Capitol hosts virtual exhibits on Hispanic, Nordic culture

Oregon State Capitol offers two virtual historic exhibits this month, on Nordic-style cabins, and Hispanic Heritage Month.

“Swedish Cabins: Legacy of Henry Steiner and Fogelbo,” tells the story of Swedish immigration and innovation in the United States, through the work of Henry Steiner, a Swedish craftsman who built around a hundred cabins and other structures in the Northwest between the 1920s and 1950s.

The online exhibit launched on the Capitol’s website on August 15, and will be available through September 30.

Nordic Northwest is one of three cultural and heritage organizations to receive funding through a new Capitol History Gateway Exhibit Sponsorship program to host an exhibit at the Capitol. The program is funded by the Oregon State Capitol Foundation (OSCF), a 501(c)3 non-profit, and administered by the Capitol Visitor Services department.

Since the historic portion of the Capitol is closed for construction through 2025, the awardees are making their exhibits available virtually, and will bring a physical exhibit to the Capitol when the Galleria exhibit space reopens.

To learn more about Nordic Northwest’s mission and explore some of their other projects, visit them online at nordicnorthwest.org.

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Since 2015, the Capitol has celebrated Oregon’s diverse and vibrant Hispanic and Latinx communities with a special one-day event on a Saturday during Hispanic Heritage Month.

While construction on the central, historic portion of the building is preventing us from hosting Hispanic Heritage Day at the Capitol again this year, we encourage visitors to support some of the Capitol History Gateway (CHG) partners that typically participate in this annual event.

All of the content from last year’s virtual Hispanic Heritage Day at the Capitol remains on line to explore, in English and Spanish. Explore a list of event partners, check out their their webpages, and enjoy performances from Ballet Papalotl, Huehca Omeyocan, Casa de Cultura Tlanese, and more!

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15 annually in the United States to recognize the cultures, histories, and contributions of residents with Spanish, Mexican, Caribbean, Central, and South American ancestry. During the month, content and activities from CHG partners will be shared on Facebook and Instagram accounts.

The National Archives, National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Museum, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Parks Service, and National Endowment for the Humanities have compiled a variety of national resources and events available at hispanicheritagemonth.gov.