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The Museum
The Gresham Historical Society is a free museum located in the 1913 former Gresham Library, a beautiful Tudor Revival building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Our gallery features rotating exhibits on local history.
Our Mission
The Gresham Historical Society preserves and shares our community’s past to enrich its present and future.
Our Vision
The Gresham Historical Society will be a center for the community where all may gather to learn and find inspiration in the history and culture of the Gresham area.
History of Gresham
Most of the land that Gresham now occupies was once part of the seasonal hunting and camping grounds of an upper branch of the Clackamas Chinook, who lived in villages on the Columbia River and hunted and gathered along Johnson Creek.
GHS in the Press
Gresham 1931 Zion Church Building Gets Preservation Facelift
Chris Keizur, Gresham Outlook, 6/24/2025
A historic building in Downtown Gresham is getting a facelift thanks to a grant.
The Historic Downtown Gresham Association secured a $243,025 Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant for the iconic 1931 Zion Church/Spinella’s Restaurant, 436 N. Main Ave. The money will be used to rehabilitate and maintain the exterior of the structure.
Gresham Historical Society names 2024 Volunteer of the Year
Chris Keizur, Gresham Outlook, 1/10/2024
The Gresham Historical Society is celebrating one of the top volunteers at its organization, recognizing a man who logged more time than nearly any other person last year to preserve local history and power community-facing outings.
Jonathan Caruso is the 2024 Volunteer of the Year, thanks in large part to the more than 400 hours he dedicated to the organization.
Missing Gresham historic stone obelisk rediscovered after two months of searching
Chris Keizur, Gresham Outlook, 11/12/2024
The mysterious disappearance of a historical marker, dating back to the 1800s, has been solved by some dedicated historians and city staffers.
A missing stone obelisk marking the 11th mile east of the Willamette River, on Stark Street, dating back to 1854, was discovered after a two-month search. The obelisk, normally on Stark near 197th Avenue, went missing after a car accident broke it from its base.
“Voices of Gresham” podcast puts the ‘story in history’
Chris Keizur, Gresham Outlook 7/26/2024
“Voices of Gresham” is halfway through its 10-episode debut first season, which has been running every Wednesday weekly through the summer. The podcast takes oral histories, recordings and interviews to uncover the many historical mysteries across Gresham.
“So many people have lived these incredible lives here in Gresham,” said Host Stephanie Vallance. “What better way to tell that story than by the people who lived it.”
Explore
Podcast
Exhibits
Exhibits
Voices of Gresham is a podcast written and produced in-house using memories from our oral history collection. Join hosts Stephanie Vallance and Melissa Bevency on a journey through time!
Exhibits
Exhibits
Exhibits
Check out rotating exhibits on themes in local history, changing every year to explore different subjects. Explore this year's exhibits with a kid-friendly museum scavenger hunt!
Events
Exhibits
Support
Join us for upcoming events, including lectures, tours, and fundraisers. Monthly history talks, walking tours of historic cemeteries, and family-friendly workshops are just some of what we have to offer.
Support
Exhibits
Support
Gifts and contributions to the Gresham Historical Society support the continued preservation and sharing of our local history. We are a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax deductible.