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Oral history interview with Zennah M. Buse

  • SR 1713
  • Collection
  • 1991-01-15 - 1991-02-20

This oral history interview with Zennah M. Buse was conducted by Susan L. Smith in West Linn, Oregon, from January 15 to February 20, 1991. The interview was conducted in three sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on January 15, 1991, Buse discusses her family background and childhood in West Linn, Oregon, including life on a farm, her elementary school education, and her recreational activities. She describes life in West Linn during the early 20th century and talks about attending Territorial Days picnics.

In the second interview session, conducted on January 23, 1991, Buse discusses her teenage years in West Linn, Oregon, including life on a farm, her high school education, and her recreational activities. She talks about her wedding and marriage to Herman Richard Buse. She discusses raising a family in West Linn, and talks about family and holiday traditions; shares her memories of her activities during World War II; and talks about her children, their families, and their careers. She speaks about her health, about her involvement in clubs and organizations, and about growing vegetables. She also revisits the topic of her childhood and describes the foods she ate, the process of doing laundry, and the clothes she wore.

In the third and final interview session, conducted on February 20, 1991, Buse revisits the topic of her marriage to Herman Richard Buse and raising a family in West Linn. She talks about camping with her family, shares the history of places and landmarks in West Linn, and describes how the city has changed over her life. She closes the interview by talking about the Romani people who would come to West Linn in the summers.

Buse, Zennah M. (Zennah Marguerite), 1904-1994

Oral history interview with Howard C. Reed

  • SR 172
  • Collection
  • 1988-07-30

This oral history interview with Howard C. Reed was conducted by an unidentified man on July 30, 1988. In this interview, Reed discusses a giant brown trout that was caught at Paulina Lake in 1965, which weighed 35 pounds, 9 ounces. He also talks about the history of Paulina Lake Lodge, which his family had owned since 1929.

Reed, Howard C. (Howard Charles), 1913-2000

Oral history interview with Art Bimrose

  • SR 1752
  • Collection
  • 1989-04-26 - 1989-04-26

This oral history interview with Art Bimrose was conducted by Jim Strassmaier on April 26, 1989. The interview was conducted in conjunction with a 1989 exhibition of Bimrose's work at the Oregon Historical Society. The interview was conducted in one session.

In this interview, Bimrose discusses his family background and early life in Spokane, Washington, and in Portland, Oregon, including his early interest in art. He discusses his early career in art, particularly commercial art, during the Depression. He also talks about his summer jobs with the Southern Pacific Railroad during his high school years, the effect the Depression had on his family, and his early political beliefs. He discusses working for the Oregonian newspaper, first as a photo re-toucher and later as a cartoonist. He talks about developing his art style, his process in creating political cartoons, and the editorial policies of the Oregonian. He also briefly talks about his experience in the U.S. Army during World War II, particularly the effect it had on his personality and home life. He also talks about the difficulty in drawing cartoons for the Oregonian that were supportive of the Vietnam War, despite his personal opposition to it. He describes his use of symbolism in his cartoons; talks about politicians he admired; and discusses the Oregonian editorial conferences that he attended. He also talks about some of the controversial topics on which he drew cartoons and working with the Oregonian editorial page editors. He closes the interview by discussing his retirement activities.

Bimrose, Art, 1912-

Video tour of Isaka Shamsud-Din's art studio

  • SR 1760
  • Collection
  • 2018-10-03

This video tour of Isaka Shamsud-Din's art studio in Portland, Oregon, was conducted on October 3, 2018. The tour was recorded by P. C. Peri, and Milo Reed was also present. Shamsud-Din shows some of his paintings, drawings, and murals, and talks about the inspiration for and meaning behind each work.

Shamsud-Din, Isaka, 1940-

Oral history interview with Kirby Ross

  • SR 18
  • Collection
  • 1979-12-20

This oral history interview with Kirby Ross was conducted by Charles Pavlovich on December 20, 1979. Ross' son, Kenneth Nelson Ross, and a person identified only as Mr. Johnson were also present and occasionally contributed to the interview.

In this interview, Ross discusses his service in the U.S. Army in France and Germany during World War I, including capturing enemy soldiers, retrieving bodies of fallen Allied soldiers, and fighting in the trenches. He also talks about where he was during the signing of the armistice. He then talks about his civilian life and serving in the Oregon National Guard before the start of World War I, including being deployed to disrupt efforts by the International Workers of the World to unionize agricultural workers. He then revisits the topic of his service in the U.S. Army in France and Germany during World War I, and describes at length his experiences on the front lines. He closes the interview by discussing where to donate the oral history interview and related materials.

Ross, Kirby S. (Kirby Stewart), 1893-1984

Oral history interview with Barbara A. Mackenzie

  • SR 1936
  • Collection
  • 1999-09-27 - 2001-06-01

This oral history interview with Barbara A. Mackenzie was conducted by Katy Barber at Mackenzie's home in Portland, Oregon, from September 27, 1999, to June 1, 2001. Barbara Mackenzie's son, Thomas R. Mackenzie, and Jan Dilg were also present during the sessions recorded in 2001. The interview was conducted in four sessions. The first part of session one was not recorded.

In the first interview session, conducted on September 27, 1999, Mackenzie discusses working as a teacher in Oregon and California, including working with marginalized groups in the San Francisco Bay Area and opposition she faced. She also talks about her work with the Red Cross in Virginia. She speaks about her role in relocating members of the Warm Springs, Yakama, Umatilla, and Nez Perce tribes during the building of The Dalles Dam at Celilo Falls. She talks about her relationship with Chief Tommy Thompson and Flora Cushinway Thompson of the Wyam people and shares stories about the Wyam way of life. She also talks about her work with Navajo people near Palm Springs, California.

