Born in Auburn, California, in 1950, Art Sommers began life in a most unusual setting—his family lived inside a railroad depot in the small town of Towle until 1955. That year, the family of six relocated to Auburn, where Art spent his formative years.
After attending college in San Francisco and serving in the U.S. Navy, Art returned to his roots by co-authoring his first book on the history of Auburn. His passion for preserving the past continued to grow, eventually bringing him north to Hillsboro, Oregon in 2015, where he settled in to complete a three-volume history of his own family.
But Art didn’t stop there. Volunteering at the Washington County Museum/Five Oaks Museum (now closed by the Washington County Commissioners), he found inspiration in the museum’s vast photo archives. That inspiration turned into another book project—this time centered on Washington County’s rich visual history. Arcadia Publishing published that book and can still be purchased online. https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/9781467102865?srsltid=AfmBOor19HWnPWOB9ppMFPzJnAegl0K2dwpA7E7SoAvdaAGZ9wmFzufN
Art followed that book with his 2023 Arcadia book, Hillsboro. That book is rich in photos, which Art had access to. He used modern-day images to depict the Present and historic photos to illustrate the origins of those locations and buildings. This is an excellent book for those seeking a sense of place about the old town of Hillsboro.
This year, Art self-published a limited edition of the new book, Hillsboro- an Amuse-Bouche of the City’s History. That term means “a small savory item of food served as an appetizer before a meal.” It is a book that wanders through a variety of locations and features photos from around historic downtown Hillsboro, giving readers a taste of many aspects of the city’s past.
Rich in photos, the book takes a walk through many eras and events. Take our Main Street for instance, which was at one time a rutted muck hole in Hillsboro’s “Sin-City” era. No one could move. Wooden-planked roads and sidewalks followed that. As rails came in, we saw gravel and asphalt. Time marched on, and Hillsboro grew, and the book helps us all see it unfold.
The book is a light read and a great conversation starter for the tabletop, as well as a thoughtful gift. The first pressing of books is now down to just a few copies remaining, and you can purchase one at our offices, located at 222 East Main Street, for $24. Art is splitting the revenues with the Hillsboro Historical Society, of which I am the President, and he and the book are greatly appreciated. Feel free to email us at hillsboroherald@gmail.com or call me at 503-799-8383 to reserve your copy now!
It is people like Art who see places and want to know their stories that make our world so rich. Sharing those stories by obtaining the photos and publishing a book is monumental. Thank you, Art!
Is there much in the book about Helvetia and the Swiss?
No, not in this one Charlie. If you are interested in that sort of History, get ahold of the Helvetia Community Association at helvetiacommunity.org .