Washington County Heritage Online

Items

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  Heather Higginbotham Johansen oral history recording

  An audio recording of an oral history of Heather Higginbotham Johansen, Pacific University Class of 1974, recounting memories of her time at Pacific as a college student. Topics covered in the recording include: being an Elementary Education major in the early 1970s; meeting her husband at Pacific; strict rules for the women's dormitories; how her classes were fairly easy for the first two years of college; problems with how education was taught and current issues in elementary education in the 2020s; memories of Khiem (Tim) and Thuy (Cathy) Tran, two Vietnamese students for whom Pacific's Tran Library would later be named; and memories of the Vietnam War period at Pacific.
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  Amber Benton oral history recording

  An audio recording of an oral history of Amber Benton, Pacific University Class of 2009, recounting memories of her time at Pacific as a college student. Topics covered in the recording include: what it was like to be a first-generation student and one of very few Black students at Pacific in the 2000s; living on campus for four years; serving as an RA (Resident Assistant) in Burlingham Hall; serving as a Student Ambassador; becoming involved with Nā Haumāna O Hawai'i, Pacific's Hawaiian student club; performing at Lu'au; going whitewater rafting with Pacific's Outdoor Pursuits; being a Spanish major and participating in Spanish Club; impressions of Pacific's Black Student Union and Black Alumni Chapter after she graduated; changes she has observed at Pacific since she graduated; memories of Pacific's President Phil Creighton; how her time at Pacific connected to her current work in diversity, equity and inclusion; being the victim of a racial hate incident while she was an RA; lack of awareness or celebration of Black culture while she was a student; the value of Pacific's education and how it encouraged critical thinking skills.
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  Bruce Bishop oral history recording

  An audio recording of an oral history of Bruce Bishop, Pacific University Class of 1968, recounting memories of his time at Pacific as a college student. The main topic of the recording is Bruce's memories of Pacific University's mascot, Boxer, including: the Boxer "Toss" and "Flash" events; the original Boxer statue's disappearance in 1969 and Bruce's involvement in its recovery over 50 years later in 2024; his involvement in commissioning the Boxer III replica in 2018; and the theft and recovery of Boxer III from Tran Library in 2019. Bruce also discusses: being at Pacific during the political events of the late 1960s; meeting his wife at Pacific; Pacific's dining hall being moved from McCormick Hall to Washburne Hall; connections with fraternities including his own, Gamma Sigma; and his opinions on what "Boxer Spirit" means for Pacific students.
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  Marissa Williams oral history recording

  An audio recording of an oral history of Marissa Williams, Pacific University Class of 2019, recounting memories of her time at Pacific as a college student. The main topic of the interview is how she perceived diversity, equity and inclusion issues at Pacific during the late 2010s, including: her work with the Center for Gender Equity (CGE) and its director, Martha Rampton; the controversy around CGE's posters advertising The Vagina Monologues play in 2018; and the beginning of the Student Multicultural Center. Other topics covered briefly in the recording include: becoming a Gender and Sexuality Studies minor; participation in Delta Chi Delta and Student Senate; serving as a First Year Seminar (FYS) student mentor; memories of campus after the election of President Trump in 2018; and how her experience at Pacific helped her current work in advocacy in the 2020s.
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  Patrice Fuller oral history recording

  An audio recording of an oral history of Patrice Fuller, Pacific University Class of 2016, briefly recounting memories of her time at Pacific as a college student. Topics covered in the recording include: her service as the Cultural Chair of Pacific's ACE Board; partnering with the Hispanic Heritage Association and the Black Student Union on events such as the Soul Food Dinner; responding to the Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown shootings; hosting awareness events such as film screenings; how her service helped her later in work such as event planning; hosting slam poets such as Kane Smego; and attending conferences and a social justice retreat.
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  Donna Maxey Easter oral history recording

  An audio recording of an oral history of Donna Maxey Easter, Pacific University Class of 1970, recounting memories of her time at Pacific as a college student. The main topic of the interview is what her everyday experiences were like as a very social and involved African American woman in college from 1964-1970. Specific topics include: her first impressions of Pacific; becoming Secretary of the Freshman Class; socializing and dating; winning competitions such as the Omega Epsilon Phi Sweetheart contest; being loud and social as a library worker and being fired for it; what it was like coming to Pacific from Jefferson High School in Portland; being naive about sex and feeling embarrassed in class; memories of professors such as Dr. Prince (English), Dr. Roberts (Biology), and Dr. McVicker (Education); learning to study as a freshman for her Elementary Education degree and getting help from her dorm mates; having to dissect a frog and a rat in Biology; becoming a Boxerette; the value of a Pacific education; reactions to her interracial marriage when she and her husband Steve Pomerantz, who was white and Jewish, got married while they were students at Pacific; the mixed feelings she had about joining the Black Student Union because she wanted her husband to be able to join too; protests during the Vietnam War; being reprimanded as a Student Teacher for attending a protest during a school day and Pacific's lack of support for her at the time; working in the cafeteria and interacting with Auntie Edna (who would later be the Hawaiian Club advisor); the many other campus jobs that she held; receiving financial aid due to her father's poor health; dealing with prejudice from a staff member in Pacific's financial aid department; recalling how her father had been unable to get work as a teacher in Portland because he was Black; and working in Pacific's kitchen and watching a baker who always smoked while making pastries.
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  Rick Read portrait