In the second interview session, conducted on September 30, 1999, Mackenzie continues discussing her role in the relocation of members of the Warm Springs, Yakama, Umatilla, and Nez Perce tribes. She talks about her relationship with Flora Cushinway Thompson of the Wyam people, some of her advocacy on behalf of indigenous people, and where she felt the local authorities were neglecting indigenous people's needs. She also talks about Temmingway Moses, a Yakama woman who tended a cemetery near the Maryhill Museum in Washington; the attitudes of the population at The Dalles towards Native Americans; and her working relationship with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She talks about Abe Sholoway, a Umatilla man who acted as interpreter; her efforts to get Native American marriages legally recognized; and attending the Pendleton Round-Up. She also talks about the processes of the relocation project and how she got involved. She shares her opinion about assimilation and the U.S. government's practice of tribal termination. She talks about her brother, Ralph Tudor, who served as undersecretary of the Interior under President Dwight D. Eisenhower and worked as an engineer on the Bay Bridge and Bay Area Rapid Transit in the San Francisco Bay Area. She also discusses some of her secretaries and revisits the topics of working as a teacher with marginalized groups in California and her work with the Red Cross in Virginia. She then talks about serving as executive for the Red Cross in Lincoln County, Oregon.

In the third interview session, conducted on January 16, 2001, Mackenzie discusses her family background and her early life and education in Sutherlin, Oregon. She also talks about the career of her brother, Ralph Tudor. She discusses her education at St. Mary's Academy and at Lincoln High School in Portland, her relationship with her mother, and her first teaching job near Bend. She talks about her college experiences at Western College for Women (now known as the Western Campus of Miami University) and at the Oregon Normal School (now known as Western Oregon University).

In the fourth interview session, conducted on June 1, 2001, Mackenzie discusses serving as executive for the Red Cross in Lincoln County, including organizing blood drives and working with veterans. She closes the interview by describing the town of Newport.

Mackenzie, Barbara A. (Barbara Amanda), 1905-2002

Don L. Hunter interview about Bigfoot sighting

  • SR 2001
  • Collection
  • 1963-10-18

This oral history interview with Don L. Hunter was conducted by Ben Trippett and Lee Trippett at the Del Rey Cafe in Eugene, Oregon, on October 18, 1963. In this interview, Hunter discusses an encounter with Bigfoot at Todd Lake in 1942. He describes the creature's physical characteristics, its movement, its sound, and its smell. Ben Trippett and Lee Trippett then speak at length about multiple other reported Sasquatch sightings. They all speak about the commonalities among the reports. Ben Trippett and Lee Trippett speak at length about their Bigfoot research, and Hunter ends the recording with a description of the audio reproduction process.

Hunter, Don L. (Donald Lawrence), 1914-2016

Oral history interview with Charles L. Hayward

  • SR 2035
  • Collection
  • 1994-04-13 - 1994-05-04

This oral history interview with Charles L. Hayward was conducted by Jim Strassmaier from April 13 to May 4, 1994. The interview was meant to act as a sequel to an earlier interview with Hayward that was conducted by Linda S. Dodds in 1979. The sequel interview was conducted in two sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on April 13, 1994, Hayward discusses his family background and early life in Holyoke, Massachusetts, including his education and his social life. He talks about his experience studying chemical engineering and electrical engineering at Columbia University, including his social life, his involvement in sports, and the advent of World War I. He discusses his U.S. Army service in the 13th Balloon Corps in France during the war. He describes a back injury he sustained during training and the treatment he received after his discharge. He then talks about his career after the war, manufacturing time switches and later self-starting motors for clocks, known as Telechron motors. He also discusses his involvement with the American Legion and dealing with the Veterans Administration. He also talks about serving as chair for Minnesota congressman Walter Judd's campaign committee.

In the second interview session, conducted on May 4, 1994, Hayward discusses his association with Charles Lindbergh while Hayward was manufacturing clock self-starting motors. He also briefly revisits the topic of his U.S. Army service in the 13th Balloon Corps in France during the World War I. He then talks about his brief marriage to Grace Parsons and his relationship with her son, Robert P. Hayward. He discusses his affiliation with the Congregational Church and his involvement with the American Legion. He closes the interview by taking about his participation in a parade in Vancouver, Washington.

Hayward, Charles L. (Charles Lewis), 1895-1998

Oral history interview with Vern B. Ryles

  • SR 2048
  • Collection
  • 1994-06-02 - 1995-02-23

This oral history interview with Vern B. Ryles was conducted by Michael O'Rourke at Ryles's office in Portland, Oregon, from June 2, 1994 to February 23, 1995, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. The interview was conducted in seven sessions.

In sessions one and two, Ryles discusses his family background and early life in Walla Walla, Washington, his relationship with his father, and his marriage to Nancy Wyly. He talks about working for a trucking company in Chicago, Illinois, during the time that Jimmy Hoffa ran the Teamsters Union.

In sessions three through five, Ryles shares his thoughts about the economic and social factors behind the increase in homelessness, particularly in Oregon, in the late 20th century. He talks about his work as a member of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce to provide social services to people experiencing homelessness in Portland, discusses Portland Mayor Bud Clark's 12-point plan to address homelessness, and talks about the development of the Homeless Action Fund.

In sessions six and seven, Ryles reflects on the accomplishments of Portland's programs for homeless services. He then speaks at length about Nancy Ryles' service on the Beaverton school board; representing Washington County in the Oregon House from 1979 to 1982, and in the Oregon Senate from 1983 to 1987; and as a member of the Public Utility Commission from 1987 until her death in 1990. He talks about his marriage to Nancy Ryles, and about her death from cancer.

