This oral history interview with Monte Ballou was conducted by Linda S. Dodds on September 16, 1980, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody. A transcript of the interview is available.

In this interview, Ballou discusses his family background and early life in Amity, Oregon, including his early interest in playing music, particularly the banjo and mandolin. He talks about playing in bands, particularly the Castle Jazz Band; about the music community in Oregon, particularly in Portland; and about running jazz clubs in Portland. He closes the interview by reflecting on his long career as a musician and talking about musicians he worked with.

This oral history interview with Don G. Berry was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at Berry's home on Vashon Island, Washington, on February 11, 1980, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Berry discusses and plays Zimbabwean music on an mbira, also known as a thumb piano. He speaks about his spirituality and shares thoughts on Eastern philosophies. He also discusses his experiences at Reed College from 1949 to 1951. He speaks about writing historical novels, as well as the reasons why he stopped writing fiction. He discusses writing as an art form, and talks about his other work as an artist, including film and bronze sculpture. He talks about the benefits and drawbacks of life in individualistic and communal societies; shares his thoughts about the future of computers, particularly for use in writing and music; and speaks at length about his feminism and support for the women's movement. He closes the interview by talking about how he developed his interests.

This oral history interview with Narcissus M. Hutchinson was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at Hutchinson's home in Portland, Oregon, on September 3, 1981, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Hutchinson discusses her family background and early life on Sauvie Island and in various neighborhoods of Portland, Oregon, particularly St. Johns. She talks about her education and about having future Oregon Governor Douglas McKay as a classmate. She then discusses working as a cook in a logging camp in Rainier, Oregon, in the early 1910s, and about working on ranches in Oregon and Idaho while raising a family. She closes the interview by sharing her memories of attending the dedication of the John Mock House at the time it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

This oral history interview with Sara C. Lusk was conducted by Linda S. Dodds in Beaverton, Oregon, in two sessions on January 22, 1982, and January 27, 1982. The interview was conducted as part of the oral history program at the society's research library. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody. Sister Peter Kump was also present and occasionally contributed to the interview.

In the first interview session, Lusk discusses her family background and early life in the Riverdale neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, in the early 20th century. She describes driving around town when cars were first introduced, talks about businesses in downtown Portland, and discusses her father's career as a lawyer. She talks about her involvement with the Portland Junior League, then briefly discusses studying art at St. Helen's Hall and at the Art Students League of New York. She speaks about meeting her husband, Hall Stoner Lusk.

In the second interview session, Lusk continues to discuss her art studies. She talks about her marriage to Hall Stoner Lusk, and speaks at length about his career as a lawyer, judge, and U.S. senator. She talks about living in Washington, D.C., during Hall S. Lusk's brief time in the U.S. Senate, and in Salem, Oregon, while he served on the Oregon Supreme Court. She closes the interview by discussing some of the cases Hall S. Lusk heard on the court.

This oral history interview with Laurence Pratt was conducted by Linda S. Dodds in Portland, Oregon, on December 15, 1981, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody. Eugene E. Snyder was also present and occasionally contributed interview questions.

In this interview, Pratt discusses his early life in Portland, Oregon, including working in his brother's print shop in downtown Portland and attending the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition. He shares the reasons why he dropped out of school as a child, talks about finishing his education at the age of 22, and discusses his experiences at Reed College. He then talks about his career as a professor of English at Pacific University and a teacher at Portland public high schools. He closes the interview by discussing his poetry.

This oral history interview with Gerry Pratt was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the offices of the Fred Meyer Savings and Loan Association in Portland, Oregon, on January 29, 1979.

In this interview, Pratt tells stories about his family background and early life in Vancouver, Canada, including his education and his summer jobs. He talks about beginning his career in journalism at the Canadian Press, the Vancouver Sun, and the Toronto Telegram. He then discusses his career in journalism at the Oregonian newspaper and working as business editor. He speaks at length about his friendship with Fred G. Meyer. He describes his work as the president of Fred Meyer Savings and Loan, and the ways in which the banking field is changing. He also discusses his career as a television journalist. He closes the interview by talking about his plans for the future.

This oral history interview with Richard F. Smith was conducted by Charles Digregorio on September 20, 1978. In this interview, Smith discusses his early interest in forestry work, including serving as assistant forester in the Civilian Conservation Corps and in the Resettlement and Farm Security Administration in Ohio. He talks about his forestry education at Ohio State University. He then talks about working for the Forestry Department in Clark County, Washington, and describes his development of the forestry management technique of individual tree selection. He talks about his agreements and disagreements with environmental activists, his efforts to convince owners of small land tracts to use his forestry management techniques, and about other methods of forest management.

This oral history interview with Virginia M. Kletzer was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on March 30, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. Roy Feldenheimer and Henry C.C. Stevens were also present and occasionally contributed to the interview.