  A portrait of Rick Read, who served as Pacific University's archivist and museum curator from 1989-1987. This image was scanned from the dustjacket of the book he co-wrote on Pacific's history, Splendid Audacity. Read was the university's first professionally trained full-time curator as well as an excellent writer and historian. He died in a climbing accident on Mount Hood in 2002.
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  Brighton Chapel in Marsh Hall

  A photograph of Brighton Chapel in Marsh Hall at Pacific University in Oregon, probably taken between 1898-1903. The chapel was the largest auditorium on campus at the time, and it hosted a variety of religious and non-religious services. A Pacific University banner can be seen on the left wall; a portrait of Pacific University's first graduate, Harvey Scott, is in the center background; and a partial view of the university's library is on the right. In this image, the seating is made up of pews; in other images (perhaps taken at a later date), there are chairs instead. This image was scanned from a photograph album belonging to Mary Bailey Clarke, who was in the Class of 1903.
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  Class of 1902 Banquet with Boxer

  A photograph taken on November 24, 1899 of the Pacific University Class of 1902 at their first "Annual Banquet," with the original Boxer statue displayed on the table. The statue was a bronze Chinese incense burner in the form of a qilin. In later years, it would be the inspiration for the university's Boxer mascot. The Class of 1902 stole the statue from the university's chapel in Marsh Hall about a month before this photograph was taken. Here, the students are sitting around the table surrounded by symbols of their school spirit and of their pride in their class, including: the Boxer statue, which was then known as "The College Spirit"; a Pacific University '02 banner; a Class of 1903 banner (probably stolen from that Class); an upside-down banner (also probably stolen from the Class of 1903) that reads, "Best wishes for Victory '03, Wilcox and Day will keep the Ball a Going"; and striped canes that symbolized their rivalry with the Class of 1903. This is one of the earliest known photographs of Boxer. This image was scanned from a photograph album belonging to Mary Bailey Clarke, who was in the Class of 1903.
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  Class of 1902 with Boxer

  A photograph that was probably taken on November 24, 1899 of the Pacific University Class of 1902 holding the original "Boxer" statue. The statue was a bronze Chinese incense burner in the form of a qilin. In later years, it would be the inspiration for the university's Boxer mascot. The Class of 1902 stole the statue from the university's chapel in Marsh Hall about a month before this photograph was taken. On Nov. 24, 1899 they hosted their first "Annual Banquet," in which they displayed the statue as a trophy. Here, the students appear to be posing in the same location where the banquet was held, showing off Boxer in their arms. The canes that they are holding were symbols of a rivalry they had with the Class of 1903. This is one of the earliest known photographs of Boxer. This image was scanned from a photograph album belonging to Mary Bailey Clarke, who was in the Class of 1903.
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  Boxer statue with ribbon

  A photograph of the original "Boxer" statue circa 1900. The statue was the inspiration for the mascot of Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. The statue was a bronze Chinese incense burner in the form of a qilin. In this photograph, which may have been made by the Pacific University Class of 1902, Boxer is seated on a tablecloth and is wearing a ribbon around his neck. The Class of 1902 was the first group of students to possess Boxer, having stolen the statue from Marsh Hall in October 1899. This scan is from the university's 1903 yearbook, in which the photograph was reproduced.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1847-1853 Index

  A typewritten index for all of the names mentioned in a transcription of Alvin Thompson Smith's diaries from 1847-1853. Some especially notable names include Abigail Smith, John S. Griffin, Joseph Gale and his family, Harvey Clark, Tabitha Brown, the Walker family, Thomas Naylor, and Cushing Eells.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1853

