Uncovering history as an architectural historian

Kirsten Straus BA'13 has the coolest career you've never heard of. The Classical Studies alum serves as an architectural historian for the Oregon Department of Transportation's Historic Resources Program, which seeks to balance the needs of the state transportation system with protecting and documenting its significant historic resources. Straus' main focus is to gain an understanding of how the state has changed over time so the community can have the tools they need to make just and informed decisions. She also ensures that areas of historic significance - such as the Willamette valley's many bridges and older buildings - are successfully preserved in the face of new development.

Straus came to the Classical Studies major from a first-year colloquium class about the History of Rome with Professor of History and Classics Robert Chenault. "I loved the class so much I stuck with it," she said. "The great thing about Classics is that you learn a lot of different aspects about a particular culture during a certain time. You learn about architecture, history, geography, and language, so it's an all-encompassing way of learning through a lot of different lenses."

Straus's studies at Willamette cemented her love of history. After graduating from Willamette, Straus earned a Masters in Public History from Portland State University. She says, "Studying Classics has helped me understand why I love history and why I love interpreting it and sharing it with my community. It's a great basis for a lot of different careers."

What solidified Straus' interest in pursuing history as a career path, though, was studying Classics abroad in Rome. "It showed me how much I loved learning about history in the places where it happened, like learning about the Roman Forum onsite at the Roman Forum. So I took that experience and brought it home to Salem. It inspired me to think about how I could learn about the foundations of Oregon."

An award-winning paper Straus co-wrote with City of Salem Historic Preservation Officer Kimberli Fitzgerald and fellow alum and Willamette Heritage Center Collections Manager Kylie Pine BA'06 was published in the journal of the Oregon Historical Society, discussing Salem's early Chinese community and the historical development of a Chinatown in downtown Salem.

One of the highlights of the three-year research project was discovering previously unknown first-person accounts of people's experiences. She finds it rewarding to shine a light on these hidden histories that often are not shared with the general public.

"It's really interesting to look into communities that don't get traditional representation in historic documents about the state," she said.

Straus credits her Classics background for her research skills. "I learned how to use library resources well and think critically about the way in which someone is writing something." She also notes that studying history opens the doors to a vast world of possibilities in terms of jobs.

Above all, Straus encourages students of Classics and History to pursue their passions. "The research methods you're learning are absolutely transferable to so many things," she shared. "Learning about people in other time periods is fascinating and so worth it."