Hello from the History Department. This brightly colored painting hangs in the pub at McMenamins Elks Temple in Tacoma, WA. But it wasn’t painted by one of our staff artists. This original oil painting, called Student Prince (ca. early 1930s), was graciously made available by Rudy Hansen, longtime employee at the revered Heidelberg Brewery of…

Hello from the History Department. On September 30, former Crystal Ballroom production manager Glen Rinzler of Showcall Event Services passed away here in Portland after a long illness. His mom was by his side. He’d only been with the Crystal for a handful of years, yet he’d already made an indelible mark with legendary music…

Hello from the History Department. It’s October, the time of year when everyone wants to hear about the McMenamins ghosts. So here’s one “ghost” story, penned by a certain someone at the top of our company, that explains why we named the 3rd floor attic rooms at the Grand Lodge the way we did. Make…

Hello from the History Department. Read about Sheriff John Hoggatt, one member of seven generations of Hoggatts who still call Kalama, WA, home. His story can be connected back to not one, but two current McMenamins properties. ********* In 1888, the Hoggatt family journeyed by rail from the Kansas plains to the mountainous timberland of…

Hello from the History Department. It’s not often that we can connect one of our own employees back three generations with a McMenamins property. And it’s even more rare when we can connect them with three different properties. Read along as we recount this amazing story involving Joes I, II and III – or perhaps…

Hello from the History Department. Read about Chief Tsungani, some of whose lovely artwork hangs at the Kalama Harbor Lodge, such as the sun mask that greets guests at the entrance and is shown with the artist below. ********* Born Fearon Smith Jr., and nicknamed “Smitty,” Chief Tsungani is the younger brother of the late…

Think you’re a McMenamins history buff? Identify the five properties associated with these images. Property #1 Property #2 Property #3 Property #4 Property #5                                                           Property #1…

Hello from the History Department — If you have visited the McMenamins Elks Temple in Tacoma, you may have noticed the large acrylic painting featured in the hotel lobby, shown below. Entitled Sonoma Coast, this piece by artist John Rampley is a beloved part of our Tacoma collection, with special thanks to its owner, Ann…

Hello from the History Department — FACT: Did you know that Portland is the only non-winning city listed as champions on hockey’s famous Stanley Cup? Although the Portland Rosebuds did not win the Stanley Cup, the team had the words “Portland Ore./PCHA Champions/1915–16” engraved on the Cup after obtaining the trophy from the previous year’s champions, the Vancouver…

Hello from the History Department. This week, we’re spotlighting our History Pub at the Kennedy School on Monday, August 26. This is a different kind of event for us, because it has nothing to do with Pacific Northwest history. Instead, it focuses on a significant episode in American military history called the Battle of Mogadishu,…