Ryles, Vern B. (Vernon Barton), 1937-2013

Oral history interview with Amo R. DeBernardis

  • SR 2079
  • Collection
  • 1993-04-09 - 1993-11-05

This oral history interview with Amo R. DeBernardis was conducted by Corbett S. Gottfried from April 9 to November 5, 1993. The interview was conducted in six sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on April 9, 1993, DeBernardis discusses his family background and early life in the Portland, Oregon, area, including jobs he did during his childhood. He speaks at length about his early education and his teachers. He talks about his experience studying engineering at Oregon State University, including his classes, teachers, and how he decided to become a teacher. He also discusses his involvement in designing the Bonneville Dam while in college. He then talks about working as a shop teacher at Ockley Green Elementary School in Portland and working with students. He speaks briefly about his master's thesis, then talks about switching to becoming an education administrator and shares his philosophy on what makes a good administrator. He talks about his wife, Jessie Genevieve Hulery, and their children. He describes his service training officers in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

In the second interview session, conducted on April 16, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II and talks about the changes in education after the war. He describes working with Portland Public Schools in the late 1940s and 1950s; talks about his main accomplishments; and describes his educational philosophy. He then speaks about the beginnings of adult education in Oregon and about serving as Portland Community College's first president from 1961 to 1979. He describes the various programs PCC offered, the development of its campuses, and the opposition the fledgling college faced. He talks about the relationship between PCC and Portland Public Schools, other community colleges in the Portland Metro area, and about the Oregon State Department of Education. He discusses tuition rates and the value of the classes that PCC offers.

In the third interview session, conducted on April 23, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service as Portland Community College's first president. He continues talking about the development of PCC's campuses and the value of the classes that PCC offers. He speaks about the business model of higher education, the formation of the community college district, and the teachers union. He talks about members of the PCC board during his presidency, teachers they hired, and his management style. He discusses PCC's curriculum and how it compared to a traditional four-year college and talks about the accreditation process.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on May 24, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service as Portland Community College's first president. He talks about meeting the academic and personal needs of the students during the 1960s and 1970s. He describes the student services that PCC provided; talks about the value of vocational education programs; and shares his opinion on college athletic programs. He discusses the job placement programs at PCC, the role of the Oregon and federal departments of education, and the Oregon Community College Association. He also talks about the role of the Oregon Legislature in the development of PCC. He describes the mission of Portland Community College.

In the fifth interview session, conducted on June 10, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service as Portland Community College's first president. He continues describing the mission of Portland Community College and revisits the topics of PCC's hiring practices and his major accomplishments during his presidency. He also discusses his failures and conflicts. He talks about his relationships with presidents at other community colleges in Oregon, budgeting concerns for a college, and PCC's relationship with Oregon 4-year colleges. He then speaks about his retirement activities and reflects on the challenges of leading a college. He also shares his philosophy on life.

In the sixth and final interview session, conducted on November 5, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service as Portland Community College's first president. He speaks at length about the early development of PCC. He discusses how PCC differs from a traditional junior college, talks about the growth of the college, and describes the development of the student transfer program. He talks about hiring and firing teachers, his role as president of the college, and the decision-making process. He reflects on some of the decisions he was responsible for as president. He revisits the topic of his leadership philosophy and discusses the organizational structure of PCC.

DeBernardis, Amo R. (Amo Richard), 1913-2010

Ruth L. Van Beber oral memoir

  • SR 2083
  • Collection
  • 1992-10-12 - 1993-05-07

This oral memoir by Ruth L. Van Beber was recorded from October 12, 1992, to May 7, 1993. The memoir was recorded in twelve sessions.

In the first session, recorded on October 12, 1992, Van Beber introduces her memoir by sharing her reasons for recording her life story. She shares anecdotes about her early life in Albuquerque, New Mexico, including getting her smallpox vaccine at age 5. She then shares anecdotes about her early life in El Paso, Texas, including the transition from horses to cars at the fire department, witnessing racism, and meeting President William Howard Taft. She also talks about working in her father's candy store.

In the second session, recorded on October 24, 1992, Van Beber continues to discuss working in her father's candy store in El Paso, Texas. She describes being regularly beaten by her father; talks about the deaths, injuries, and overall health of her siblings and mother; and discusses her education and her teachers. She shares anecdotes about running away; about spending a few years at the Salvation Army Home for Wayward Girls, including stories about infant deaths and sexual abuse; and about attending business college and working as a secretary for the Interdepartmental Social Hygiene Board. She also talks about her marriage to Merton Floyd Stevenson. She shares anecdotes about the Holy Rollers, Chinese people in Texas, and witnessing Pancho Villa purchase guns in El Paso. She describes her experience with tuberculosis, and then talks about her life in Southern California, including bootlegging. She shares anecdotes about visits to San Francisco in the 1920s, a road trip in 1924, and living in Phoenix, Arizona. She describes an especially beautiful peach tree.

In the third session, recorded on November 12, 1992, Van Beber shares anecdotes about living in New York City in the late 1920s and the people she met there, including socialists and people in the gay community.

In the fourth session, recorded on November 13, 1992, Van Beber continues to talk about living in New York City in the late 1920s, including working at a candy counter and her experiences at the beginning of the Depression. She describes hitchhiking across the country in the 1930s.

In the fifth session, recorded on November 14, 1992, Van Beber continues to describe hitchhiking across the country in the 1930s. She talks about her marriage to Rosser Thomas Garrison, about dogs she owned, and about her life in Southern California. She then speaks about homesteading in Oregon.

In the sixth session, recorded on November 22, 1992, Van Beber continues to speak at length about her experiences while homesteading in Oregon. She also talks about working in a prune orchard, about her father's death and funeral, and about growing a vegetable garden.

In the seventh session, recorded on November 25, 1992, Van Beber continues to speak at length about her experiences while homesteading in Oregon. She shares anecdotes about baking bread, about her adopted children, and about building a school. She then talks about abandoning the children.

