The Oak Lodge History Detectives began in March 2009 with a small gathering of local citizens interested in our area’s history. We continued meeting monthly at various places, defining ourselves, establishing our mission, and beginning the process of researching and collecting the history of the Oak Lodge area. Several community presentations were organized as well as occasional field trips.

With our basic structure completed, and having made ourselves known in the community, it was decided to incorporate. In January 2011 the Oak Lodge History Detectives was registered as a non-profit corporation by the State of Oregon. With that designation we began accepting memberships to generate funds to support the group’s activities. More recently OLHD amended our tax-exempt status to become a 501(c)(3) which allows OLHD to accept grants, and donors to deduct their donations.

Our mission is “Investigating the past, enriching the future” and our goal is to promote the place and appreciation of local history in the Oak Lodge area. We compile and share the history of Oak Grove, Jennings Lodge and the adjacent Oatfield Ridge neighborhoods. Our focus spans the area between Milwaukie and Gladstone, and from the Willamette River east to Kellogg Creek.

OLHD has no physical library, but instead houses its entire collection digitally. We welcome digital donations of early Oak Lodge and its families, and we are equipped to scan your photos ourselves.

OLHD has not met regularly since losing our regular meeting place as a result of the Covid pandemic. When Covid subsided we met at Concord School a few times – – – – until also losing that meeting place due to the new library construction. We hope to begin meeting again once the library is completed and Concord reopens for public use – estimated to be Fall 2025.