In business legend, Bill Bowerman getting the inspiration for Nike shoes from a waffle iron stands out. So does the story of Phil Knight starting his multibillion dollar company by selling sneakers from the back of his car.

Now Nike is now one of the most-recognized brands in the world.

The Beaverton company has kept its memorabilia for years, mostly hidden away.

But the company unveiled the first major public showing of the growing collection today at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland.

It is in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution's Traveling Exhibit "Sports: Breaking Records, Breaking Barriers."

Visitors can see familiar items such as the gold shoes Michael Johnson wore when he won both the 200 and 400 meters at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

They can also see the gummy residue on the late Steve Prefontaine's track shoes where Pre would wrap duct tape to make sure the shoes stayed on tight. The Nike exhibit covers some two-thousand square feet.