TALKS AND EVENTS
Join us at our West's Block location for various talks and events! All of our talks will be hosted on site, at 701 SE Grand Ave.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Overton and Beyond: The Revolutionary Origin of Portland
Join independent scholar Randall Trowbridge for the follow-up to his 2016 presentation revealing the identity of enigmatic Portland founder William P. Overton to explore 10 years of subsequent research, including new information about Overton's fate. Starting with the story of the construction of Portland's first two buildings in 1845, the presentation will reveal how uncovering Overton's identity led to the discovery of a much bigger story about the origins of the West Coast's earliest urban centers and the surprising connection of Portland's founding to the long-misunderstood Bear Flag Revolt.
April 18, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
"Atiyeh" Author Dr James Moore Talk & Book Signing Free Event
Governor Vic Atiyeh, who led Oregon government from 1979-87, has sometimes been overshadowed by other major figures of the era in Oregon, such as Tom McCall and Mark Hatfield. But Atiyeh played a large and decisive role in transforming Oregon from its historical roots into the future-facing state it has become. This thoroughly researched biography fills in a critical part of the Oregon story - and shows in detail how a strong public executive did his work.
May 9, 2026
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Portland's Chinatowns Talk and Book Signing
Free Event
This book presents a vivid visual history of Portland’s Chinatowns, tracing their cultural legacy through photographs spanning from the 1850s to the present. What began in the 1850s grew into the nation’s second‑largest Chinatown by the early 1900s, surpassed only by San Francisco’s.
Portland’s early Chinese residents faced exclusion, discrimination, and forced relocation—conditions that shaped what became the New Chinatown/Japantown Historic District. These photographs reveal their challenges, achievements, and lasting contributions, deepening our understanding of the American immigrant experience and honoring the resilience of a community that helped shape a vibrant, multicultural city.
Book will be available for purchase and signing.
May 16, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
2026 Irvington Home Tour
One of Northeast Portland’s most anticipated annual events returns this spring as the Irvington Home Tour opens the doors to six private residences on Sunday, May 17, from 11 AM to 5 PM. Now in its sixth decade, the tour continues to celebrate the architectural richness of the Irvington neighborhood while raising funds for local schools and nonprofit organizations.
Set within the Irvington National Historic District—Oregon’s largest historic district and one of the largest in the country—the self-guided tour offers a rare opportunity to step inside homes that reflect the neighborhood’s depth and diversity. This year’s selection ranges from intimate, thoughtfully updated spaces to larger, more expansive residences, with architectural styles spanning Arts & Crafts to Colonial Revival.
May 17, 2026
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Buildings on Wheels: House Moves Presentation
Join Dr. Tanya Lyn March for a captivating look at Portland’s "buildings on wheels."From the triumphant rescues of the Kamm House and Ladd Carriage House to the tragic mid-move calamity of the Ahavath Achim Synagogue, and the failed capital campaign for the restoration of Captain John Brown House, discover the engineering feats and heartbreaks of structural relocation. Explore the evolution of moving technology and gain essential research skills to uncover your own neighborhood's "hidden travelers."
June 13, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
"Building Portland's Memorial Coliseum" Michael A. Orr Talk & Book Signing Free Event
Portland, Oregon, in the 1950s was a city at a crossroads. Would it retain the status quo of the first half of the twentieth century or rush headlong into the future? Pitting east side upstarts against downtown traditionalists, the battle over where to build the Memorial Coliseum was at times exciting, controversial, and long-winded. Three very different locations set off a storm of subterfuge and political posturing that included the indictment of a commissioner originally tasked with choosing the site and the rise of an east side used car dealer determined to prevent the city from building the arena downtown. With the future of sports and recreation in the Rose City at stake, city leaders and private citizens sparred in public hearings and Portland’s first ever televised debates. Author Michael A. Orr provides a behind-the-scenes look at the drama and machinations in the battle to build Portland a space for future generations.
Book will be available for purchase and signing.
June 20, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Hidden Brilliance: The Residential Architecture of Joseph Jacobberger
AHC historians and researchers Jim Heuer and Robert Mercer present the residential work of a truly brilliant architect from Portland’s “Golden Age.” Over many years, the pair has dug into long forgotten files of architectural drawings at the University of Oregon and tracked down over 260 Joseph Jacobberger-designed homes in Portland and surrounding towns -- over 130 of which still survive. Their findings reveal the amazing virtuosity of an architect previously known mostly for his religious architecture like St. Mary's Cathedral.
Jim and Robert have updated their research, including some houses never before known to be Jacobberger designs. You'll learn that Jacobberger was extraordinarily talented and able to design homes in a broad array of styles from Colonial to Craftsman, English Cottage to Jacobean. His skills turned standard styles into architectural sculpture, blending form with function, with his later designs foretelling the "Northwest Style" later practiced by Pietro Belluschi and others.
June 27, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
WALKING TOURS
From March to November, we offer tours of historic neighborhoods throughout the city. Click here to learn more!
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