NEWS

Jason Lee, John McLoughlin statues likely to be swapped

Hannah Hoffman
Statesman Journal
The statue of Jason Lee at the Oregon Capitol. Both statues in the National Statuary Hall are likely to be replaced.

Both historic statues representing Oregon in the U.S. Capitol should come "home" and let others be the face of the state, according to the recommendation of a state committee.

The Statuary Hall Study Commission won't choose the replacements until March 4, but it has a four-member short list to replace both Jason Lee and John McLoughlin, whose bronze statues stand in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C.

The Oregon Legislature has long debated replacing Lee's statue with one of former Republican Sen. Mark Hatfield. The House of Representatives has twice voted in favor of the change, but both times the Oregon Senate shot it down.

Gov. John Kitzhaber and legislative leaders appointed the nine-member commission in August to resolve the question. It took public testimony and worked with the Oregon Historical Society to decide on an appropriate resolution.

It ultimately decided on four contenders to replace Lee's and McLoughlin's statues:

  • Native American leader Chief Joseph
  • Suffragist Abigail Scott Duniway
  • Republican Sen. Mark Hatfield
  • Republican Gov. Tom McCall

Bronze statue of John McLoughlin in the U.S. Capitol.

There has been a particular push to include a woman in Oregon's statuary exhibit. Only nine women are on display among the 100 statues (two for each state) in the hall, and some argue that Oregon has several pioneering women who should be recognized.

Former Rep. Carolyn Tomei, D-Milwaukie, meanwhile, told the Statesman Journal in August that she was open to the idea of replacing one of the statues but wanted to hear about other possible nominees, including women.

Silverton Rep. Vic Gilliam has pushed hard for Hatfield's inclusion. He worked as an intern for the senator and has testified before the House repeatedly in favor of the change from Lee to Hatfield.

Lee was a Methodist missionary and overland pioneer who is credited with settling Salem after venturing here to try to convert Native Americans to Christianity and drafting the petition for its first territorial government. McLoughlin, originally from Canada, was a fur trader whose general store was made famous as the last stop on the Oregon Trail, and is considered the "father of Oregon," for assisting the American cause in Oregon.

Whatever the decision in March, it appears likely neither of those statues will stay in Washington, D.C. Oregon will join seven other states that have swapped their statues since Congress began allowing the practice in 2000.

hhoffman@statesmanjournal.com, (503) 399-6719 or follow at twitter.com/HannahKHoffman

If you go

The Statuary Hall Study Commission will hold a public hearing at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, in Hearing Room B of the Oregon Capitol. Public testimony will be welcome.

In addition, the public is invited to share opinions via the Oregon Historical Society website: www.ohs.org.