Edward S. Curtis, a renowned American photographer and ethnologist, dedicated over three decades of his life to documenting the cultures, traditions, and daily lives of Native American tribes through his monumental work, The North American Indian. Beginning in the late 19th century, Curtis captured over 40,000 photographs and extensive ethnographic records of more than 80 tribes, creating an unparalleled visual and cultural archive that preserves the heritage of Indigenous peoples facing rapid cultural change. His work, characterized by its artistic sensitivity and anthropological depth, remains a vital resource for understanding Native American history and identity. The Curtis Legacy Foundation, established to honor and extend Curtis’s mission, promotes the preservation, study, and appreciation of his photographic and ethnographic contributions, ensuring that his legacy continues to educate and inspire future generations about the rich diversity of Native American cultures.

 This presentation covers life stories and photos from his private studio in Seattle and the on going preservation of this renowned photographer and historian through the Curtis Legacy Foundation. The foundation is  presently involved with two projects, the Unpublished Series of books which have been released for sale and the Descendants Project that is being conducted with cooperation of native tribes in the Northwest and Southwest. Program facilitator is Georga Foster. 

Register at   https://gorgegen.blogspot.com/   

Members and Friends,


April program coming up! Registration is open! This is a virtual presentation.  Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Gv4IJihtRYCxZjhRiaeuEQ

Ever need an image for a presentation and just can’t find the right one to set the scene?
How about music to create a “mood” for your program or a quotation from a book or publication to add interest?
This program will cover those questions and we will share where to find images, music, and publications and review the public domain structure. The facilitator is Georga Foster.

Happy New Year!

Members and Friends, 

A reminder to register for Thomas MacEntee’s program on January 11, 2025 at 11:00 am –  pacific time. 

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkdOCvqTspGNcdU-uO7SGLxeo8-j6IXZFg

Wishing everyone a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

Genealogy Friends,

Click here for the latest issue of Tales and Trails newsletter.

 Also, register to attend Thomas MacEntee live on Oct 5, 2024. Thomas will be talking about “10 Must Haves for Genealogy and Family History Success|”.  Register here:  https://gorgegen.blogspot.com/

Morning Members and Friends!

Just a reminder of the upcoming program this Saturday, September 14th at 1:00pm. We will be be discussing ways to best fulfill our research quests in today’s rising costs for subscription and membership fees.

We all want reputable and reliable resources for our work but for some researchers that is becoming a unattainable goal. This program bring suggestions and recommendations on how to best navigate resources in genealogy and history research. Laurel Smith will be joining us from the Genealogical Forum of Oregon providing information on their online databases which you can access from home and their new database NewspaperArchive. 

Please join us! The program is free as always and guests are welcome.

Please register here:  https://gorgegen.blogspot.com/ 

See you soon!

Randol B. Fletcher, the author of Hidden History of Civil War Oregon, will speak on the state of the U.S. military at the start of the Civil War, the formation of Oregon volunteer regiments that replaced the Federal troops withdrawn from Oregon. He will talk about Oregonians who served in the war including Sen. Edward D. Baker and a little known cavalry unit known as Olney’s 40 Thieves that patrolled the Columbia River Gorge. He will also be available for questions and answers.

Randol B. Fletcher, a lifelong student of history, is a fifth-generation Oregonian born and raised in Albany. He graduated from the University of Oregon with degrees in history and political science. Fletcher has been Civil War reenacting since 2003 and is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Karen, and their children, Andrew and Allison. As a member, and past camp commander, of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Fletcher began researching the lives of Oregon Civil War soldiers while leading cemetery restoration projects in Eugene, Corvallis and Portland. His research led him to write a series of Civil War-themed articles for Oregon Magazine. Other publications where Fletcher’s work has appeared include Columbia Magazine and The Banner.

This free program will be in the downstairs classroom. The Cafe is not open at this time. The program is open to the public and there is no museum entrance fee for this event. A $1.00 donation is suggested to off set room rental.

The Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society will meet on January 11, 2020 in the downstairs classroom at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. This months program will be the ” Individual Research Assistance” project. The project consists of members collaborating with other members in solving their research dead ends or brick walls.The project will run both January and February. Members are encouraged to bring their laptops and their research data. A short business meeting will begin at 10:30 followed by the beginning of our research assistance project. There is no admission charge to the Discovery Center for attending our meetings. A $1.00 donation is appreciated to cover room rental.