Willamette Heritage Center

The Willamette Heritage Center connects generations by gathering, preserving, and sharing Mid-Willamette Valley history across a five-acre campus in the heart of Salem. Fourteen historic structures make up the grounds, including the 1841 Jason Lee House and Methodist Parsonage — the oldest standing wooden frame houses in the Pacific Northwest — along with the John D. Boon House (1847) and the 1858 Pleasant Grove Church, one of the oldest remaining Presbyterian churches in Oregon. Formerly the site of the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill, founded in 1889, the Center's historic buildings now host weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate meetings, and community gatherings for groups of up to 250. The Spinning Room, on the third floor of the 1896 Thomas Kay Woolen Mill, offers exposed brick, warm wood floors, and string lighting, with a kitchen and card room available for use alongside it. The ground-level Dye House sits directly over the historic mill race and opens onto the property through a rustic sliding barn door, while the WHC Lawn and Pleasant Grove Church provide outdoor and historic-chapel settings for ceremonies. Every venue rental includes tables, chairs, and setup handled by WHC staff, along with free on-site parking, wheelchair-accessible spaces, and the freedom to choose any caterer. Rental proceeds help fund the ongoing preservation of the Center's collections, historic buildings, and grounds.