In this interview, Kletzer discusses her education at the Portland Academy, a private high school that operated from 1889 to 1916 and was located at SW 13th Avenue and SW Montgomery Street, in Portland, Oregon. She describes the curriculum of the school and talks about her teachers and classmates. She then speaks about her involvement with the Parent Teacher Association and the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society. She shares her memories of attending the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition and of spending a summer at the Cloud Cap Inn in 1910 with Portland Academy staff. She closes the interview by talking about her marriage to William Kletzer and raising a family on a ranch on the Jesse Applegate donation land claim.

This oral history interview with Arthur J. McCourt was conducted by Charles Digregorio in Tacoma, Washington, on March 13, 1979, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, McCourt briefly discusses his early life and education in Chicago, Illinois, and his experience in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He talks about his career as an accountant, and later as director of the archives, at Weyerhaeuser Company in Washington state. He describes the organizational structure of the company and talks about the company's history. He also talks about record retention policies at Weyerhaeuser.

This oral history interview with Twila M. Alber was conducted by Charles Digregorio on July 5, 1978, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Alber discusses studying art late in life after raising a family. She talks about studying sculpting at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, in the early 1950s, and about studying weaving at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She discusses her artistic process, talks about the difficulty of making art for a living, and closes the interview by briefly talking about teaching art.

This oral history interview with Fred C. Baker was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on January 19, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library.

In this interview, Baker discusses his career as a lighting designer in Portland, Oregon. He talks about his association with architect A.E. Doyle, discusses his work for the Pittock Mansion, and describes his design and manufacturing process. He speaks at length about how lighting designs changed as electricity became widespread and as light bulbs became more powerful.

This oral history interview with sisters Frances S. Charlton and Mary H. Clair was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on February 2, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library.

In this interview, Charlton and Clair discuss their early life living with their grandparents in the King's Hill neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. They describe the house they lived in, talk about other families in the neighborhood, and discuss the manners and customs of wealthy people in early 20th-century Portland. They talk about spending summers in Ocean Beach, Washington, and winters in Santa Barbara, California. They also share their experiences during the 1918 flu pandemic. They talk about their education and lessons, about their leisure activities, and about businesses in the neighborhood.

This oral history interview with Henry C. C. Stevens was conducted by Charles Digregorio on January 5, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. An incomplete transcript is also available, and includes an addendum provided by Stevens after the interview.

In this interview, Stevens discusses his family background and early life in the Nob Hill neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. He talks about the people who lived in the neighborhood, about the businesses and schools in the area, and about his experience with childhood diseases. He speaks about his education at Portland Academy, including his teachers and classmates. He shares his memories of the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition. He talks about his service in the U.S. military during World War I, shares his reasons for not completing college, and speaks about his career in the insurance business.

This oral history interview with Shanna C. Wheeler was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on June 30, 1976, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library.

In this interview, Wheeler discusses her family background and early life in various neighborhoods around Portland, including her involvement in the Junior League of Portland. She talks about her marriage to Lawrence R. Wheeler, publisher of the Portland Telegram, and describes the houses they lived in. She closes the interview by talking about her involvement with the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland.

This oral history interview with David E. Becker was conducted by Charles Digregorio on August 11, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Becker discusses his family background, and particularly talks about the life and career of his father, Ray F. Becker. He discusses the family steel fabrication business, the Ray F. Becker Company, and talks about how the business changed over the 20th century.

This oral history interview with Edith F. Essex was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on January 25, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library. Henry C. C. Stevens was also present.

In this interview, Essex discusses her involvement as an actor with the Portland Civic Theater beginning around 1939. She talks about writing and directing children's plays, and about teaching children to act. She talks about her acting method, about plays she acted in or directed, and about actors she worked with, including Frank Branch Riley.

This oral history interview with Amy R. Gill was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on February 23, 1976, as part of the oral history program in the society's research library. Henry C. C. Stevens was also present and occasionally contributed to the interview.

In this interview, Gill discusses her family background and early life in the King's Hill and Portland Heights neighborhoods of Portland, Oregon. She talks about the people who lived in the neighborhoods, about buildings and businesses in the area, and about social life in the early 20th century. She closes the interview by describing her childhood recreational activities, including playing polo and badminton.

This oral history interview with Gretchen Brown was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on April 12, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library.

In this interview, Brown discusses the 1858 overland journey from Ontario, Canada, to Salem, Oregon, of her father, James Charles Brown. She talks about her father's hardware store, about her early life, and about the Chinese and Native communities in Salem. She briefly talks about her career as a teacher, and closes the interview by discussing the life and legal career of her husband, McDannell Brown.

This oral history interview with Hobart M. Mitchell was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on May 4, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library.

In this interview, Mitchell discusses his family background and talks about his father, McKinley Mitchell, including his father's friendship with cartoonist Homer Davenport, his career as a general store owner, and his service in the Oregon State Legislature. He discusses his own youth in Portland, and talks about how the city has changed over the 20th century. He then discusses his career as a produce wholesaler during the 1920s and 1930s, including his experiences providing provisions for Russian ships. He talks about his activism regarding taxes, and closes the interview by sharing his memories of the Portland waterfront.

