On 5/31/03 Elizabeth Furse's garden was open to the public for one day. This article shows some photos I took on the way to Helvetia from Portland, at the garden in Helvetia Vineyards and Winery and on the way back to Portland.

Furse, Elizabeth (b. 1936) Born in Nairobi, Kenya, October 13, 1936. Democrat. U.S. Representative from Oregon 1st District.

"Helvetia Vineyards and Winery is located at the northern end of the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the West Hills of Portland, Oregon in the community of Helvetia. The rolling hills of the area were settled by Swiss and German immigrants in the late 1800's. Prior to prohibition, the community was also known as Grape Hill because of the area's cottage wine industry. Jakob Yungen, a settler writing home to his Swiss relatives describing "die Schweizer Kolonie Helvetia" and stating his complaints about the cold weather, said:

"John Platt and Elizabeth Furse moved to their farm in 1980 and began planting winegrapes on their southern slopes in 1982. In 1987, they made their first wine and, in 1989, started selling grapes to home winemakers. From 1992 to 1995, they custom-crushed their grapes at Laurel Ridge Winery under the Helvetia Vineyards label and opened their own winery in October, 1996. Their Willamette Valley Vintage Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is oak barrel-aged and fermented while their Pinot Gris is fermented in stainless steel to project its crisp fruitiness and aroma. For the 2002 vintage, they are producing pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot gris from their own vineyards as well as from vineyards owned by Stuart and Melinda Wilson and other nearby vineyards.

"While John has not yet given up his day job at Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission to produce fine wines, Elizabeth retired from her third term in the United States House of Representatives and is assisting with marketing for the winery while also working at Portland State University where she serves in the Hatfield School of Government."