William L. Finley's papers primarily document his work as a wildlife conservationist, author, lecturer, photographer, and filmmaker from about 1900 to 1940. The collection also documents the work his wife Irene Finley and photography partner Herman Bohlman. The collection consists of published and unpublished manuscripts, lecture and field notes, reports, correspondence, photographs and motion picture films.

An addition to the collection (Accession 2014:062) is made up of correspondence and newspaper clippings documenting the wildlife conservation work of William and Irene Finley. Among the topics addressed in the correspondence include: song bird protection laws in Oregon, requests to Finley for use of his photographs, the forming of an Oregon Fish and Game Commission, biological surveys conducted by Finley, legislation in California repealing meadowlark protection, and letters by Finley to various organizations regarding the presentation of one of his lectures. A highlight among the correspondence is a thank you letter from Finley to President Theodore Roosevelt for his establishment of wild bird reservations. The clippings are newspaper articles written by Irene and William Finley about encounters with wildlife, nocturnal bird sounds, and their filming of wildlife at Paulina Lake. The four articles all appeared in editions of the "Oregon Sunday Journal."

A series of oral histories conducted in conjunction with an OHS museum exhibit. These interviews are mostly with veterans of WWII, and some are with individuals active in the war effort at home.

Since 1984, the Oregon Historical Society has partnered with the United States District Court of Oregon Historical Society to interview judges, lawyers and other legal professionals affiliated with that Court.
With an appeal rate at around 10%, the decisions made by the District Court of Oregon have been deeply influential on the laws and peoples of the state. It has presided over decisions on public land disputes and fishing rights, as well as civil rights and law enforcement. The stories of the people that make up this judicial body provide a valuable tool for helping the public understand the pivotal role the court has had on Oregon’s history.

These interviews were conducted as part of a senior capstone class on history at Portland State University, with instructor Sandy Polishuk.

The Legacy of Hope: Catholics and Social Justice Project collected interviews with Catholic clergy members in Oregon about their work on social action in the Roman Catholic tradition.

This oral history interview with Charles E. Wright was conducted by Elizabeth Buehler on July 12, 1991. In the interview, Wright discusses his education at Yale Law School, particularly studying corporate law with Professor William O. Douglas, who was later a U.S. Supreme Court justice. He briefly discusses returning to Oregon in 1932 and working as a lawyer in Portland; working for the regional office of the Federal Securities and Exchange Commission in Seattle, Washington; and returning to private practice in Portland. He then returns to the topic of William O. Douglas.

The oral history interviews included in this oral history series were conducted in 1992 and 1993 for the purpose of inclusion in the Trails to Oregon exhibit at the Oregon Historical Society.

The Immigrant Story is a private non-profit organization created by Sankar Raman in 2017 with the mission "to document, narrate, and curate the stories of immigrants in order to enhance empathy and help promote an inclusive community." Its goal is to both advance the national dialogue and to dispel myths about new Americans through strong, thoughtful narratives.

The Soap Creek Valley History Project Oral Histories consist of oral histories conducted primarily in 1989-1991 by the Oregon State University Research Forests to better understand the history, ecology, and culture of the Soap Creek Valley in Benton County, Oregon.

Kami Temamura interviewed 8 Oregon State Legislators regarding their involvement in the passage of Senate Bill 100 in 1973 for her Masters Thesis project at University of Oregon.

A series of interviews conducted in 1988 by OHS volunteer Robert Gassner with members of the Syrian and Lebanese community in Portland, Oregon.

A collection of oral history interviews of Portland State University faculty, conducted by other Portland State University faculty.

A series of interviews conducted by Judy Hartman and Craig Wollner with employees of Portland General Electric for use in creating a history of the company for its centennial in 1988.

The Oregon Wine Archives, established at the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) Library, preserves the history of the wine growing industry in Oregon through the collection of various media, including manuscripts, photographs, artifacts, films, and oral histories.

From 2002 to 2003, OHS conducted interviews with notable figures in the wine growing industry, including vintners, vineyard growers, community members, and workers active in the development of Oregon’s wine industry.

