Jason Lee House - Salem, Oregon - Relocated Structures on Waymarking.com

"This house was originally built for Reverend Jason Lee (June 28, 1803-March 13, 1845) and was located at 960 Broadway, near the intersection of Broadway, Liberty and High Streets. It was the place where he carried out the work of running the Mission until he left in December of 1843. In 1844, when Rev. Gary divested the assets of the Willamette Mission, the house was sold. It went on to house Salem's first post office and its second store; it served as the Oregon Territory's first treasury, and as Marion County's first courtroom. The Jason Lee House was moved to this site in 1965.

Built in the winter of 1841, with lumber from the newly constructed Willamette Mission saw mill, the Jason Lee House has the distinction of being one of the oldest frame houses still standing west of the Rocky Mountains. Between 1841 and 1844, this house served as the Mission's headquarters, as a meeting place during the formation of the Provisional Government, and as an apartment house for four families."

Jason Lee was a Methodist missionary and pioneer to the Oregon Territory. He was selected to lead a mission which was initially established at Fort Vancouver in 1834. After the mission site had to be abandoned due to unhealthy conditions, the mission was moved to the Willamette River, northwest of present day Salem. In 1836-37, Lee helped to draft a petition for the establishment of a territorial government, presenting the petition in Washington, D.C. in 1838. Lee became active in organizing the Oregon Territory with the intent of maintaining ties with the United States. He presided over the territorial organization meeting held at Champoeg in 1841. In 1843 he helped form the provisional government. Lee promoted education and formed the plan that resulted in the founding of Oregon Institute (now Willamette University), the oldest university in the west.

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