helenrees

For more than twenty years, Helen Rees has been
recognized as the foremost authority on Shaniko
history. Her two books on the subject can be found
in nearly every library in the state of Oregon. Nearly
everyone who has sincere interest in Shaniko has a
copy of at least one of these books in their home.
When Shaniko was at its lowest point in the late
1970's and early 1980's Helen realized that the
history of Shaniko was about to be lost because no
one was writing it down plus there was a great deal
of missinformation about the town that was being
spread by word of mouth and often in print. She set
about the task of righting the situation and through
hundreds of hours of research and writing, became
Shaniko's historian.

Adelbert Rees and his fiancee' Helen Guyton
are shown together in 1928. On January 4th,
1929 they were wed and lived in Shaniko for
the next thirteen years. Adelbert worked for
his father W.A. Rees in the Shaniko
warehouses during that period and their three
boys Bill, Dick, and Charles plus their
daughter Anna Bell were born during their
Shaniko residency. "Delbert" and Helen left
Shaniko in 1942 with their family. For the
next four years Mr Rees was employed in the

Troutdale area. In 1954 President Dwight
Eisenhower appointed Adelbert Postmaster
of Fairview, a position he held for 21 years.

The Rees children grew up in Fairview and
graduated from Gresham High School.

Helen has had five books published. In addition
to the two Shaniko books she published a book

titled "Schoolmarms" and two other books on
the family history of the Guyton, Bell and allied
families. Helen has appeared at many book
signing events and has been called on many
times to speak on Shaniko. Present and future
generations are indebted to Helen for producing
interesting, factual accounts of the people and
events that made Shaniko history.