The Hillsboro Argus will be Online soon….
For over 143 years the Hillsboro Argus was the Voice of the people of our town. It has not been published for over a decade. The Hillsboro Historical Society is working with the University of Oregon to digitize and place the Argus issues online for all to enjoy.
I have always said that Hillsboro would have lost its way had it not been for the work of the Hillsboro Argus. While the paper was started by local men R.H. Mitchell and C.W. Clow in 1873 it was a woman who would manage and carry the paper to greatness. Emma McKinney and her family took the Argus from 1904 all the way up to 1999 before selling most of their interests. The paper was owned by Advanced Media which also owns The Oregonian. They ran the paper but without the fervor or commitment of the McKinney’s. As a result, the paper died in 2016, and copies of past papers were impossible to research or find copies of.
In 2019 local teacher and historian, Walt Hellman approached the HHS Board and asked if we would help him get the Hillsboro Argus posted online at the University of Oregon. It was not long after Walt asked that our group voted to raise the needed funds to make this happen. Our decision was based upon the fact that our mission made it incumbent upon us to accept the challenge. There is no better way to preserve our History, one that is so rich, than to make available the stories of the past. Getting it online means that thousands can read the stories, find a loved one, or link to a past event that may affect their property or families.
In 2022 we signed a contract to provide an initial $5,000 in funds to the U of O to scan and index all of the Hillsboro Argus editions from 1922 to 1949. The cost of the project is $15,000 so HHS has work to do. But we are on our way and we are very proud of this endeavor. This project is unlike any other we have done and it has the potential to impact the most people. If you can help us please reach out. Contact Dirk Knudsen, HHS President, at 503-799-8383 or email us at hillsborohistorical@gmail.com.
