The Pacific Northwest Historians Guild brings together scholars concerned with the study and dissemination of regional history. Founded in Nov. 1980, the Guild fosters teaching and appreciation of Northwest history and promotes communication among regional historians.
We look forward to seeing you at our monthly Zoom lectures and other events in 2025.
APRIL 24TH GUILD MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
Free and open to the public
The Pacific Northwest Historians Guild is proud to welcomeauthorLinda Ziedrich as our guest for April. She will discuss her new Oregon State University Press book, First Fruits.
First Fruits offers a fascinating look at the lives of Pacific Coast horticulturists Henderson, Jonathan, and Seth Lewelling. Traveling across the Overland Trail—Henderson to Oregon in 1847, with a wagonload of fruit trees, and Seth and John to California three years later—the brothers would establish themselves as pioneers in the West’s growing fruit industry. By recounting how Henderson planted the first orchard of grafted fruit trees in Oregon, how Seth originated the Black Republican and Bing cherries, and how John led the development of the Napa Valley wine industry, First Fruits preserves the Lewellings’ place in history.
However, the Lewellings were not simply planters, grafters, and breeders. They were also adventurers, colonists, gold seekers, reformists, and explorers—experiencing firsthand the westward expansion of the nation. Their stories provide a unique glimpse into the social, economic, and political history of the day. From their Quaker upbringing in North Carolina and Indiana to Henderson’s attempt to start a utopian colony in Honduras, John’s efforts to grow the Grange in California, and Seth’s contribution to democratic reforms in Oregon, the Lewellings’ legacy extends far beyond their agricultural endeavors.
In the first biography to reclaim the brothers’ histories, Linda Ziedrich splendidly captures their dedicated support of one another and their communities, their contributions to the development of the modern fruit industry, and their lasting influence on the cultivation of fruits synonymous with the Pacific Coast region.
Linda Ziedrich writes about food from garden to table, culinary history, and the cuisines of the world. Her books include The Curious Kitchen Gardener: Uncommon Plants and How to Eat Them and The Joy of Pickling, now in its third edition. She lives in Lebanon, Oregon.
This FREE Zoom meeting will start at 7 pm, Thursday April 24th
Registration is required at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ggyFKOTDSAGkT8mokwisQg