1895 B&W image of a grand Queen Anne Home road out front is dirt.

Research Services

Historical Research Services

In addition to leading acclaimed walking tours, Dr. Tanya Lyn March provides comprehensive historical research services for organizations, neighborhoods, preservation projects, and individuals seeking deeper insight into Portland’s layered past. Her work bridges rigorous academic methodology with accessible, engaging storytelling that brings local history to life.

Let’s Connect: To view a full professional history and current updates, visit Dr. Tanya Lyn March on LinkedIn.

Areas of Expertise & Services

Whether you are looking to uncover the story of a single historic home or require a team to handle a large-scale municipal project, we offer tailored research solutions:

  • Property & Neighborhood Histories: Documenting the lineage of homes, commercial buildings, and neighborhoods.
  • Family Genealogy & Personal Oral Histories: Conducting structured, professional interviews to capture personal and family legacies, paired with deep genealogical archival research to map your lineage.
  • Archival & Image Curation: Expert source material gathering, map curation, and licensing for publications and exhibits.
  • National Register Nominations: Comprehensive research and documentation for official historic designations.
  • Grant Writing & Development: Assisting non-profits and community organizations in securing funding for history and preservation efforts.

“Tanya is a tenacious researcher…In my books, I’ve gratefully referred to her superb research on Guild’s Lake War Housing and Vanport City War Housing. She interviewed local families and gathered stories and photos of women’s labor in Portland…”

Tracy J. Prince PhD, – LinkedIn

Featured Research & Preservation Projects

Public History & Community Storytelling

  • The Vanport Placemarking Project: Designed multiple historic markers, including “Women, War & Work 1942-1945,” “Vanport the Miracle City,” and “1948 A Time of Chang,” and, “PSU at Vanport”.
  • The Elmer and Linnie Miller House: Co-authored the book and served as a credited author for its successful National Register Nomination (Approved February 28, 2020). Link to Book.
  • Centennial Celebrations: Researched and designed the commemorative history flyer for the Tudor Arms HOA 100-year celebration. View Flyer.

“Tanya was invaluable as a resource for our Historic Preservation committee within our Northwest Neighborhood Association.”

Jozell Johnson – Linkedin

Academic Curation & Exhibits

  • Image Research & Curation: Sourced 60 historic images for Dr. Carl Abbott’s book, Portland in Three Centuries: The Place and the People.
  • Image Research & Curation: Researched and obtained use of images and maps for the Oregon Historical Society 2016 exhibition Beyond the Gate: A Tale of Portland’s Historic Chinatowns. Dr. Jacqueline Peterson-Loomis, conceived, directed and wrote the text for a major interpretive exhibition in collaboration with Carey Wong, exhibition designer, and Jennifer Fang took over as associate curator for the exhibition.
  • Exhibit Development: Served as Research Assistant for the Bosco-Milligan foundation’s exhibit, “Re-building South Portland,” focusing on the South Auditorium Urban Renewal project (2010).

Historic Surveys & Oral Histories

  • Peacock Lane Reconnaissance-Level Survey: Co-authored with Tim Askins (October 2016). Approved and cited by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office.
  • Guild’s Lake Courts: An impermanent housing project study utilizing 31 unique oral histories (Doctoral Dissertation).

Rates & Project Consultations

Every project is unique, and we scale our services to meet your specific budget and timeline.

  • Short-Term & Expedited Projects: $92 per hour.
  • Long-Term & Large-Scale Projects: Flat-rate, project-based pricing is negotiable to avoid hourly charges and focus entirely on your desired deliverables.

For large-scale community or municipal projects, we assemble and manage a custom team of top-tier local expert consultants to ensure comprehensive results.

Corporate Credentials

Slabtown Tours LLC is proud to be a Certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Certification No.: 15433

Curriculum Vitae Highlights

Education

  • Ph.D. in Urban Studies | Portland State University, Portland, OR (2010)
    • Dissertation: Guild’s Lake Courts: an Impermanent Housing Project.
  • M.S. in Historic Preservation | Columbia University, New York, NY (2000)
  • M.S. in Urban Affairs | Hunter College, New York, NY (1998)
  • B.A. in Comparative History | San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA (1995)