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Episode 1: A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon

A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon

In 1880, the first Japanese settler arrived in Oregon. Her name was Miyo Iwakoshi, and her arrival would pave the way for generations of Japanese Americans to come. Buried in an unmarked grave, she became a mystery, uniting historians across space and time in the search for who she was. Join us as we explore the unusual life of Miyo Iwakoshi, the Western Empress of Orient.

Music for this episode: Simplicity by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Black and white photo of Miyo Iwakoshi, an older Japanese woman, seated and holding a book.
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Episode Transcript and Further Reading

VoG_01_A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon_Transcript (pdf)Download
Akiko Sugioka to Margaret Okrasinski_1978-08-28 (pdf)Download
Akiko Sugioka to Margaret Okrasinski_1979-02-09 (pdf)Download
Sharon Nesbit to Akiko Sugioka_1979-04-25 (pdf)Download
Gresham Outlook_1988-05-18_1B (pdf)Download
Gresham Outlook_1988-05-21_4A (pdf)Download
Gresham Outlook_1988-05-25_6A (pdf)Download

Airmail envelope from Akiko Sugioka in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan to Sharon Nesbit in Troutdale, Oregon, USA in 1980. Three women in two countries spent years working to uncover the story of Oregon's first Japanese immigrant, Miyo Iwakoshi.

Voices of Gresham: A New Podcast

A podcast about Gresham history, told through the voices of those who have lived it. Join us each Wednesday as we bring Gresham's past to life - from the Japanese American experience to Prohibition and speakeasies.  Hosted and co-written by Stephanie Vallance and Melissa Bevency, in partnership with GHS. 

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Episode 2: Cultivating Community

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 2: Cultivating Community

Last week, we were introduced to Gresham’s first Japanese settler -  Miyo Iwakoshi. In episode 2 of Voices of Gresham, we'll take a closer look at how the issei and their nisei children followed in Miyo's footsteps to put down their own roots. Their families' experiences were much like those of many early 20th century American immigrants.

Last week, we were introduced to Gresham’s first Japanese settler -  Miyo Iwakoshi. In episode 2 of Voices of Gresham, we'll take a closer look at how the issei and their nisei children followed in Miyo's footsteps to put down their own roots. Their families' experiences were much like those of many early 20th century American immigrants. Joy and hope were often coupled with tragedy and loss and would define the lives of Japanese American immigrants during the first half of the 20th century. 

Listen to Episode 2

Episode 3: Road to Minidoka

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 2: Cultivating Community

On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. As war broke out, so did feelings of suspicion towards Japanese Americans, ultimately culminating in President Roosevelt’s internment order. Gresham’s Japanese families sold most of what they owned, left behind their farms, and boarded buses headed towards an unknown future. Most arrived a

On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. As war broke out, so did feelings of suspicion towards Japanese Americans, ultimately culminating in President Roosevelt’s internment order. Gresham’s Japanese families sold most of what they owned, left behind their farms, and boarded buses headed towards an unknown future. Most arrived at the Portland Assembly Center, where they found livestock stalls that they were temporarily forced to call home. Join us as we travel with them on the first leg of their journey. 

Listen to Episode 3

Episode 4: Relocation to Idaho

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

In the summer of 1942, Gresham’s interned families were loaded onto trains and forcibly relocated to Hunt, Idaho. There they found an unfinished concentration camp called Minidoka, where they would live under guard for the next three years. Despite their imprisonment, many looked for ways to exercise autonomy and build community. They cul

In the summer of 1942, Gresham’s interned families were loaded onto trains and forcibly relocated to Hunt, Idaho. There they found an unfinished concentration camp called Minidoka, where they would live under guard for the next three years. Despite their imprisonment, many looked for ways to exercise autonomy and build community. They cultivated gardens in the dusty soil, started their own baseball teams, and created their own newspaper and yearbook. Join us as we uncover their incredible stories from the Idaho desert. 

Listen to Episode 4

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

During internment, the Japanese had done their best to maintain autonomy and community despite their difficult  circumstances. While laboring at Nyssa and counting down the long desert days at Minidoka, many thought of what life would be like after the war. Upon leaving the camps, would they be embraced or rejected? Would they ever get ba

During internment, the Japanese had done their best to maintain autonomy and community despite their difficult  circumstances. While laboring at Nyssa and counting down the long desert days at Minidoka, many thought of what life would be like after the war. Upon leaving the camps, would they be embraced or rejected? Would they ever get back what was lost? In this episode, we examine what it was like for those who returned to their homes in Gresham.

Listen to Episode 5

Episode 6: Reparations and Moving Forward

Episode 6: Reparations and Moving Forward

Episode 6: Reparations and Moving Forward

The decades following WWII were pivotal for Gresham’s Japanese American community. Many engaged with Japanese  traditions alongside the American notion of freedom that internment had denied them. It was a time of reparations and rebuilding, of both seeking amends for the past and creating a better future. Through it all, Miyo Iwakoshi's u

The decades following WWII were pivotal for Gresham’s Japanese American community. Many engaged with Japanese  traditions alongside the American notion of freedom that internment had denied them. It was a time of reparations and rebuilding, of both seeking amends for the past and creating a better future. Through it all, Miyo Iwakoshi's unmarked grave rested beneath a tall cedar – a symbol of strength and resilience throughout 100 years of history. 