In the eighth session, recorded on December 14, 1992, Van Beber continues to talk about abandoning her adopted children. She shares anecdotes about working as an in-home nurse in San Francisco, including for a woman who had harmed her baby. She talks about briefly returning to her family in Oregon and about her life and work in Alaska during World War II. She also describes her experiences just after President Franklin D. Roosevelt's declaration of war, talks about her journey to Alaska, and speaks about running a cafe in Kodiak, Alaska. She describes the evacuation of Kodiak.

In the ninth session, recorded on December 15, 1992, Van Beber continues to describe the evacuation of Kodiak during World War II. She then talks about selling her cafe and leaving Kodiak. She shares anecdotes about life on a homestead in Homer, Alaska, including a story about accidentally starting a wildfire. She also talks about living in Seldovia, Alaska. She speaks at length about an afghan she treasured. She talks about the various health problems of Rosser T. Garrison that led them to relocate to Washington.

In the tenth session, recorded on December 22, 1992, Van Beber shares anecdotes about life in Cashmere, Washington, at the end of World War II, including caring for her mother and running another cafe. She revisits the topic of Rosser T. Garrison's problems with his health; shares her experiences after hearing about the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan; and describes the changes in Garrison's behavior as a result of his health issues. She then shares her experiences as a patient in a psychiatric hospital in Washington. She then talks about caring for Garrison after a stroke, about their divorce, and about her subsequent brief marriage with Cecil Carter. She describes remodeling her cafe and home in Cashmere. She discusses working in Bend, Oregon, meeting Chuck Van Beber, and then working in Moab, Utah. She speaks about returning to run the cafe in Cashmere and reconnecting with Chuck Van Beber.

In the eleventh session, recorded on December 27, 1992, Van Beber interrupts the tenth recording session to talk about the reception of her memoir by friends and family, to discuss her open marriages, and to share more anecdotes from her life on a homestead in Oregon. She describes her recent Christmas activities.

In the twelfth and final session, recorded on May 7, 1993, Van Beber shares her feelings upon hearing about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. She talks about returning to Alaska in the 1960s, about an artist she met in Seldovia, Alaska, and about her experiences during the 1964 earthquake. She describes the tsunami that followed. She talks about relocating to Eugene, Oregon.

Van Beber, Ruth L. (Ruth Leota), 1902-1994

Oral history interview with Bud Clark

  • SR 2084
  • Collection
  • 1995-04-06

This oral history interview with Bud Clark was conducted by Joseph W. Carlisle on April 6, 1995. The equipment used to record this interview was faulty, causing the tape speed to vary widely. Digitized audio files made from the recording have been adjusted for ease of listening.

In this interview, Clark discusses transportation in Portland, including bicycles and the public transportation system, TriMet. He focuses particularly on the construction of the TriMet light-rail system, MAX. He discusses outdoor recreation in Portland. He then talks about his family background and early life in Portland. He also discusses his experiences at Vanport College (now Portland State University) and at Reed College. He talks about the livability and climate of Oregon, particularly the city of Portland.

Clark discusses the impact of urban renewal on Portland. He discusses running the Drop In Tavern, which he renamed the Spoutin' House; the tavern's location near Portland State University; and how urban renewal forced him out of business. He then talks about purchasing Ann's Tavern, which he renamed the Goose Hollow Inn. He speaks at length about his opinion of urban renewal at the time it was happening in the 1950s and 1960s, and his opinion of it in retrospect. Clark closes the interview by briefly discussing the urban renewal policies he put in place as mayor of Portland from 1984 to 1992.

Clark, Bud (J. E. "Bud")

Oral history interview with Thomas Vaughan

  • SR 2090
  • Collection
  • 1995-10-01 - 1996-12-02

This oral history interview with Thomas Vaughan was conducted by Sieglinde Smith at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, from October 1, 1995, to December 2, 1996, as part of the historical society's oral history program. The interview was conducted in nine sessions. Tape 17 is missing, and Tape 25, the final cassette of the interview recording, was removed from the collection by Vaughan at the time of the interview.

In the first interview session, conducted on October 1, 1995, Vaughan discusses his family background and early life in Seattle, Washington; near Kelso, Washington; and in Longview, Washington, including his education, his family's experience during the Depression, and working in sawmills as a teenager. He talks about his service in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943 to 1945, about his education at Yale University, and about working for the Macmillan Company after graduation. He describes a trip to Alaska, and talks about working in the Southwest in the 1940s. He then talks about his experiences at the University of Wisconsin.

In the second interview session, conducted on November 6, 1995, Vaughan shares additional anecdotes about the time he spent in Alaska, the Southwest, and Madison, Wisconsin. He briefly discusses his service as director of the Rock Creek Historical Society in Janesville, Wisconsin, and shares his reasons for accepting the job of executive director of the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, in 1954. He speaks at length about his early years at OHS, describes the condition of the library and museum, and talks about changes he made. He talks about his role in the establishment of the Fort Clatsop National Memorial; about working with the OHS board members, including David T. Mason and Tom McCall; and about the 1959 Oregon state centennial. He discusses selecting and purchasing the site for the OHS building on the Southwest Park Blocks in downtown Portland in the 1960s, and describes how OHS came to own the entire block between SW Jefferson, Madison, Broadway, and Park.

