Champoeg State Heritage Park Events

 Three time a year, Dan Klug, Champoeg Park Interpretive Ranger, puts on events that represents the parks early history. In the past, several members of FHBPB and others of the black powder sport, have volunteered to help.

  The three events are Founder’s Day, the Spring Fur Trapper’s Encampment and the fall Fur Trapper’s Encampment. Founder’s Day is always the first Saturday in May, from 1:00 to 3:00. The event recognizes the people and vote to make Oregon a U S Territory. The names of the voters are read off and once finished, volunteers in regalia fire off their rifles.

  This year the spring Fur Trapper’s encampment will be on Saturday June 4th and the fall encampment will be on Saturday September 24th. Both events will be from 10:00 to 4:00 for park visitors to wander through and observe the daily camp lives of a fur trapper. The fall event represents the trappers forming up to go out trapping for the winter. The spring event represents the trappers coming back together with their winter pelts. We are representing the early 1820’s

 What Dan is looking for are people with small lodges, like diamond or lean-tos. The park has several pieces of canvas that are set up as lean-tos. The idea is to set up light as we are representing trappers that will be traveling by water in most cases. There is also an HBC trade tent that is set up. Some of the demonstrations that have been done in the past are; fire start, running ball over a camp fire, cooking, horn making, trapping, blacksmithing, variety of furs set out, hawk throwing, display & talk of the firearms of the era. The object is to inform the public about what took place here in history that isn’t taught in most history books. Champoeg – and with these encampments – is where history comes alive.

  The participants can come in and set up on Friday of the encampments and stay until Sunday. We usually have a potluck dinner Saturday evening, weather permitting. If interested in giving a demo, or just wandering around in regalia, you can talk to me or Kathy, Larry or Susie, Jerry or Carol, Jim, Frank, or Colin.

Jack ‘Carp Jaw’ Meade