Powerland Heritage Park

Powerland Heritage Park/Oregon Fire Service Museum is a testament to Oregon’s rich history in both structural and wild land fire services. Architecture inspired by a 1920s two-bay, two-story firehouse proudly showcases the story of evolving fire prevention and suppression technology. Fire service artifacts from iconic hydrants to vintage turnout gear and an impressive Apparatus Collection are highlighted by c.1820 Abbot & Downing hand pumper “Molly Stark”, hand-drawn hose carts from past centuries, and a dramatically unique array of motorized apparatus. Oregon-built/serving fire trucks and the state’s firefighting heritage are our focus.

Our mission: HONOR fire service heroes, EDUCATE the public on fire safety, and PRESERVE historical treasures for future generations.

Check the Powerland Heritage Park website calendar for experiences and annual events.

Can't top this.

We learned that Powerland Heritage Park was a harvest-host park, so we booked May 15th to stay overnight in our RV. Being a "harvest-host" of course there were no hook-ups. But the proprietors were very friendly and made us feel right at home. We parked on the lawn in the shade where it was flat. Rick gave us a personal tour of the truck museum which was far more interesting than I had hoped for. They also have a car museum, and a working blacksmith shop where they gave a demo. There are sixty-some beautiful acres of park-like settings to walk with many interesting vintage cars, trucks, tractors, etc. to explore. This was a GREAT way to start our trip. I just wish we could have stayed longer, but the road was waiting. We would DEFINITELY come back!

Amazing group of museums

We went on a Sunday which was not a special event day. Many of the museums were closed, but we wanted to get a feel for what was there. There was a car group show with many car owners there. We started in the Dezotell Building and the caretaker explained the display and the quilts and gave us a preview of the park grounds. We spent most of our time in the Pacific Northwest Truck Museum. It occupies 2 buildings and is a great collection. This museum is almost always open. We walked past the Texaco gas station, other museums and open displays. The trolley was running but we did not take it. Some of the 14 museums are still a work in progress while others are just open when a volunteer is available. We ended up at the Heritage Rose Garden and the caretaker allowed us and another group in to the Farm House to see 2 rooms filled with period objects. We spent over 3 hours and had a great time. A very unique museum park. The volunteers and caretaker are to be commended for the fine job they are doing on preserving history. We will be back

If you are a retiree looking for a tribe to geek out with over antique engines, this is the place for you.

If you're a tourist or have just moved to the area and are looking for interesting, educational, entertaining activities in the area, try somewhere else. Powerland is an awkward assortment of 14 independent "museums" - really just warehouse buildings with old machinery - that aren't connected to each other, so it's kinda hard to write a solid, all-encompassing review of the complex. Some museums are better than others. The PNW Truck Museum was semi-interesting (see what I did there?). Most are sad and dingy. There were signs posted in a couple museums saying that your $6 admission fee did not cover your entrance to those particular museums, so they were asking for donations of $1-$5. Seemed kinda awkward and sketchy to me. The car & motorcycle museum looked like they might have been going out of business. The folks who appeared to be running it looked bored and didn't acknowledge me at first, the handful of cars were dusty and smushed to one side, and the whole building seemed to be in a state of disarray. The John Deere museum was a joke. One of the prettiest, nicest buildings onsite with a grand total of 6 tractors. I was hoping the train depot was some sort of train museum. False alarm. It's a run-down, falling-apart building with thick moss on the steps, that was closed on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Really, the whole experience of Powerland made me sad. It is 100% volunteer-run, and everyone "working" there seemed to be at least 65 years old, tired, and complacent, but friendly. I struck up conversations with a few volunteers, who, though friendly, tried to upsell me on becoming a member in this or that museum (although it was unclear what the ROI is for membership), volunteering, or coming back for the "Great Oregon Steam-Up" (during which admission is 2.5x the cost of normal). After visiting a good museum, a visitor should come away entertained, having learned something, and feeling like they got their money's worth. Can't say as any of that happened for me at Powerland.

Powerland Park - Things that roar and rumble

There is really no place like Powerland Park anywhere that I am aware of. I am one of those people who get a rush out of seeing old trains, tractors, trucks, cars, steam vehicles, etc. The grounds are expansive with picnic areas, a large impressive outside train layout with scale trains cars big enough to ride (private railroad club - not sure when available to the public), many large halls with exhibits that range from 18 wheelers to tractors to some vintage cars, and outside exhibits with perhaps the largest collection of steam powered tractors anywhere. The summer steam-up is a huge public draw. If you like cool old things with engines and motors this is the place. Call ahead to make sure all exhibits are open. We went Memorial Day in the morning and not everything was open but this was the first time they've been open on that holiday so cut them some slack - all volunteer operated.

Powerland Heritage Park

Can't top this.

Good family fun

Amazing group of museums

If you are a retiree looking for a tribe to geek out with over antique engines, this is the place for you.

Powerland Park - Things that roar and rumble

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