Nostalgia will be in the air Friday, September 11, when partygoers gather at the Heritage Center for its only fundraiser of the year. This year there are two reasons to celebrate: 100 years since the old church was dedicated in 1926, and 20 years since local dignitaries cut the ribbon for its new life as the Heritage Center in partnership with the City of Tualatin.
The popular gathering features generous pours of NW wines, hearty appetizers and sweet treats from Elka Bees, live jazz by Don Schlesinger, and a trivia game hosted by Mayor Frank Bubenik on key moments in Tualatin history. To add to the fun, participants are invited to wear attire appropriate for a decade of their choice.
Entry is by advance reservation at www.tualatinhistory.org or by calling 503-885-1926. Cost is $50 in advance, or $60 at the door. We also have a cash prize raffle for $10 per ticket With only 300 tickets available, there are excellent odds of winning $500, $250 or $100. Buy yours online or in person that evening. As usual, gift cards for local restaurants and entertainment venues are available and always sell out fast. The traditional $25 wine pull includes some bottles valued at two to three times that amount.
Heritage Evening starts at 5:30 pm and goes to 8 pm. Jazz and swing music by Schlesinger will feature a 1937 Rose Festival theme song written by Tualatin resident Goldie Maye Basler.
The former Methodist church building, then located near the corner of Boones Ferry and Tualatin Sherwood Road, was sold in 1981 to Clark Lumber, which leased it to three other churches and organizations until it was donated to the Tualatin Historical Society in 2003. A community campaign generated over $187,000, which grew to more than $450,000 through in-kind support and City of Tualatin funds, supporting the building’s move and retrofit for its new life. The unusual partnership continues. Today, the city owns the building and helps maintain it, while THS is responsible for operations, including free programs and rentals. The center is open weekdays 10-2.
Two THS programs about the history of the building can be viewed on YouTube. A third, soon-to-be-available program includes video clips of the actual move down Tualatin streets and placement at the new site in late summer 2005. The Center opened for business in February 2006.
For More information, please see tualatinhistory.org.
Tualatin Heritage Center is located at 8700 SW Sweek Drive, adjacent to the police station. It celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026. The Center is owned by the City of Tualatin, operated by the Society and maintains regular hours year-round. Rentals are available for public and private events alike. It was formerly a Methodist church along Boones Ferry and Tualatin-Sherwood Roads. In addition to exhibits, a small gift shop is available. A 125-year-old farm wagon used by several Tualatin families is a new display along Sweek Drive.
