JANUAry 2015 • FREE
New Year, New Collections
Ed Loy signs copies of his new book at the Albany Regional Museum.
Gem Of The Willamette Valley by Rick Rogers Just a few of the items you might consider to be collectables.
by Karen Rogers A New Year is a fine time to start a new collection! My brother and I are very lucky people, as we came from a family that never threw stuff out. I have my 50’s and 60’s comics and Little Golden Books, and my brother has his original G.I. Joes, complete down to the Gemini capsule! A lot of people my age weren’t so lucky — when things got outgrown, Mom tossed ‘em. My generation is considered to be the greatest collectors of all time; they’re trying to relive their childhood. As for collecting, gather what you love and what interests you. Don’t try to invest in fads, like Beanie Babies or Cabbage Patch Dolls. Look for things of lasting value and haunt thrift shops, auctions, garage sales and flea markets. Be sure to read up on whatever you decide to collect. Use local bookstores, libraries, and the internet. Talk to other collectors and handle the merchandise as much as possible. Take the Antiques Roadshow with a large grain of salt! Prices are dependent on condition, geographic area, and shifting trends. You may collect fine silver or bone dishes, but your collection is your very own. Display it so visitors will notice and comment. Hoarders never display nor do they have visitors, so you’re safe. As our house continues to fill up, we are comforted that we are NOT hoarders, we are merely collectors. Very, very advanced collectors.
Edward Loy of Albany never set out to be an author. Although he moved to Albany with his parents as a young child in 1945 and has lived here ever since, he really didn’t get into writing local history until he started to write occasional articles for the Albany Regional Museum newsletter about ten years ago. Shortly after that, it was brought to his attention that there was really no written history of the World Championship Timber Carnival that started in Albany prior to the beginning of World War Two in 194l and, with the exception of the war years, continued until the early 2,000’s. The result in 2010 was Ed’s first book, “Tim-Burr” After completing the Timber Carnival history, Ed started work on his current book “Gem of the Willamette Valley” which explores the history of the city of Albany and the people who were instrumental in building it. After thousands of hours of research, gathering photographs and memorabilia, and checking facts, the book is now a reality. Albany was once called the “Hub of the Willamette Valley” because it was the shipping center for agricultural and wood products produced in the central valley. It was where the trucking, railroad, and river traffic all came together. The back cover of Ed’s new book states, “He brings to life the story of the Oregon Trail, the valleys river traffic, the coming of the railroad and its economic importance, and early religious activity and its effects on Oregon settlers.” Loy breathes life into the stories about the people who settled the area, the people who were the “movers and shakers” who made the city of Albany what it is today. The many photos and other Albany memorabilia sprinkled throughout the book’s 417 pages bring it all to life. “Gem of the Willamette Valley” by Edward Loy, as well as his first book, “Tim-Burr”, are available for purchase at the Albany Regional Museum located at corner of Second Avenue and Lyon St. in downtown Albany. If you love local history and want to know more about the area in which you live, this is the new book you should place at the top of your reading list!
Front cover of Loy’s book on Timber Carnival history.
Front cover of Loy’s latest book on Albany history.