Pints from the Past: Turning Oswego's Iron Into Gold

Pints from the Past is thrilled to have resident expert Marylou Colver as a speaker for our May event. As founder of the Lake Oswego Preservation Society, Marylou has worked tirelessly to uncover information about our city's past and to preserve it for the future. This evening she will discuss real estate and land development mogul Paul C. Murphy and his lasting impact on Lake Oswego.

In its169-year history, Lake Oswego has undergone two major transformations. It was first an iron-manufacturing center and later these industrial lands were converted into high-end residential districts.

The presentation, Turning Oswego’s Iron Into Gold: Paul C. Murphy as Alchemist by local historian Marylou Colver explores the second transformation and the man with the vision, Paul C. Murphy. Come and find out what became of the Prosser’s swale, the mine road, the quarry, and much more you may not have known about Lake Oswego.

Marylou Colver is the author of Lake Oswego Vignettes: Illiterate Cows to College-Educated Cabbage, a History Press title published in 2012, and she is an Oregon Encyclopedia contributor. Colver founded the non-profit Lake Oswego Preservation Society in 2011. She has received the City of Lake Oswego’s Historic Preservation Merit Award and the City’s Unsung Hero Award. The Daughters of the American Revolution presented Colver with their Excellence in Community Service Award for spearheading the 2016 Oregon Supreme Court victory which saved Lake Oswego’s oldest house, the Carman House, as well as protecting 3,200 other historic properties across Oregon. 

Come on down and support a local business that serves delicious food and a wide variety of beverages while you enjoy free entertainment from our delightful presenter.  Doors open at 6:30 so you have time to choose a seat and order a meal. The presentation begins at 7:00!

This program is offered by the Lake Oswego Public Library in cooperation with Clackamas County Historical Society and the Lake Theater & Café. Admission is free and no ticket is required. Doors open at 6:30, presentation begins at 7:00. The Lake Theater & Café is located at 106 North State Street in Lake Oswego. For more information, contact Carissa Barrett at cmbarrett@lakeoswego.city or 503-534-4237.

*Photo of Paul C. Murphy courtesy of Marylou Colver