Oregon Public Broadcasting

The economy is bankrupting businesses. It’s slashing the state budget. And now it’s shutting down Oregon museums.

The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and the Museum of the Oregon Territory both close their doors Tuesday.

Clackamas Heritage Partners ran both museums, as well as the End of the Oregon Trail visitors’ center.  All are in Oregon City. The visitors’ center remains open.

David Porter is the executive director of the museum – or was.

David Porter: “We’ve in this closing had to call and cancel school field trips, which is very sad for us to do. This is a personal issue for me, and I think it's worth my time and a little sweat equity to not give up on this.”

In all, twelve employees will lose jobs. Clackamas County and Oregon City both say they will work to find new sources of funding.

Porter says even though his paychecks stop, he'll continue to work to find grants or donations for the museum. He says the closing is especially poignant because it comes during the state’s 150th birthday year.