The Umatilla County Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) organization, was established in 1974, and each year’s Board of Directors has built upon the vision of its 100 charter members in providing the means to document and share local history.
An historic journal, Pioneer Trails, was first published in 1976. It continues to be printed quarterly to document the stories of the people, places and events in Umatilla County.
In 1981, contents of the Sturgis Museum at Blue Mountain Community College were donated to the Historical Society, which was the beginning of its collection of historic objects.
A storefront gallery opened as headquarters for the Historical Society in 1985. Limited exhibits were installed and Terrific Tuesdays, an educational program series, began.
Arrangements were made to convert Pendleton’s 1909 train depot to a museum in 1987. Renovations followed and the exhibits, programs, and collections came under one roof for the first time in 1988.
As the organization continued its steady growth, it became apparent that the Historical Society was outgrowing its space. A facility expansion was completed in the Fall of 2003. The depot was renovated for use as exhibit galleries, and a new entry building and preservation wing were constructed to provide space for a classroom, a museum store, offices, work space and artifact storage. The over $2.8 million project also included a courtyard, landscaping of the museum grounds, and construction of a small open-air amphitheater.
