An audio recording of an interview with Lynn 'Crony' Cronemiller, State Forester at the time of the 1933 Tillamook fire and Public Relations officer the State Forestry department during the subsequent fires that made up the ‘Big Burn’. Interview conducted at Cronemiller's home in Salem. Cronemiller was at the Tillamook fires the first day they ignited to the last day they were distinguished. He temporarily moved his headquarters from Salem to Forest Grove during the first fire, running his rigs from there. The former State Forester discusses the different placement of camps and crews to control the burn, including civilians that joined the effort and crews from the State of Washington, which were concentrated on the East side. There were a few instances when they thought they had the fire knocked down only for it to come back alive. Many lives were lost from smoke inhalations, burns, and being crushed by falling trees. They had a plane and a helicopter to view the fire birdseye and also used scouts for tracking. They had a radio between Tillamook and Forest Grove, but it wasn’t always effective so the scouts often had to find the nearest phone to report their findings. In general, the firefighters had very limited resources and relied mainly on hand tools. Cronemiller later became the Manager of revitalization efforts for the Tillamook Forest after the burn, the initial planning of which taking place in 1945. Cronemiller recounts the origins of the fires, remembering the logging companies being told to cease production due to weather concerns but some companies continuing work. He believe this is what started the first fire, but Ellis Lucia points out this is a contentious subject. They briefly discuss the politics of the restoration efforts for the burn area and the current wages of workers on the project.
An audio recording of an interview with Alf Johannesen, Manager for Crosset and Western at the old Glenwood Camp at the time of the 1933 Tillamook fire. The interview conducted in Alf's home in King City on June 18, 1973. A woman also contributes to the interview, likely Alf's wife.
An audio recording of Mrs. Maitland giving a talk to the Tualatin Valley Historical Society on her recollections of growing up in Watts, the site of a gristmill and sawmill near Gales Creek in Washington County.
An audio recording of Hugh McGilvra, journalist and newspaper publisher in Forest Grove, giving a talk to the Tualatin Plains Historical Society on the occasion of his 50th anniversary of work. He talks about the newspaper history of Washington County for the first 25 minutes; the final 27 minutes are about his experiences working on the newspaper in Forest Grove and the community there. Topics include the chain of ownership of the various newspapers in the county; the newspaper business in Forest Grove; other businesses in Forest Grove; news items of interest in the 1920s such as banking, water supply and the creation of the Forest Grove united school district; doctors and ambulance services; and other topics. This oral history is accompanied by a transcript.
An audio recording on cassette tape of Cicero Smith on Native Americans in the area and then sawmills in Patton Valley for the Tualatin Plains Historical Society.
An audio recording on cassette tape labeled Bill van Horn, Class of '54. The interview is undated, but based on other similar recordings in the collection, was probably done in 2005.
An audio recording on cassette tape of John Jacobs, Pacific University Class of 1954. The interview is undated, but based on other similar recordings in the collection, was probably done in 2005. Topics include racial diversity and the Hawaiian community at Pacific University in 1949-1955, the Boxer statue; Pacific's mascot; a campus chapel and masses in 1949-1954; foreign language classes in Okanogan, Washington school district in 1950-1960; his time as a bus driver in Forest Grove in 1953-1954; and alleged rape charges against a fraternity on campus in the 1950s.
An audio recording on cassette tape labeled 'Dr. Arnold Opengart OD '54.' Opengart was an optometrist. He was a 1954 graduate of the Pacific University Optometry program. The interview is undated, but based on other similar recordings in the collection, was probably done in 2005. States that he came to Pacific University in 1949 that was accepting applicants for the Optometry department. He and his wife moved from New York and rented a log cabin and later a house on Douglas Street so Dr. Opengart could attend the University. He and his wife later had both their children in the house in Forest Grove. There were around 149 students in the program when he started the Optometry program. The whole University later dropped down to as low as 600 students. In 1955 Dr. Opengart and his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona where he opened his own practice. They later moved to California, Arizona, and Oregon for several years. The interviewer asks about diversity and they discuss the ethnic and religious diversity on campus.
An audio recording of an oral history of Vlasta Becvar Barber on Braceros and the Agricultural Workers Health Association. Photos and biographical information are also included. There is a transcript of this interview.
An audio recording of an oral history of Daniel Garza on his experiences as a migrant worker, arriving in Washington county in the 1960s, and Centro Cultural, a volunteer organization geared to assisting migrant families with their various issues. There is a transcript of this interview.
