Hello, and happy Fall Equinox! This seems like a perfect time to “fall back” to the story of the person who inspires the Letitia Carson Legacy Project!
~ Who is Letitia Carson? ~
Is this a photo of Letitia? Nope! Although often paired with stories of Letitia Carson, this is a photo of Letitia’s daughter Martha Jane Carson Lavadour (ca. 1890).
Letitia Carson was a Black mother, midwife, homesteader, and community builder during Oregon’s pioneer era. Her story resonates today because she was a capable, resilient woman who, despite considerable obstacles, did not back down.
Letitia was born into slavery, but lived as a free woman in Oregon. She was widowed and stripped of her Soap Creek Valley home, her belongings, and cattle, but won not one, but two lawsuits against the man who tried to destroy her. Though she never returned to the Soap Creek Valley, she worked hard, fought hard, and lived a long, respected, and productive life in Myrtle Creek. Her children raised their children in Oregon, and Letitia still has descendants here today. The lands which Letitia stewarded are the physical reminders of her perseverance.
Read more about Letitia here, and explore the comprehensive Letitia Carson Digital History Collection here.
See Letitia’s lands in our Black History Snap Shots: Soap Creek and Myrtle Creek.
~ You’re Invited! Join us on Letitia’s land Oct. 3rd ~
The Letitia Carson Legacy Project invites you to visit the land Letitia and David Carson first settled in Oregon. Our second annual Fruit & Forage Field Day will be hosted on Saturday, October 3rd.
This is your chance to experience this land in person. There will be three guided tours of the homestead site. Each tour will include storytelling, plant observations, and discussions of what we’ve learned through our efforts to preserve this land. Tours cover approximately two miles in two hours, in an out and back walk on the OSU Soap Creek Beef Ranch in Corvallis.
We will be walking on varied terrain, including mowed grass and dried plant debris from trail clearing, which may be uneven in spots. The route has minimal elevation change and no stairs. We are continuing to work to improve site accessibility for future events.
Advance registration is required and space is limited! Click here for more information and to register. We look forward to welcoming you.
