Pamplin Media Group – Antique Arms at the Ermatinger House in Oregon City

Likely location of the famous coin toss to determine the name of Portland to house the Civil War cannon and weapons of various eras

Friends of Ermatinger House and the Living Historians representing the 1st Oregon Volunteer Infantry organize a historic firearms exhibition event in Oregon City.

A Civil War-era cannon will be stationed in front of Ermatinger House, 619 Sixth Street, and small-group tours of the house will be offered on Saturday, January 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to explore the house and smaller ones 19th century weapons exhibited inside.

The presumed status of the Ermatinger House as the site of the famous coin toss to determine the name of Portland is just one of many interesting features. Its Greek Revival style resembles many humble homes built in the United States in the 1840s, except that it is the only remaining home in Oregon City built by the Hudson’s Bay Company fur trading firm. Its tin roof, which is hidden behind a cornice, is also unusual.

Friends of the Ermatinger Haus members have been collecting money and holding events in the house since the 1990s before the house fell into disrepair and had to be closed for security reasons.

On the National Register of Historic Places, Ermatinger House was restored in 2014, in large part due to the advocacy of City Commissioner Rocky Smith, who served as a tour guide at the house after moving to Sixth Street. In 2018 it was opened to the public again.

Oregon City officials last year recognized Friends of the Ermatinger House with the Ruth McBride Powers Memorial Award to recognize their coordination of virtual events and exhibits during the pandemic-related shutdown.

Since the house was made accessible to the public again, the Freundeskreis des Ermatinger Haus has set itself the goal of holding an event in the house once a month. Oregon City Recreation Programmer Holly Swogger, the city’s official Ermatinger tour guide, thanked Mitchell Rice of the 1st Oregon Volunteer Infantry for taking the lead in organizing the event this weekend.

Swogger said the group of friends is trying to organize events that will encourage audiences to connect with the history of the Ermatinger house as well as the development of Oregon City in the mid-19th century. “The American Military Armaments event was one of their most successful events and it generated a lot of interest in the community,” she said.

With armor from the 18th century to the 21st century, the event gives citizens the opportunity to see, touch and hear these historic weapons. Much of the same armor seen in previous years will be featured at this fourth annual American military armament event.

Last year, due to the pandemic, the event took place completely virtually. This year they plan to hold the event both virtually and live.

Previous events involved people disguised as Civil War soldiers during the Ermatinger House Heritage Holiday event, which focused on the Great Flood of 1861-1862, which happened around the holiday season. The focus of the event was life in the Ermatinger Haus at that time.

“The Ermatinger house was once used as a boarding house and during that time it was very likely to house civil war soldiers,” said Swogger.

The guided tours through the house are free on January 15th, but donations are gladly accepted. E-mail This email address is being protected from spam bots! You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 971-219-4881 with questions.

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