Mission Mill Museum
Mission Mill Museum is a historic museum located in Salem, Oregon, United States. It features working displays of a woolen mill—the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill—and several historic Salem buildings that have been relocated to the mill site.
The original Kay Woolen Mill was opened in 1890, by Thomas L. Kay, whose family eventually founded Pendleton Woolen Mills.The workforce of 50 labored 60-hour weeks. In 1895, a fire destroyed much of the mill and outbuildings. Kay died in 1900 and his son Thomas B. Kay took over as president and served until his own death in 1931.
By 1898 the mill had been rebuilt. Two additional stories were added in 1941.
The museum includes a water power interpretive exhibit by Portland General Electric. The exhibit demonstrates how the mill was run using the water from Mill Creek.
Mission Mill Museum interprets the history of the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill – designated an American Treasure by the National Park Service – which produced wool products from 1889 to 1962 and represents one of Oregon’s earliest and strongest industries. Mission Mill also interprets the history of Jason Lee’s Methodist Mission to Oregon which settled in the Willamette Valley in 1834 before the major Oregon Trail migrations. The missionaries brought formal education, industry and large scale agriculture and advocated for U.S. government in the Oregon country.
Mission Mill Museum preserves Mission houses, an Oregon Trail settler’s house, a historic church and the structures, equipment, and original water-powered turbine of the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill with related artifacts. The museum’s two histories are shared with visitors through individual and group tours, interpretation, speakers, living history, children’s programs, hands-on activities, special events, the museum store and rental facilities.
Mission Mill Museum is also a participant in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Partner Places program.