Himes & Duniway Society

Spring brought a wonderful group of events as our friends from the Book Club of Washington came to visit.

The first order was joint dinner with Himes & Duniway Member Stephen Dow Beckham giving a presentation on the Oregon Historical Society’s exhibit “Windows on America.”  Dr. Beckham was responsible for providing the descriptions that went with this remarkable collection and regaled us with his top picks from the collection. This collection was a result of fifty years work of local businessman and philanthropist Melvin Mark. The collection includes Robert E. Lee’s farewell letter to his troops, a letter authored and signed by General George Patton to a friend admitting that he may have made a mistake, a broadside of the Atlantic Charter with the original signatures of Churchill and Roosevelt, the Thirteenth Amendment on vellum signed by each Senator and Representative, the original survey for Mt. Vernon and I can go on.  What an evening.

Saturday morning brought a visit to Himes & Duniway Member Jack Walsdorf’s collections.  Jack guided the group through his significant collections including William Morris, Roycroft, baseball and Homefront.   Prying the group from the Walsdorf home was not easy.  Saturday afternoon was spent at the Oregon Historical Society viewing the “Windows on America” exhibit. BCW and Himes & Duniway Member Dennis Anderson opened his charming home for a Saturday evening cocktail party and a view at his collection of books on architecture.

The First Annual Himes and Duniway Society and Reed College Book Collecting Contest resulted in nine top drawer entries.  This year's winner was the excellent entry by Reed Senior Mack Sullivan entitled “How to Be Alone.”  This and the other entries can be found on our website.

Let us know if you are going to be in Oregon (info@himesduniway.org).  Information about our Society and its events can be found at www.himesduniway.org.