This oral history interview with Sidney Teiser was conducted by Charles Digregorio at Teiser's home in Portland, Oregon, on February 3, 1977, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Teiser discusses his family background and early life in Virginia, including his experience of being raised by relatives. He speaks about studying law at the University of Virginia and shares his reasons for moving to Portland, Oregon, in 1911. He talks about practicing law in Portland, about cases he has worked on, and about why he enjoys his career as a lawyer. He shares his experiences as a Jew in Portland in the early 20th century, talks about racism in the American Bar Association (ABA), and discusses his work as a historian and author. He talks about founding the Scribes branch of the ABA, also called the American Society of Writers on Legal Subjects, and shares his thoughts about the way lawyers tend to write.

This oral history interview with Virgil H. Langtry was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on December 20, 1976, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library. Langtry's wife, H. Lavina Langtry, was also present and briefly contributed to the interview.

In this interview, H. Lavina Langtry briefly discusses her family background. Virgil H. Langtry then discusses his family background and early life in lumber towns near Eugene, Oregon. He talks about starting a law practice in Bend during the Depression, about serving as treasurer for the Farm Loan Association in Redmond, and about his work with the League of Oregon Cities. He discusses lawyers he worked with, shares his thoughts about political issues at the time of the interview, and talks about the relationship between the press and the judicial system. He closes the interview by talking about the disparity between the salaries of judges and lawyers.

This oral history interview with Harvey S. Giffin was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on June 22, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library.

In this interview, Giffin discusses performing as an actor with the Portland Civic Theatre. He talks about plays he acted in, about actors he worked with, and about the theater and movie business in Portland. He also speaks about movies filmed in Oregon that he performed in.

This oral history interview with Alice T. Biddle was conducted by Charles Digregorio in Vancouver, Washington, on September 21, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. Henry C. C. Stevens was also present and occasionally contributed to the interview.

In this interview, Biddle discusses her family background, and her early life in the Nob Hill neighborhood of Portland. She talks about prominent families who lived in the neighborhood, about her childhood recreational activities, and about daily life in the early 20th century. She also talks about the medical practice of her father, Ernest Fanning Tucker.

This oral history interview with Virginia G. Davis was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon on May 26, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library.

In this interview, Davis discusses her family background, particularly the life and career of her mother, Page Morris Gilbert, and talks about her early life in the Dunthorpe neighborhood of Portland. She also discusses the family background of her husband, Nelson Bennett Davis. She speaks about how their families were acquainted with prominent Portland families and about their involvement in the timber industry. She talks about the music career of her brother, Giles Gilbert, aka Gilles Guilbert, and closes the interview by discussing her work with Margery Hoffman Smith on interior design for Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood.

This oral history interview with sisters Helen H. Gamble and Harriet H. Cass was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on April 22, 1976, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library. Henry C.C. Stevens was also present and occasionally contributed to the interview.

In this interview, Gamble and Cass speak at length about their family background and describe how their parents came to Portland. They talk about their early life in the Portland Heights neighborhood, including participating in social events at Pittock Mansion, their childhood recreational activities, and people who lived in the neighborhood. They also discuss the prevalence of water springs in the Portland Heights area.

This oral history interview with Ellen L. MacVeagh was conducted by Charles Digregorio at MacVeagh's home in Portland, Oregon, on February 20, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. MacVeagh's pet birds are audible throughout the interview.

In this interview, MacVeagh speaks at length about her family background, including the careers of her father, Abbot Low Mills (1858-1927), and her uncle Cicero Hunt Lewis (1826-1897), also known as Cicero Horatius Lewis. She discusses her early life in Portland, Oregon. She talks about her recreational activities and social life in the Portland area in the early 20th century, including dances at the Vancouver Barracks in Vancouver, Washington, and horseback riding. She speaks about Chinese American residents of Portland, particularly men who worked for her family. She shares stories about Captain John Heard Couch and other early Portland residents. She closes the interview by speaking about living in France and Italy during the 1920s.

This oral history interview with Charles Digregorio was conducted by Jim Strassmaier in Portland, Oregon, on April 4, 2001, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. A transcript is available.

In this interview, Digregorio describes how he became the first oral historian at the Oregon Historical Society and talks about his experience studying oral history at Columbia University in New York, New York. He talks about oral history interviews he conducted for the historical society, particularly a series of interviews regarding Willamette Industries; shares his interviewing process; and discusses how the oral history program was funded. He shares his reasons for leaving the Oregon Historical Society. He closes the interview by talking about the people he worked with at the society's research library.

This oral history interview with Abbot L. Mills, Jr., was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on July 15, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library.

In this interview, Mills discusses his family background and speaks at length about the life and banking career of his father, Abbot Low Mills, who later became the president of the First National Bank of Portland. He discusses his early life in the Couch Addition area of Portland, which is now part of the Nob Hill neighborhood, and talks about families who lived in the neighborhood. He also talks about the Ainsworth family background of his wife, Katherine Mills. He describes how he came to work at the First National Bank of Portland in 1922, and talks about his career in banking there and at the United States National Bank of Portland.