The oral interviews collected through this project aim to facilitate better historical understanding in the following areas:

· the process of growing grapes and how it has changed
· the process of wine making and how it has changed
· the experiences and perceptions of people in the wine industry
· how the wine making business has changed
· insight on events related to the wine industry
· community attitudes toward wine and the wine industry
· the economic and social evolution of the wine industry in Oregon
· lobbying and legislative efforts on behalf of the wine industry

This set of interviews was primarily done as part of a decade-long project. They are with primarily state officials, including: senators, representatives, secretaries of state, treasurers, and governors, who held office mostly between 1960 and 1998.

Interviewees include: Victor Atiyeh, the first Arab American Governor in the United States; Maurine Neuberger, Oregon’s first and only female state senator; Clay Myers, Oregon Secretary of State and State Treasurer, and a leader in Land-Use planning; and Monroe Sweetland, a native Oregonian who was politically active across the nation.

An ongoing series of oral history interviews with Oregonians. The subjects are selected from a pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the OHS Executive Director. The purpose of these interviews is to create historical documents of enduring value that will enhance and expand the range of Oregon voices preserved by the OHS Research Library and that will complement existing collections and programs of the Oregon Historical Society and address goals for collection development and community engagement.

The Oregon Labor Oral History Program, building upon the work begun in the 1980s of former Oregon AFL-CIO officer Nellie Fox Edwards, collects oral histories of individuals who have advocated for working people of Oregon, including public figures, union members, and workers. OLOHP accomplishes this work in affiliation with the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association and with the support of the Amalgamated Transit Union 757, volunteers and students.

A series of interviews Oregon photographer Marian Wood Kolisch conducted with local figures in the arts, business, and politics. Many of these interviews were conducted at the same time she took portraits of these individuals.

This series of interviews was conducted with Senator Hatfield’s congressional aids, staff and advisors. Senator Hatfield had a long and distinguished career in public service. He began his career as an Oregon State Legislator. He was both Oregon’s youngest Secretary of State and Governor. Later, he was a United States Senator from Oregon for 30 years, the longest term of any senator from Oregon. He is perhaps best known for his early and consistent opposition to the Vietnam War.

Interviewees include: Douglas Coe, associate director of The Fellowship, who has had close relationships with many American politicians; Martin Gold, a member of the United States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad, appointed by George H.W. Bush, he was counsel to Bill First, Howard Baker and Mark Hatfield; Loren Hicks, counsel to Hatfield and later held many judgeships in Oregon, including circuit judge for Marion County; and Sam Mallicoat, a veteran of WWII and the Korean War, and Chief of Staff for Senator Hatfield during his first senate term.

The Fred Meyer Oral History Series discusses the business operations and the man behind the Fred Meyer stores, one of the first self-service grocery stores in the nation. They were innovators in the concept of one-stop shopping, paving the way for the modern superstore.

This is a series of oral history interviews produced by students at Franklin High School, as part of the Franklin Historical Society program. The program aims to preserve the oral history projects of Advanced Placement (AP) History students at Franklin High School in Portland.

At the end of each school year, students create a museum to display their final projects, many of which include oral history interviews. An online exhibit of some of these museum displays can be found at https://sites.google.com/view/franklin-historical-society/home

A series of oral history interviews conducted by Curtis Johnson about the history of Drive-in restaurants in Portland, Oregon with a particular emphasis on Tik-Tok and Yaw's Top Notch.

A series of lectures given by Gertrude Glutsch Jensen on the importance of preserving the Columbia River Gorge.

This oral history interview with Rose Iva Dalton was conducted by Linda S. Dodds in Tigard, Oregon, on October 27, 1981. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Dalton discusses her family background and early life on Government Island, Oregon, including life on the family ranch, transportation, and recreational activities. She talks about other families that lived on the island, describes her experience during the 1894 flood, and discusses daily life on the island. She discusses her education and the ferry to Washougal, Washington. Dalton describes meeting her husband, Louis Stanis Dalton, and briefly talks about their marriage and family life. She closes the interview by talking about mail service on Government Island.

Flora Cushinway Thompson discusses her marriage to Chief Tommy Thompson of the Wyams, fishing, religion, and the fight against the building of the Dalles Dam.