Welcome to Newell Pioneer Village!
Newell Pioneer Village awaits the opportunity to share early Oregon history with you. Learn about Robert ‘Doc’ Newell, the early pioneers to the Oregon Territory, and the native peoples of the region.
We are open for public tours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm,
March through October.
Consider joining us for one of our community events held throughout the year.
And the possibilities are endless at Newell Pioneer Village for your next meeting or event.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Newell Pioneer Village is a historical site operated by the Oregon State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (OSSDAR) since 1954. The Village has four historic buildings available to tour – The Robert Newell House, Pioneer Mothers Memorial Cabin, Old Butteville Jail, and the Butteville Academy and Teacherage.
The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a non-political, non-profit volunteer women’s organization focused on historic preservation, education, and patriotism.
The Robert Newell House
Built in 1852, this two-story house stands on a hill above Champoeg Heritage State Park, home to Robert “Doc” Newell, a prominent figure in early Oregon history and the town of Champoeg. Robert lived in Champoeg from 1843 when he and his family brought the first wagon into the Willamette Valley. Mr. Newell went on to vote for a provisional Oregon government and was the first Speaker of the House in Oregon.
The Oregon State Society DAR purchased the former property in 1952, and restored it, opening it as a museum in 1959. Furnished through the generosity of descendants of Oregon Pioneers, we now hold unique collections of artifacts, including textiles, textile equipment, clothing, furniture, as well as other paraphernalia dating to the mid-19th century. We also have a small collection of Native American Artifacts from around the United States.
The Pioneer Mothers Memorial Cabin
Originally built on the banks of the Willamette River in what is now Champoeg Heritage State Park in 1929, this cabin stands as a museum and memorial dedicated to the many Pioneer Women that braved the Oregon Trail. The cabin opened to the public in 1931 by the Oregon State Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, to be part of a scenic river by-way along with Oregon State Parks. Unfortunately, this by-way never came to fruition due to the Great Depression. The cabin is a romantic replica of a cabin built after the flood of 1861 by the George Aplin Family and is about four times the size of a cabin of the period. Thanks to many donations, the cabin was relocated to the Village in 2013 and reopened to the public in 2015.
Butteville Academy and Jail
These two buildings were moved to the Village in the 1950s and used to live in the historic town of Butteville, located about three miles northeast from Champoeg. The Academy, built in 1859, also includes an attached teacherage, where the teacher lived. The Jail dates to 1848.
