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History Pub - First Fruits: The Lewellings and the Birth of the Pacific Coast Fruit Industry
Event by: McMenamins History
Location: McMenamins Kennedy School, Northeast 33rd Avenue 5736, Portland
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McMenamins and Oregon Historical Society present
History Pub
First Fruits: The Lewellings and the Birth of the Pacific Coast Fruit Industry
Presented by Linda Ziedrich
McMenamins Kennedy School Theater
Monday, October 27, 2025
7pm/doors 6pm
$5/$6 doors
All ages
Discover the roots of the Pacific coast fruit industry and how the Lewelling brothers hauled a wagonload of fruit trees from Iowa in 1847 and planted the first grafted-fruit orchard in Oregon Country. Learn their fascinating history, not just horticulturists, but also as abolitionists, gold miners, and Quakers-turned-Spiritualists. One attempted to found a utopian colony in Honduras, another helped organize the Grange in California, and the third fought for democratic reforms in Oregon. Spanning the continent and nearly a century, the lives of Henderson, Seth, and John Lewelling provide fresh perspectives on 19th-century westward expansion and Oregon agriculture.
Linda Ziedrich is the author of 𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝐹𝑟𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑠: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑒𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝐶𝑜𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝐹𝑟𝑢𝑖𝑡 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑦. She also writes about food from garden to table, culinary history, and the cuisines of the world. Her books include 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝐾𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐺𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟: 𝑈𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑡𝑜 𝐸𝑎𝑡 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑚 and 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐽𝑜𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑃𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔.
History Pub
First Fruits: The Lewellings and the Birth of the Pacific Coast Fruit Industry
Presented by Linda Ziedrich
McMenamins Kennedy School Theater
Monday, October 27, 2025
7pm/doors 6pm
$5/$6 doors
All ages
Discover the roots of the Pacific coast fruit industry and how the Lewelling brothers hauled a wagonload of fruit trees from Iowa in 1847 and planted the first grafted-fruit orchard in Oregon Country. Learn their fascinating history, not just horticulturists, but also as abolitionists, gold miners, and Quakers-turned-Spiritualists. One attempted to found a utopian colony in Honduras, another helped organize the Grange in California, and the third fought for democratic reforms in Oregon. Spanning the continent and nearly a century, the lives of Henderson, Seth, and John Lewelling provide fresh perspectives on 19th-century westward expansion and Oregon agriculture.
Linda Ziedrich is the author of 𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝐹𝑟𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑠: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑒𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝐶𝑜𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝐹𝑟𝑢𝑖𝑡 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑦. She also writes about food from garden to table, culinary history, and the cuisines of the world. Her books include 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝐾𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐺𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟: 𝑈𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑡𝑜 𝐸𝑎𝑡 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑚 and 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐽𝑜𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑃𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔.