest History Center is both a museum and an archive dedicated to teaching the public about protecting Oregon forests and preserving the state’s great forestry legacy. The 1852 house that was once home to Robert Newell, a prominent figure in early Oregon history, is now the Robert Newell House Museum. Head to St. Paul, a small town known for its summer rodeo, to visit this historical home along with other heritage sites that are part of the Newell Pioneer Village. Peruse pioneer artifacts, including furniture dating to the mid-19th century, and the fascinating “First Ladies of Oregon” gown collection, where the oldest dress dates back to 1849. The more eccentric the better at the Mount Angel Abbey Museum in St. Benedict, which was founded in 1882 by a group of Benedictine monks from Switzerland. From the largest porcine (pig) hairball to all sorts of oddities, it’s as unusual as it gets. While there stop by the Benedictine Brewery — one of only a few monk-owned breweries with on-site tasting rooms in the country. Located in Rickreall, the Polk County Museum dives into the region’s history spanning from 1842 to 1960. In addition to artifacts and information about the Kalapuya Tribe and the pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail by covered wagon, the research facility has an extensive archival collection and is a hot spot for visitors seeking out their genealogical information and family trees. Head to the Independence Heritage Museum to learn why the town was once deemed the hop capital of the world, and follow its historical walking tour for more insights. 15 TravelSalem.com
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