In the third interview session, conducted on November 8, 1995, Vaughan continues to discuss his service as executive director of OHS. He talks about the relationship between OHS and other archives in Oregon during his early years; about fundraising for the building construction on Southwest Park Avenue in the 1960s; and about working with Pietro Belluschi as consulting architect on the design of the museum and library. He also discusses OHS's relationship with Oregon governors Mark Hatfield and Tom McCall, as well as with the Legislature. He talks about developing collection security and preservation policies for the museum and library, about OHS's storage facilities, including the Meier & Frank building and the Oregon Journal building, and about moving the collections to the new building. He discusses building the OHS archival collection, including traveling to Siberia in 1968 for materials.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on November 13, 1995, Vaughan continues to discuss his service as executive director of OHS. He speaks further about his travels to Siberia to collect archival materials, and talks about forming relationships with Russian archives. He discusses cultivating relationships with donors; speaks further and at length about building the OHS archival collection, and talks about OHS's relationship with governors Bob Straub and Vic Atiyeh, with Portland mayors, and with Multnomah County government. He also talks about the preservation of the Bybee House on Sauvie Island. He speaks about his personal philosophy and managerial style.

In the fifth interview session, conducted on December 18, 1995, Vaughan continues to discuss his service as executive director of OHS. He talks about his involvement in historic preservation of buildings in Portland, and revisits the topics of the construction of the OHS building on Southwest Park Avenue and the purchase of the Sovereign Hotel. He talks about his reasons for retiring in 1989, about the North Pacific Studies program at OHS, and about the selection of his successor, Bill Tramposch. He speaks further about cultivating relationships with donors.

In the sixth interview session, conducted on December 19, 1995, Vaughan discusses his activities since his retirement. He talks about his house in Skamokawa, Washington, and describes the surrounding area.

In the seventh interview session, conducted on May 6, 1996, Vaughan continues to talk about the area of Skamokawa, Washington. He returns to the topic of his service as executive director of OHS. He talks about building, cataloging, and preserving the OHS collections, about cultivating relationships with donors, and about some of the collections acquired during his tenure.

In the eighth interview session, conducted on May 7, 1996, Vaughan continues to discuss some of the collections acquired during his time as OHS executive director, and about cultivating relationships with donors. He talks about working with the OHS board, about OHS staff members, and about his work with the Oregon Humanities Commission and the American Association for State and Local History. He also talks about serving on the American Heritage Publishing Company board, and about his involvement with other museum-related organizations.

In the ninth and final interview session, conducted on December 2, 1996, Vaughan discusses creating a film about the Crimean War of 1853, "The Crimean War: A Clash of Empires." He talks about what he looked for in hiring staff at OHS, discusses the field of public history, and reflects on his accomplishments as OHS executive director. He talks about OHS's role in public education. He closes the interview by discussing the OHS museum collections and the work of George Himes, OHS's first director.

Vaughan, Thomas, 1924-2013

Oral history interview with John G. Wyers

  • SR 2097
  • Collection
  • 1959-03-03 - 1959-03-21

This oral history interview with John G. Wyers was conducted by his son, Teunis J. Wyers, from March 3-21, 1959. The interview was conducted in four sessions. An unidentified woman was also present during the first session.

In the first interview session, conducted on March 3, 1959, Wyers discusses settling in the Klickitat County, Washington, area in 1891. He talks about the people who lived in the areas now known as White Salmon and Underwood in the late 19th century. He describes a ferry, the landscape, and buildings in the area.

In the second interview session, conducted on March 5, 1959, Wyers talks about the people who lived in the western area of Klickitat County in the late 19th century. He also speaks about conflicts between white emigrants and Native people who lived in the area.

In the third interview session, conducted on March 12, 1959, Wyers talks about the people who lived near the White Salmon River in the late 19th century, including the areas now known as Trout Lake and Glenwood.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on March 21, 1959, Wyers talks about the schools, churches, and roads in western Klickitat County in the late 19th century.

Wyers, John G. (John Gerbrand), 1871-1961

Oral history interview with Teunis Wyers, Jr.

  • SR 2099
  • Collection
  • 1964-08-06

This oral history interview with Teunis Wyers, Jr., was conducted by Elizabeth Strain at the Wyers Stage Company Barns in White Salmon, Washington, on August 6, 1964. An unidentified man was also present. In this interview, Wyers discusses the history of White Salmon during the late 19th century, and talks about a murder in The Dalles. He speaks at length about Native people who lived in the area. He talks about his stagecoach company and about caring for horses.

Wyers, Teunis, Jr., 1876-1965

Franklin D. Roosevelt dedication of Bonneville Dam

  • SR 23
  • Collection
  • 1937-09-29

This audio recording consists of a speech delivered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on September 29, 1937, at the opening of the Bonneville Dam. It includes introductory remarks on traffic safety by Oregon Governor Earl Snell. The recording has been edited for radio broadcast and is a condensed version of Roosevelt's speech. A transcript, which was published in The Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, includes the full text of his remarks.

In the speech, Roosevelt speaks about the challenges posed by urban growth, including traffic congestion, housing prices, and increased energy consumption. He then talks about the regional benefits of the Bonneville Dam and future dam projects on the Columbia River. He addresses his plan for rural electrification, as well as the arguments of those opposed to the plan. He closes the speech by again describing the benefits of the Bonneville Dam to the region.

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Oral history interview with Dick K. Harmon

  • SR 2406
  • Collection
  • 1995-12-29

This oral history interview with Dick K. Harmon was conducted by Jim Strassmaier on December 29, 1995, as part of the Legacy of Hope: Catholics and Social Justice Project, which collected interviews with Catholic clergy and social justice activists in Oregon about their work on social action in the Roman Catholic tradition.

In this interview, Harmon discusses his family background and early life in Colorado, and talks about his interest in learning about the roots of violence in American culture. He describes his college experience at the University of Chicago, and describes how he became involved with the Industrial Areas Foundation. He speaks at length about his work as a social justice organizer for the IAF and later for the Brooklyn Ecumenical Cooperatives. He talks about the communities he worked in, about the people he worked with, and about the relationship between his work and his Christian faith. He shares his opinion on the organization and rules of the Catholic Church. He then speaks at length about his work with the Portland Organizing Project in Oregon, an alliance of churches founded in 1985 to further social justice. He closes the interview by sharing how his social justice work helped him to process his abusive childhood, and by discussing the concept of sin.

