2026 Open House – Preserving & Celebrating Community
The Wayne Morse Historical Park Corporation (WMHPC) invites the community to its annual open house of the Wayne Morse family home and farm on Sunday, May 17, 2026, from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Join us for this family friendly event to recognize national historic preservation month and the 250th anniversary of our democracy while we celebrate the political integrity and legacy of Senator Wayne Morse and his lifelong commitment to public service and community. Known as the “Tiger of the Senate” for his ferocious debates of the facts, laws and policies, Wayne Morse (1900-1974) was at home striding the halls of congress and walking the pastures and fence lines of Edgewood Farm. The family property became the City of Eugene’s Morse Family Farm Park in 1979 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
WHAT: Open House “Preserving & Celebrating Community” – A free, family-centered community-based event with the Southwest Hills Neighborhood Association featuring the history and legacy of Senator Wayne Morse. Event activities include:
- Progressive Legacy: Exhibits from the WMHPC collections showcasing Senator Morse—the “Tiger of the Senate”—his commitment to progressive values and refusal to prioritize political party over moral principles.
- Preparedness with SHINA: Informational tables hosted by the Southwest Hills Neighborhood Association focusing on:
- Fire Safety: information and tools for family and home fire safety and emergency preparedness.
- Wildland Fire Evacuation: information and resources for wildfire safety and neighborhood emergency evacuation planning.
- Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides: Provided by Chafin Farm Carriages, a nostalgic nod to the Senator’s love of horses.
- Live Music on the Lawn: sway to the music of Dan Powell and the One More Time Band.
- Fundraising Raffle: Support future WMHPC activities by entering to win themed gift baskets. Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10. Please note: Raffle tickets will be sold on-site, cash only (credit cards and digital payments are not accepted).
- More Family Fun: Tour the Morse Family home and exhibits, walk the Farm’s oak savannah forest and camas meadows, touch owl and hawk wings with the Cascades Raptor Center, and enjoy complimentary grilled hot dogs and Prince Puckler’s ice cream.
WHO: Hosted by the Wayne Morse Historical Park Corporation.
- Interview Opportunity: WMHPC Board Co-President Jan Mueller, former staffer for Senator Morse, and Johnny Earl, Board member and past President. Please check in at the WMHPC event table for assistance.
WHEN: Sunday, May 17, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
WHERE: Wayne Morse Family Farm | 595 Crest Drive, Eugene, Oregon 97405
WHY: The Wayne Morse Historical Park Corporation has an annual open house during national historic preservation month to showcase the historic Morse family home and to celebrate the progressive career and legacy of four-term Senator Wayne Morse and his deep roots in the Eugene community.
Wayne Morse Legacy Scholarship
The Wayne Morse Historical Park Corporation established the Wayne Morse Legacy Scholarship in 2011 to recognize Oregon students who seek access to higher education and may be inspired by the Senator’s legacies of public service, integrity, and commitment to principle and independence. The outstanding recipients have attended Portland State, Oregon State, the University of Oregon, Western Oregon University, Lane and Portland Community Colleges, OHSU/Oregon Health Sciences University, and Pacific University. Check our Scholarship Page for more information.
HISTORY AND POLITICS COME ALIVE AT WAYNE MORSE FAMILY FARM PARK!
You can enjoy the 27 acre Wayne Morse Family Farm, which is a City of Eugene Park. The trails and the off leash dog area are open. The picnic shelter is available for rental events, in addition to a few limited teen and fitness classes approved by City Recreational Services. During summer months, the City’s Wayne Morse Summer Day Camp is held on site.
When you come to the Morse Farm, you can walk the trails which Wayne Morse and his family enjoyed. Bring your dog to exercise in the fenced Off Leash Dog Area in the lower east pasture where Morse trained champion horses in an oval riding ring. Or find a quiet place to enjoy a book as the Morse daughters often did.
The white framed sign on the fence near the sidewalk to the family home presents a brief history about Morse, his family and Farm. Continue checking here through our website for additional background about Senator Morse, his Farm, and the Wayne Morse Historical Park Corporation.
Information about the Park including rentals of the picnic shelter and the house is available on our Park page.
Morse Around Town
The Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza was envisioned by the Wayne Morse Historical Park Corporation (WMHPC) and first approved by the Lane County Board of Supervisors in 1984 to “better enable Lane County Citizens to exercise the precious rights of free speech and assembly.”
At the first celebration of the site – marked then only by a commemorative plaque near the courthouse entrance — in 1984, a former Senate colleague, William Proxmire of Wisconsin, offered that “To speak out fiercely when we know that what we say is not popular. . . That is Wayne Morse’s legacy of freedom.” His remarks were followed by those of an 87-year-old World War I draft resister, the first among thousands who have come to the spot to express their views.
Throughout Eugene, there are more places to discover Morse — and Eugene — history. Take one of the tours below, or visit the Mims House and the Shelton McMurphey Johnson House across town near Skinner Butte.
- On the Trail of the Tiger, travels around Eugene and the University of Oregon, offering opportunities to learn about a remarkable Oregonian and reflect on his legacies. Download our tour brochure PDF (2 legal size 8.5×14 pages). Information about the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza in downtown Eugene is available by clicking here.
- A ramble around the Crest Drive neighborhood with some nearby historic homes. See PDF: Welcome to Wayne Morse Family Farm and Historic Homes of the Crest Drive Neighborhood . Please note all homes are private and not open to the public.
- The Mims House, in the East Skinner Butte area, served as a safe house for African American travelers from 1948 to 1966 when there was race separation in Eugene. It now serves as the headquarters of the Eugene-Springfield National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 2017, Wayne Morse’s long service for the NAACP and his commitment to civil rights were recognized at the Mims House with a photo plaque commemorating his 1947 speech to the NAACP at the Lincoln Memorial. Call for information about visiting, (541) 484-1119.
- Shelton McMurphey Johnson House, in the south Skinner Butte area and our sister historic house museum, is considered an unofficial city history museum, with tours, exhibits and virtual programs available. Plan a visit at https://smjhouse.org.
Learn more:
Our biography about Wayne Morse explores his role in Oregon and our nation’s history. Click on PDF link (22 pages). Morse is celebrated for his legacies of independent judgment and integrity throughout his public service as a renowned federal labor arbitrator and four-term United States Senator from Oregon. He led the University of Oregon’s School of Law for 14 years.
Our National Register page offers historical details about Edgewood Farm, where Morse and his family lived from 1936 to 1974.