ORIGINAL WASCO COUNTY COURTHOUSE: Regional History Forum programs online in February

The Zoom link will be available beginning at 1 p.m., and organizers ask that participants log in or call at least 15 minutes early, as the presentation begins promptly at 1:30 p.m.

This year’s programs are:

Feb. 5: Finding David Douglas — An Environmentalist Before His Time. “Lois Leonard capped a distinguished career in the field of public history and museums by directing and producing this video. It’s a compelling tale of adventure and discovery following the intrepid 19th century Scots botanist/explorer from his native Scotland to North America and beyond,” said a press release.

Feb. 12: The Pineapple War — Labor Action in The Dalles. “Those who read local newspapers or listen to local radio know Rodger Nichols. Our local historian and member of the courthouse board tells of the time The Dalles made national headlines. A 1949 longshoreman strike in Hawaii led to a riot in our fair city when a boatload of pineapples showed up.”

Feb. 19: John S. Woodruff — Hermit of the Cave. “Georga Foster is president of the Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society and volunteers at the Discovery Center Library. There was a man who lived in a cave above the Catholic Cemetery in The Dalles. More than a century has passed and he still is a subject of conversation and speculation. Foster’s program explores the life, family, and past of John Woodruff, the hermit of Hermit’s Cave.”

Feb. 26: Lorena Trickey — Oregon’s World Champion Cowgirl. “Leaders of Crown Point Country Historical Society Steve Lehl and Chuck Rollins present the cowgirl honored in the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Lorena was born in a small town at the west end of the Gorge, became one of the great female competitors in the first Golden Age of rodeo, performed as a stunt double in Hollywood, stabbed one husband, then remarried and became a prospector and miner.”

Now in its 43rd year, Regional History Forum programs are free to attend, but donations are appreciated and go towards the operation of the Original 1859 Courthouse; checks can be sent to PO Box 839, The Dalles OR 97058.

For more information, visit www.Original

WascoCountyCourthouse.org.