Harmon, Dick K. (Richard Keylon), 1937-

Oral history interview with Noreen Saltveit McGraw

  • SR 2409
  • Collection
  • 1996-11-29 - 1996-11-29

This oral history interview with Noreen Saltveit McGraw was conducted by Jim Strassmaier on November 29, 1996, as part of the Legacy of Hope: Catholics and Social Justice Project. In this interview, McGraw discusses representing the Hmong community, with the help of Reverend Morton Parks, in a case where a baby's spinal cord had been severed during delivery. McGraw mediated the dispute over whether to continue life support.

McGraw, Noreen Saltveit, 1934-

Ted Hallock audio recordings

  • SR 24523
  • Collection
  • 1966 - 1993

This collection of audio recordings consists predominantly of political advertising work created or managed by Ted Hallock for his public relations agency. Most of the materials are open-reel tapes and date from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s. All but two recordings in the collection are unprocessed.

The processed recordings consist of interviews conducted in 1968 and circa 1975. The 1968 interviews were conducted by an unidentified woman with staffers for U.S. Senator Wayne Morse's re-election campaign. Also on the reel tape with the staff interviews are variations of political ads, produced by Hallock's company, for the Morse campaign. The interview conducted circa 1975 was with Aaron Brown, who became the first black judge in Oregon in 1969 and later served as a judge on the Multnomah County District Court. The interview was conducted by an unidentified woman for Grassroot News Northwest.

Unprocessed recordings in the collection include political campaign materials for Oregon politicians such as Ted Kulongoski, Jim Weaver, Les AuCoin, Wayne Morse, Bob Straub, Mike Lindberg, Connie McCready, John Kitzhaber, and Bob Duncan. The recordings also include advertisements on political topics including sales taxes, ballot measures regarding zoo funding, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. There are also business advertisements, including ads for Douglas Community Hospital, Bidwell & Co., and John's Landing.

Hallock, Ted

Oral history interview with Dick K. Harmon

  • SR 2459
  • Collection
  • 1998-12-15 - 1998-12-22

This oral history interview with Dick K. Harmon was conducted by Kay Reid in two sessions, on December 15 and December 22, 1998, as part of the Legacy of Hope: Catholics and Social Justice Project, which collected interviews with Catholic clergy and social justice activists in Oregon about their work on social action in the Roman Catholic tradition.

In the first interview session, conducted on December 15, 1998, Harmon discusses his involvement with the Portland Organizing Project, an alliance of churches in Portland, Oregon, that was founded in 1985 to further social justice. He talks about the organization's work lobbying the Oregon Legislature to fund worker training programs, and about how the organization changed in the late 1990s. He speaks about the history of the post-World War II labor movement and how changes in the working class lifestyle are related to changes in social justice organizing by churches. He shares his thoughts about the importance of the church to American social life. He discusses his family, their lives, and their careers. He speaks about pollution in the Willamette River and talks about solutions to the issue that would also create jobs.

In the second interview session, conducted on December 22, 1998, Harmon discusses his work in family therapy, speaks at length about the Portland Organizing Project's work on affordable housing during the development of Portland's River District in 1995, and describes the organization's relationship with journalists. He reflects on his accomplishments as a social justice organizer in Chicago, Illinois, in Brooklyn, New York, and in Portland, Oregon. He shares his reasons for moving to Portland in the mid-1990s. He describes how he became involved in social justice organizing while in college in the 1950s, talks about the staff and volunteers of the Portland Organizing Project, and discusses the organization's current focus on public education. He closes the interview by talking about the growth of the POP.

Harmon, Dick K. (Richard Keylon), 1937-

Oral history interview with Lewis L. McArthur

  • SR 2526
  • Collection
  • 2001-01-19 - 2001-02-15

This oral history interview with Lewis L. McArthur was conducted by Sieglinde Smith at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, from January 19 to February 15, 2001, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library. The interview was conducted in five sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on January 19, 2001, McArthur discusses his family background and early life in the Green Hills neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, including his education, the house he grew up in, and his recreational activities. He describes the neighborhood and talks about people who lived there. He also speaks about his parents' personalities, travels, and social lives.

In the second interview session, conducted on January 23, 2001, McArthur continues to discuss his early life in the Green Hills neighborhood and talks about his relationship with his parents. He speaks about the work of his father, Lewis A. McArthur, on Oregon Geographic Names and about traveling with him by train in the 1920s for research. He discusses his college experience at the University of California, Berkeley, and talks about working for U.S. Steel Company in the late 1930s. He then talks about his experiences in the U.S. Army while stationed in Alaska during World War II.

In the third interview session, conducted on February 1, 2001, McArthur speaks further about working for the U.S. Steel Company and about his experiences in the U.S. Army during World War II, including studying Mandarin Chinese. He talks about his marriage to Joyce A. Clark. He then speaks at length about his career as an industrial designer for the Ray F. Becker Company, and talks about products the company produced, about the steel fabrication process, and about buildings the company worked on, particularly gas stations. He talks about how Oregon has changed during the 20th century, particularly regarding housing development, transportation, and power generation.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on February 8, 2001, McArthur shares his memories of the Columbia River before the construction of hydroelectric dams, and talks about how the Columbia River Gorge changed. He briefly discusses serving on the state advisory committee on historic preservation in the 1970s, and then talks about his recreational activities on Mount Hood, including climbing and camping on the mountain, and repairing the Snowshoe Cabin, the Cloud Cap Inn, and other buildings.

