Rail Heritage Exhibit
Wednesdays – Saturdays 10 AM – 4 PM
Step aboard caboose 507 and experience the newest permanent exhibit. The Rail heritage exhibit looks at the history of the railroad on this site and the industry it supported. This exhibit is included in your museum tour with regular admission.
Caralyn B. Shelton: The Nation’s First Female Governor
Caralyn B. Shelton. WHC Collections 2019.013.0007
Open July 11, 2025 – December 6, 2025
Recognized as the first female acting governor in the United States, Caralyn B. Shelton served as Oregon’s Governor during the transition between the terms of George E. Chamberlain and Frank W. Benson in 1909 – 3 years before Oregon women were granted the right to vote!
In her three-day tenure as acting Oregon Governor, Caralyn B. Shelton demonstrated that a woman could execute the duties of the highest state office. Her story was told by newspapers all over the world at the time, but few today know her name and her remarkable story.
In addition to telling this remarkable story, this exhibit will be the first-time artifacts from the Caralyn B. Shelton Collection at the Willamette Heritage Center will be on display.
Salem in 1909 – Pop-up Exhibit
WHC Collections 2011.006.0244
August 15 – Nov. 15, 2025
How much different was Salem in the days that Caralyn B. Shelton served as acting governor and the caboose barreled down the Oregon & California tracks? Explore the city as it looked in 1909 through artifacts, photos and documents from the Willamette Heritage Center’s permanent collections.