The free CWHS program is open to all on Sat., Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at the Washougal Community Room at 1681 C Street, near City Hall
CAMAS-WASHOUGAL – Local storyteller Pepper Toelle Kim will recount the real events of her ancestor’s 1844 wagon train journey along the Oregon Trail at the annual meeting of the Camas-Washougal Historical Society. The free CWHS program is open to all on Sat., Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at the Washougal Community Room at 1681 C Street, near City Hall.
“Like many Oregon Trail journeys, the saga of my ancestors’ wagon train seems like a novel, with its array of trials, sorrows, and triumphs,” said Kim.
Kim’s ancestors traveled alongside historic settlers David C. Parker, Michael Troutman Simmons, and George Washington Bush in their seven-month passage. Parker was the first permanent American settler in Washington and present-day Washougal. He created a dock, ferry service, and the town of Parkersville on the north bank of the Columbia River where the Camas-Washougal Port is now located.
Kim hopes her presentation will provide the audience with a deeper understanding of pioneer experiences in general, and the particular challenges experienced by David C. Parker and other early Washington settlers. “Hearing the tale of a particular group engages one more, especially if the storyteller has a personal connection,” she explained.
The sheer courage that pioneers demonstrated moving to an unknown area is impressive to Kim. “Especially if you had children to care for,” she said. “To me, the most difficult times were the deaths of fellow travelers, especially the Sager parents of seven children.”
Kim is a retired alternative high-school teacher who taught at Evergreen ALC/Legacy High School from 1986 to 2011. She earned her BA in English and teaching credential from Mills College, and her MS in (Alternative) Education from Western Illinois University. She is a member of the Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington, Ft. Vancouver Chapter #19.
In 2004, Kim also was awarded a Confluence Project in the Schools grant. Her community liaison for that project was the Clark County Historical Museum, where her students’ art creation was displayed. She has volunteered for CCHM ever since.
As a grandparent, Kim is inspired to bring her ancestors’ stories to life. “I am a Portland native, yet I had no idea I had connections to SW Washington until I started learning local history,” Kim explained. “We are all more connected than we realize!”
The CWHS operates the Two Rivers Heritage Museum, 1 Durgan Street in Washougal. It is currently closed for winter maintenance and will reopen March 2, 2024. Private group tours, for more than eight people, can be arranged by contacting the museum. Prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and just $2 for students. CWHS members can visit for free.
Join the CWHS to help support additional historic presentations and preservation of local history. Membership information will be available at the presentation. Learn more about the museum and volunteer and membership opportunities, visit www.2rhm.com and follow them on Facebook.
Also read:
- Opinion: Were Republican voters just sleeping during the August primary election?
CCRP Chairman Matt Bumala says 60% of primary no-shows in the 17th and 18th districts were Republicans. - High school football: New coach prepares for long-term success at Prairie High School
James Young-Lewis, a Clark County native who graduated from Evergreen in 2009, became Prairie’s head coach in May after working as an assistant coach across various programs since 2015, joining Prairie’s staff in 2024. - Cost to battle 20 wildfires in WA has topped $200M
Twenty wildfires have cost Washington $207M in one month, more than two-thirds of what DNR spent all last fiscal year. - Opinion: WA Cares’ launch showcased care WA Cares did not provide
Gov. Ferguson showcased a caregiving arrangement at the WA Cares launch that the program had not paid for a single day of. - Former State Rep. Liz Pike provides update on husband Neil Cahoon
Neil Cahoon, a Camas resident, has undergone multiple surgeries including five on Aug. 15 after the Aug. 10 crash near La Center’s Daybreak Airport. - Opinion: Portland’s War on Cars Part 4 – A smarter automobile strategy to end gridlock
O’Toole argues fuel wasted in Portland-area congestion has sextupled since 1982, generating 250,000 tons of extra greenhouse gases annually. - $1,000 first prize for Camas Plein Air Art Event honoring Marquita Call on Sept. 26
Plein air artists compete Sept. 26 in Camas for $1,000 first prize honoring gallery founder Marquita Call.
