AHC’s Norm Gholston is known as the person with the most knowledge of the collection. 

“All the questions come to me, about anything history related.” 

He also oversees exhibits, programs, walking tours, the collection, and the library at Architectural Heritage Center. 

Under his care, the AHC will give nearly 90 walking tours this year to small groups of ten to fifteen people at a time. 

Now the Preservation Programs Manager, Gholston became interested in architectural history forty years ago when he began restoring his own house, a 1889 Victorian. Back then, Gholston took classes offered through the AHC to inform his restoration, and that began a deep relationship. 

“I got interested in the history of Portland and began to read everything I could get my hands on.” 

An Oregonian through and through, Gholston only left Portland briefly to study chemical engineering and geology at Oregon State University. 

A leader in the history community, Gholston participates and leads many groups that are deeply involved in history and exhibits, and he assists partners including private firms, nonprofits, and businesses with his modest nature and a quick laugh.

“We want to partner anytime we can.” 

Previously he has chaired both the AHC Collections and Exhibits committees. 

His experience ranges widely from construction to lighting, space, and layout design. He is also the co-author of the book Portland Slabtown Neighborhood.

“There needs to be drama and public interaction in an exhibit. Anything can be done.” 

What excites Gholston in particular about an exhibit is the content. 

“Telling the story, trying to express the story with objects and pictures and text—any one of those things by themselves doesn’t mean anything unless they have the meaning expressed. But it also needs to be eye-appealing and fun. Not too stiff.” 

Gholston advocates for artifacts to be publicly accessible. 

“It’s not educating someone if it is in a box in a warehouse.”