In the fifth interview session, conducted on February 15, 2001, McArthur discusses his role models, including his family members, and talks about construction projects that impressed him, including dams on the Columbia River and the Bay Bridge in California. He also speaks about mapmaking. He shares his childhood memories of attending meetings of the Pioneer Association, riding the streetcar, and traveling with his family. He compares travel by various modes of transportation, particularly air and rail. He revisits the topic of his father's work on Oregon Geographic Names, then speaks at length about his own work on later editions of the book and about his service on the state advisory committee on historic preservation. He describes his favorite places in Oregon, and talks about raising a family.

McArthur, Lewis L.

Oral history interview with Charles Digregorio

  • SR 2527
  • Collection
  • 2001-04-04

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.

Digregorio, Charles

Oral history interview with Linda S. Dodds

  • SR 2528
  • Collection
  • 2001-03-16

This oral history interview with Linda S. Dodds was conducted by Jim Strassmaier on March 16, 2001, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Dodds discusses her family background and early life in Springfield and Eugene, Oregon. She talks about studying journalism at the University of Oregon, about her marriage to John S. Brody, and about completing her bachelor's degree at Portland State University. She shares her experiences co-authoring a book on the history of Cedar Mill, Oregon, and talks about how those experiences led to her interest in oral history. She describes how she became the oral historian at the Oregon Historical Society in 1979. She talks about people she worked with in the research library, about changes she made to the oral history program, and about how the program was funded. She shares her reasons for resigning in 1982, and talks about her activities after leaving the historical society, including earning a master's degree from Oregon State University and serving as director of a now-closed museum about the history of cowboys in Eastern Oregon, which was located in Northeast Portland in the 1990s.

Dodds, Linda S.

Oral history interview with Rick Harmon

  • SR 2531
  • Collection
  • 2001-10-17 - 2001-11-14

This oral history interview with Rick Harmon was conducted by Jim Strassmaier at Harmon's home in Portland, Oregon, in two sessions, on October 17 and November 14, 2001, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. Tape 6 of the interview is missing, but its contents are included in a transcript.

In the first interview session, conducted on October 17, 2001, Harmon discusses how he became interested in history while a student at the University of California, San Diego. He also talks about his marriage to Candice Gaucher. He then discusses his graduate school experience at Columbia University in New York, and shares his reasons for returning to UCSD, as well as his reasons for leaving graduate school to work in publishing. He then speaks about his work for the oral history program at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the early 1980s, including editing transcripts and conducting interviews. He also discusses the people he worked with. He describes his experience interviewing Lynn Townsend White, Jr. He then shares his reasons for accepting the job of oral historian at the Oregon Historical Society in 1984. Harmon then speaks at length about his work as OHS oral historian from 1984 to 1986. He talks about reviving the oral history program after a year-long hiatus, about changes he made to the program, and about people he worked with. He also discusses interviews he conducted, particularly with Monroe Sweetland and Gus Solomon; talks about using oral history interviews in articles he later wrote for Oregon Historical Quarterly as the journal's editor; and shares his interviewing methods. He then shares his experiences during and after his divorce in 1985, including being hospitalized for depression and experiencing suicidal thoughts.

In the second interview session, conducted on November 14, 2001, Harmon further discusses interviews he conducted, particularly with Kathryn Bogle and William East. He talks about the partnership between the OHS oral history program and the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society. He then talks about the one-year period when he worked both as editor of Oregon Historical Quarterly and as the OHS oral historian, and shares his reasons for leaving the oral historian position in 1986. He describes the transition of the oral historian job to Jim Strassmaier. He closes the interview by talking about his relationships with Thomas Vaughan and Chet Orloff.

Harmon, Rick

Oh What a Night! Conversations about Women, the 1970s, and Politics

  • SR 2534
  • Collection
  • 2004-03-18

This collection consists of an audio recording and transcript of a panel discussion titled "Oh What a Night! Conversations about Women, the 1970s, and Politics." The discussion was moderated by Melody Rose at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on March 18, 2004. The four participants were Gretchen Kafoury, Vera Katz, Norma Paulus, and Betty Roberts. Introductory remarks were made by John Pierce.

In the panel discussion, Rose begins by describing the topics that the panel will cover, giving instructions for audience to ask their questions, and introducing the four speakers. Kafoury, Katz, Paulus and Roberts discuss why they entered politics, talk about meeting each other as fellow legislators during the 1973 legislative session, and describe the political climate for women's rights in Oregon and the United States at that time. They talk about their support for the Equal Rights Amendment. They describe legislation they worked on regarding women's rights, reproductive rights, and rights for LGBTQ people. They discuss their strategies for getting their legislation passed and the formation of the Women's Caucus. They discuss work still undone that they feel future women legislators should focus on, and warn that their own accomplishments will need to be safeguarded by future generations. They close the panel with advice for women aspiring to enter politics.

Rose then asks Kafoury, Katz, Paulus, and Roberts selected questions from the audience. They answer questions about the definition of feminism, about the role Black women politicians played in passing women's rights legislation, about Oregon's leadership on numerous progressive issues, and about the personal costs they paid for their legislative work. They also answer questions about the role Oregon Governor Tom McCall played, as well as women in the U.S. Congress; about the failure of the national Equal Rights Amendment; and about U.S. health care policy. The final question answered is about the books that Kafoury, Katz, Paulus, and Roberts are currently reading.

Kafoury, Gretchen Miller

Radio interview with Lewis L. McArthur

  • SR 2608
  • Collection
  • 1995

This interview with Lewis L. McArthur was conducted by Bob Griggs at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, around 1995. The interview was conducted for Oregon Public Broadcasting's Hotline radio program. This recording was aired on the Portland radio station KOPB as part of the Golden Hours series, which was a reading service for blind and visually impaired people that ran from 1975 to 2009. Jeffry Uecker, an Oregon Historical Society museum educator, was also present. A transcript of the interview is available.

