Welcome to the North Santiam Historical Society Website!
We’re proud to introduce this new digital home—a gateway to the rich legacy of the Santiam Canyon. Here, we honor the voices and vision of the pioneers who shaped this region, and we invite you to explore the stories, images, and milestones that define our shared past.

This site is a living archive, continually growing with new discoveries and contributions. We hope you’ll visit often as we preserve, celebrate, and share the enduring history of the Canyon for generations to come.

Letter from the North Santiam Historical Society President

On behalf of both past and present NSHS board members, we are excited to share the wealth of preserved history of the North Santiam Canyon. We serve the Santiam Canyon communities from Marion Forks to Mehama, with two museums located in Mill City, including the Drowned Town of Old Detroit. Throughout the decades, passionate, dedicated, and talented volunteers purposed to save stories, artifacts, interviews, photos, maps, research of the people who have lived in the Santiam Canyon, and now we wish to share these treasures with you!

You are welcome to visit our small, but mighty museums every Saturday Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10-12 or 1-3.  In addition, we gladly make personal appointments to tour the museum or conduct personal research, and enjoy welcoming students with their school projects.

A membership to NSHS gives you four newsletters annually with original research articles, upcoming events, and highlights of significant historical people or events, and you will receive a personal invitation via the U.S. Post Office to 8 historical presentations from invited speakers who bring to life a variety of aspects related to the history of our Canyon area. 

North Santiam Canyon Historical Society is here to support you, as you tell your stories.

Each one of us have a story to tell…of overcoming difficulties, learning lessons, joy-filled days, of finding our loves, our passions, of building or tearing down, beginning anew and remembering the past. And the funny thing is, our story is bound up in the stories of those people who have been, or presently in our lives. Our stories are intertwined and important, not just personally, but to each other. As I read through stories of Santiam Canyon people, who took the time to write and preserve their stories from the late 1800’s, 1900’s and into present days, I am often struck by their ingenuity, hard work, laughter, tragedy, and devotion in persevering to help others. As you write (or perhaps you already have!) your family stories, you are also preserving a piece of the history of this canyon.

It doesn’t have to be complicated or require expensive equipment….just sit down with a pencil and paper and begin writing what you know, or ask loved ones their stories…and get those stories written down. Of course, there are many resources to help you if you so desire, and I’ve listed just a few resources I’ve found helpful in the footnotes.

Best to you as you write, interview, research and record those important family stories!

“Family history builds bridges between the generations of our families. Bridges between generations are not built by accident. If I want my children and grandchildren to know those who still live in my memory, then I must build the bridge between them. I alone am the link to the generations that stand on either side of me. It is my responsibility to knit their hearts together through love and respect.”           

                                                                                  Dennis B. Neuenschwande

Respectfully,

Melody Munger,

 Current President of the North Santiam Historical Society