An audio recording of an oral history of Jose Jaime, including moving to Oregon, the Catholic Church, and the Valley Migrant League. There is a transcript of this interview.
An audio recording of an oral history of Jose Jaime. Jose Jaime was born in 1942 in Temascaltepec, Mexico in the state of Morales. Jose was the youngest of 10. His family of farmed, but had considerable difficulty supporting themselves and were affected by the Campesino Movement under the leadership of Emeliano Zapata. He attended Seminary in Cuernavaca, and came to Mount Angel in 1963 to graduate college. He worked between Mexico and the US through the Catholic Church and community organizing. Jose worked for the Valley Migrant League in 1965, and returned to continue his studies in theology.
In this interview, Jose describes working for the Valley Migrant League and the beginnings of Centro Cultural in Cornelius. He discusses some issues of migrant labor and camp conditions, and the various administration changes that occurred while Centro Cultural was establishing itself in the community. Near the end of the interview Jose discusses leaving the ministry, returning to Washington County to marry, work as a probation officer and later at OHSU.
An audio recording of an oral history of Lucille Hagg, who was married to Oscar Hagg and sister-in-law of Henry Hagg, after whom Henry Hagg Lake is named. Lucille speaks about dairy farming and the lobbying that Oscar and Henry did to advocate for the creation of the dam on Scoggins Creek and the Hagg Lake reservoir. The reservoir provides irrigation for local agriculture, as well as residential, industrial, and recreational uses. There is a transcript of this interview.
One of three reel-to-reel audio tapes of Man and the Land Symposium proceedings. Symposium included talks by Dr. J.V. Miller, President of Pacific University; Wendell Wyatt, U.S. Representative; Walter Reif, Professor of Philosophy at Pacific University; Gary Evans, Assistant Professor of English at Pacific University; Jan Larson Shield; Assistant Professor of Fine Art at Pacific University; Les AuCoin, Majority Leader, Oregon State House of Representatives; Robert L. Benson, Washington County Historical Society; and Francis J. O'Connor, Project Construction Engineer, Bureau of Reclamation. Additional participants are listed on Schedule of Events attached to Tapes 1 and 2.
One of three reel-to-reel audio tapes of Man and the Land Symposium proceedings. Symposium included talks by Dr. J.V. Miller, President of Pacific University; Wendell Wyatt, U.S. Representative; Walter Reif, Professor of Philosophy at Pacific University; Gary Evans, Assistant Professor of English at Pacific University; Jan Larson Shield; Assistant Professor of Fine Art at Pacific University; Les AuCoin, Majority Leader, Oregon State House of Representatives; Robert L. Benson, Washington County Historical Society; and Francis J. O'Connor, Project Construction Engineer, Bureau of Reclamation. Additional participants are listed on Schedule of Events attached to Tapes 1 and 2.
One of three reel-to-reel audio tapes of Man and the Land Symposium proceedings. Symposium included talks by Dr. J.V. Miller, President of Pacific University; Wendell Wyatt, U.S. Representative; Walter Reif, Professor of Philosophy at Pacific University; Gary Evans, Assistant Professor of English at Pacific University; Jan Larson Shield; Assistant Professor of Fine Art at Pacific University; Les AuCoin, Majority Leader, Oregon State House of Representatives; Robert L. Benson, Washington County Historical Society; and Francis J. O'Connor, Project Construction Engineer, Bureau of Reclamation. Additional participants are listed on Schedule of Events attached to Tapes 1 and 2.
An audio recording on cassette tape of an oral history of Jim Weber on the subject of Pacific University track in the 1970s. Interview collected by Jase Wambold in May, 2005.
A video recording of an oral history of Helen Riverman Mason who grew up during the Great Depression in the Portland area. She chiefly speaks about how her family survived the Great Depression, including starting up their own farm and working in berry fields.
A videorecording of an oral history of Darlene Phelps Young, who lived through the Great Depression in Manson, Washington near Chelan in the 1930s. Topics include: her birth and early life; going to school; her parents' work as farmers; daily life in poverty during the Depression; panic after Orson Welles' 'War of the Worlds' broadcast; rare visits to the movie theater; her father's work at rodeos; and other topics. The interview was created for the Tigard Public Library's Great Depression oral history project in 2010.
