ABOUT US

The AHHAe Board of Directors and staff is made up of artists, historians, a Native American educator, and others who carefully guide its activities. Chair Esther Stutzman is a traditional Kalapuya storyteller, drummer, and dancer who for the past twelve years has been the chair of an American Indian cultural preservation organization. She is a descendant of the Kalapuya chief who was befriended and protected by the Applegate family.  Our Site Director, Shannon Applegate, is a writer of Oregon history (Skookum, Living Among Headstones) and winner of a 2007 Governor's Arts Awards. She is a fifth generation descendant of Charles and Melinda Applegate, who built Applegate House in 1852.  Workshop Coordinator Susan Applegate, an accomplished artist, is also a fifth generation descendant of Charles and Melinda Applegate. Other board members bring a variety of interests and skills to their work for AHHAe.

Our Mission:
Applegate House Heritage Arts and Education has a dual mission: to participate in the conservation of the 1852 Applegate House and grounds in Yoncalla and to spark awareness of traditional arts and lifeways of Kalapuya Indians and early American settlers through ongoing educational programs and special events.