Washington County
Oregon
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County Historical Collection

Washington County's Historical Collection is made up of thousands of historic images, documents, objects and oral histories about Oregon's most diverse county.
Historical collection collage of a covered wagon, artifacts, archival stacks and books.

Background

On April 7, 2025, the building and collections of the Five Oaks Museum reverted back to Washington County's stewardship due to the lack of funds for the museum to continue operations. Washington County now cares for its large collection of historical items gathered over the past 100 years. This includes around 30,000 photographs, 1,300 maps, 25,000 manuscripts, and tens of thousands of artifacts that help tell the story of our County’s past.

County Goals

Washington County is committed to safely storing and caring for these important cultural resources. On February 24, 2026, the Board of County Commissioners approved a three‑ to five‑year project to fully inventory and catalog every item in the collection. Once the inventory is complete, the County will begin a formal process to determine next steps for the long‑term care and use of the collection.

Project History

  • December 29, 2024: Five Oaks Museum closed
  • April 7, 2025: Historical collection returned to Washington County care and oversight
  • Staff presented information and options to the Board of County Commissioners at work sessions on the following dates:
    o February 18, 2025
    o May 13, 2025
    o August 26, 2025
    o December 16, 2025
    o February 24, 2026

Research Requests

Researchers may request access to obtain historical materials from County staff. To request help, please email your detailed question to [email protected]. A staff member will follow up with you.

We process requests in the order they come in. If your request is time‑sensitive, please include the details so we can work with you.
Most requests can be handled remotely, but some materials may require an in‑person appointment depending on your needs.

Browse Online Collections and Research Resources