In this interview, McArthur discusses the work of his father, Lewis A. McArthur, on the first three editions of the Oregon Geographic Names book, then discusses his own work on the fourth, fifth, and sixth editions. He talks about his research methods and shares information about several Oregon place names. He also shares his opinion on the theory that Sir Francis Drake landed on the Oregon Coast. He closes the interview by discussing the work of the Oregon Geographic Names Board.

McArthur, Lewis L.

Oral history interview with Alan Green

  • SR 2824
  • Collection
  • 1999-04-20 - 1999-07-21

This oral history interview with Alan Green was conducted by Jim Strassmaier in Green's office and home in Portland, Oregon, from April 20 to July 21, 1999. Tape 16 of the recording is missing, but the contents are reflected in an incomplete transcript of the interview.

In this interview, Green discusses his family background and early life in Portland, including his memories of the Depression, his family history of alcoholism, and his early education, including his involvement in student body government during high school. He then discusses his experiences as a theodylite observer in the Army during World War II, including spending time in an Army hospital after a truck accident in New Guinea. He talks about attending Stanford University, including living in the Phi Delta fraternity house, and meeting his wife, Joan Irwin. He describes working an insurance salesman, his marriage, and starting a battery company. He also briefly discusses serving as president of the University Club in 1967 and his efforts to open membership to Jewish people. He talks about a DUI infraction in 1962, his struggle with alcoholism, and his path to sobriety, as well as his later work helping others get sober. He speaks at length about his management of various business enterprises.

Green discusses his involvement in moderate conservative politics and the Republican Party. He talks about his chairmanship of the Multnomah County Central Committee, the 1964 presidential campaign of Barry Goldwater, and Mark Hatfield's brush with the vice presidency in 1968. He also talks about Wayne Morse's defection to the Democratic Party. He speaks at length about his service on the Port of Portland, including competition with Seattle, labor issues, and other members of the commission, particularly Ed Westerdahl. He shares his memories of the Richard Nixon administration, particularly his feelings regarding the Watergate scandal and the rise of the far right. He also talks about serving on the Federal Maritime Commission from 1982 to 1988, including the confirmation process, the Shipping Act of 1985, and his social life while living in Washington, D.C. He talks about how his work on that commission was facilitated by both Mark Hatfield and Bob Packwood. Green then describes serving as chairman for George H.W. Bush's 1988 presidential campaign in Oregon and his subsequent appointment as ambassador to Romania in 1989.

Green speaks at length about serving as ambassador to Romania from 1989 to 1992. He talks about his confirmation, his training, and the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu. He talks about the members of his staff, living behind the Iron Curtain, and helping Romanian political dissidents become American citizens. He then talks about the new Romanian president, Ion Iliescu, Romanian political parties, and Romanian society and economy after the revolution. He also talks about traveling through Europe while an ambassador, Romania's role in the Gulf War, and international adoption of Romanian children. He then discusses his activities during retirement, including sitting on various boards, and his involvement with the political campaigns of Gordon Smith and George W. Bush. He closes the interview by talking about his children and grandchildren.

Green, Alan, 1925-

Interviews about Gladys L. Randall

  • SR 2829
  • Collection
  • 1998-02-07 - 1998-03-07

These interviews about Gladys L. Randall were conducted by Bethanye McNichol from February 7 to March 7, 1998. Interviewees include Randall's stepson, Richard S. Randall; her daughter-in-law, Sylvia J. Randall; and the owner of Nicholas Ungar Furs, Horst G. Grimm.

The interview with Richard S. Randall, and his wife, Sylvia J. Randall, was conducted in two sessions. In the first interview session, on February 7, 1998, Richard S. Randall discusses Gladys L. Randall's family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, including her marriage to his father, Richard Randall. He speaks at length about Gladys L. Randall's millinery business in Portland and Salem with Olga Lanphier on the label Olga & Louise in the 1940s and 1950s. Sylvia Randall speaks about Gladys L. Randall's millinery and sewing work in the 1960s and 1970s. She talks about Gladys L. Randall's partnership with Lanphier, and about some of Gladys L. Randall's famous clients. Richard S. Randall describes Olga & Louise's design for Portland meter readers. The Randalls talk about Gladys L. Randall's hat-making process and supplies, about her enjoyment of millinery work, and about her recreational activities. They look at photographs of Gladys L. Randall and talk about them, and also talk about their relationship with her. Sylvia J. Randall talks about her work as a model in the 1950s and 1960s, and also about Gladys L. Randall's relationship with Portland dressmaker Evelyn Gibson. In the second interview session, on March 7, 1998, Richard S. Randall and Sylvia J. Randall look through Gladys L. Randall's scrapbook and talk about its contents.

The interview with Horst G. Grimm, who worked at and later owned the Nicholas Ungar Furs store in Portland, Oregon, was conducted on February 14, 1998. In this interview, Grimm shares his memories of Gladys L. Randall's millinery business. He also describes Portland, Oregon, society when he first arrived from Germany in 1959. He talks about Randall's millinery skills, about the health dangers posed by the chemicals used in hatmaking, and about changes in women's fashion from the 1950s to the time of the interview, particularly hat fashion.

Audio in the collection also includes a recording on February 17, 1998, in which Bethanye McNichols reads from her notes from previous interview sessions and talks about her future research plans.

The collection also includes 9 photocopy photographs, with three additional duplicates, relating to Randall, Lanphier, and their Olga & Louise label. Photographs include images of a fur hat, Randall and Lanphier together, and Randall and Lanphier in their hat shop with sales staff and customers. The photographs are undigitized but are available to view at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Randall, Richard S. (Richard Stanley), 1926-2000

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