Listen to Episode 6

Episode 7: Spirits and Speakeasies

Episode 6: Reparations and Moving Forward

Episode 6: Reparations and Moving Forward

At a glance, 1920s Gresham appeared to be a quaint, sleepy farm town. However, beneath the surface, something strange was brewing. Stills and speakeasies were popping up rapidly – much to the frustration of the county sheriff. From barns and backyards, moonshine traveled east and  west along Base Line Road. As Portland residents flocked t

At a glance, 1920s Gresham appeared to be a quaint, sleepy farm town. However, beneath the surface, something strange was brewing. Stills and speakeasies were popping up rapidly – much to the frustration of the county sheriff. From barns and backyards, moonshine traveled east and  west along Base Line Road. As Portland residents flocked to Rockwood’s roadhouses, colorful characters connected over illicit spirits. Join us as we hear from those who lived it, exploring this hidden history 100 years later. 

Listen to Episode 7

Episode 8: Currents of Change

Episode 6: Reparations and Moving Forward

Episode 8: Currents of Change

As we wander through the streets and fields of Gresham today, it’s easy to overlook the layers of history beneath our feet. On today's episode, we’ll journey through the environmental story of Gresham and uncover how millennia of constant transformation shaped the town we know today. Kayte Williamson and Kendal Young, our newest voices of

As we wander through the streets and fields of Gresham today, it’s easy to overlook the layers of history beneath our feet. On today's episode, we’ll journey through the environmental story of Gresham and uncover how millennia of constant transformation shaped the town we know today. Kayte Williamson and Kendal Young, our newest voices of Gresham, explore the powerful and sometimes surprising connections between the environment and the people who call this place home. 

Listen to Episode 8

Episode 9: Women's Work

Episode 6: Reparations and Moving Forward

Episode 8: Currents of Change

Looking back at our history, there is a common misconception that women didn’t work until World War II. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Women’s labor has always been an important part of the US economy, whether paid or unpaid. Throughout the decades of the twentieth century, though, the nature of this work changed as the country 

Looking back at our history, there is a common misconception that women didn’t work until World War II. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Women’s labor has always been an important part of the US economy, whether paid or unpaid. Throughout the decades of the twentieth century, though, the nature of this work changed as the country changed. More opportunities became available, and women’s labor diversified. Charlotte Becker takes us through what this transition looked like in Gresham, using personal stories of housewives, teachers, entrepreneurs, and many more.

Listen to Episode 9

Episode 10: Historic Homes

Episode 10: Historic Homes

Episode 10: Historic Homes

Every building in Gresham is a silent witness to history, marking time and reminding us that we are only the most recent visitors to this area. Today, we’re going to look at three of these buildings from different eras in Gresham's history and uncover some of the stories they have to tell. One house erected before Gresham was even a city 

Every building in Gresham is a silent witness to history, marking time and reminding us that we are only the most recent visitors to this area. Today, we’re going to look at three of these buildings from different eras in Gresham's history and uncover some of the stories they have to tell. One house erected before Gresham was even a city saw dramatic family feuds, publicized and messy court cases, and a young married woman owning property in her own name. From World War I to the 1960s, a Rockwood institution provided care and training to girls and very young women who had nowhere else to turn; and finally, a dream home was designed in love letters, providing comfort and hope for a World War II soldier and his wife.

Listen to Episode 10
Audio cassette tape labeled "10-11-85 Nagae Family Copy"

Creating 'Voices of Gresham'

Read about host Stephanie Vallance's journey through the annals of local history and the museum archives.  Voices of Gresham is a production almost 50 years in the making.

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Lectures and Documentaries

Lectures and Documentaries

 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.

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Lectures and Documentaries

Lectures and Documentaries

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GHS volunteers and staff are working hard to find great local history stories and share them with you.  Check out their research on our YouTube channel and learn about upcoming lectures at the museum.

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Lectures and Documentaries

Research and Collections

What's your history mystery? Search for the answer in our archives! Resources include over 70 years of the Gresham Outlook (our local newspaper) as well as thousands  of historic documents and photos. You can also browse a portion of our collection online.

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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.

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Stream Season 1

Episode 1: A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon

Episode 1: A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon

Episode 1: A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon

Listen to Episode 1

Episode 2: Cultivating Community

Episode 1: A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon

Episode 1: A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon

Listen to Episode 2

Episode 3: Road to Minidoka

Episode 1: A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon

Episode 4: Relocation to Idaho

Listen to Episode 3

Episode 4: Relocation to Idaho

Episode 1: A Japanese Pioneer in Oregon

Episode 4: Relocation to Idaho

Listen to Episode 4

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Listen to Episode 5

Episode 6: Reparations and Moving Forward

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Listen to Episode 6

Episode 7: Spirits and Speakeasies

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 7: Spirits and Speakeasies

Listen to Episode 7

Episode 8: Currents of Change

Episode 5: Coming Home: Life After Internment

Episode 7: Spirits and Speakeasies

Listen to Episode 8

Episode 9: Women's Work

Episode 10: Historic Homes

Episode 10: Historic Homes

Listen to Episode 9

Episode 10: Historic Homes

Episode 10: Historic Homes

Episode 10: Historic Homes

Listen to Episode 10
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