  A transcription of a 1853 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life on the increasingly populated Tualatin Plains; his farmwork; his business ventures and religious life; his contributing efforts to the Tualatin Academy; his trips to Oregon City, Portland, Hillsboro (which he spells as "Hillsborough"), and Milwaukie; his interactions with the Walker family, Doctor Adams, William Geiger, a Mr. Peet, James Dorothy, his wife Abigail Smith (who seemingly suffered serious illness this year and who he refers to as "Mrs. Smith"), David Harper, T. G. Naylor, a Mr. Goodel, the Cushing Eells family, a Mr. Luelling, Henry Raymond, Henry Spalding, Frank Reasoner, Doctor Perry Prettyman, the family of Wiley Knighton, a Mr. Tuttles, W. O. Gibson, a Mr. Black, Eli Perkins, Henry V. Climers, Clark Pringles, a Mr. Dixon, a Mr. Emerick, a Mr. Ford, Philester Lee, Henry V. Clymer, a Dr. Wilson in Salem, a Mr. Fisher, Harvey Clark (or Clarke), Thomas Owens, a Mr. Beagle, a Mr. Tanner, a Mr. Young, and Horace Hart. In 1853, Smith attended "a meeting of the so-called first Congregational Church of Tualatin Plains."
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1852

  A transcription of a 1852 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life living on the increasingly populated Tualatin Plains; his farmwork; his business ventures and religious life; his contributing efforts to the Tualatin Academy; his trips to Portland, Hillsboro (which he spells as "Hillsborough"), various saw mills, Oregon City, and Fort Vancouver; his interactions with John S. Griffin, a Mr. Mulkey, William Geiger, a Mr. Young, Henry Davis, Cushing Eells, the Naylor family, Caleb Smith, George Blish, Elam Young, a Mr. Hammond, a Mr. Doran, his wife Abigail (who he refers to as "Mrs. Smith), Darius Smith, Eli Perkins, Henry Spalding, Patrick Cain, F. W. Brown, Elkanah Walker, Matthew Hunter, J. T. Reed, a Mr. B. Hoen, a Mr. Nusbaumer, a Mr. Jolly, William Catching, a Mr. Hatch, Joseph Davis, a Mr. Tuttle, a Mr. McMillen, Robert Crouch Kinney, and a Henry C. Raymond.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1851

  A transcription of a 1851 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life on the increasingly populated Tualatin Plains; his farmwork; his business ventures and religious life; his contributing efforts to the Tualatin Academy; his trips to Portland, Oregon City, Hillsboro (which he spells "Hillsborough"), Lafayette, and various courts; his interactions with the Naylor family, William Geiger, the family of Harvey L. Clark (or Clarke), Tabitha Brown, his wife Abigail (who he refers to as "Mrs. Smith"), the Customs House Officer in Astoria, a Mr. Buxton, F.W. Brown, Omri Parsons, a Mr. Campbell, a Mr. Jenckins, a Mr. Tucker, a Luther White, Joseph Gale, a Mr. Waller, Elkanah Walkers, P. H. Hatch, David B. Williams, Samuel Brown, Cushing Eells, a Mr. Wimple, Darius Smith, David Lenox, Wesley Mulkey, and William Yates.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1850

  A transcription of a 1850 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life on the increasingly populated Tualatin Plains; his farmwork; his business ventures and religious life; his trips to Portland, Willamette Falls, Milwaukee, and Oregon City "to see the Indians hung that were condemned for the murder of Doc Whitman;" his buying of land in Hillsboro (he spells it "Hillsborough"); his taking care of the Gale children; his work at the mill; his contributing efforts to the Tualatin Academy; the death of U.S. President Zachary Taylor; the Oregon Donation Land Bill; his interactions with his wife Abigail Smith (often referred to as "Mrs. Smith"), John Fletts, a Mr. Gibson, Charles Stewart, William Geiger, David Harper, Jacob Reeds, Joseph Davis, a Mr. Butts, a Mr. Knighton, a Benjamin Catchings, the Naylor family, a Mr. Parsons, Henry and Eliza Spalding, a Mr. Holbrook, a Mr. Buxton, the Pomeroy family, a Mr. Wilks, Isaiah Mills, a Mr. Beagle, Alanson Hinman, a Mr. Mulkey, John Smith Griffin, and a W. W. Chapman.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1849

  A transcription of a 1849 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life on the increasingly populated Tualatin Plains; his several contributing efforts to the establishment of the orphanage that would become Tualatin Academy and later Pacific University; his farmwork chores; his religious life; his trips to Fort Vancouver, Willamette Falls, and Portland; his business ventures; and his interactions with Henry Spalding, a Mr. Newbanks, a Mr. Wilcox, Andrew Harper, Joseph Gale, Mahlon Brock, Alanson Hinman, Orcus Brown, a Mr. Copenhaver, a Mr. Buxton, a Mr. Duane; Harvey Clark (or Clarke), Cushing Eells, Clark Pringle, a Mr. Coffinbury, and a B. Q. Tuckers. In March of this year, Smith describes how the boarding house (perhaps referring to the orphanage) held 16 children, including those from the Butts, Stoke, Stephens, Joes, and Terwilliger families.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1848

  A transcription of a 1848 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life on the increasingly populated Tualatin Plains; "an expedition against the Cayuse Indians for murdering Doc Whitman" (referring to the infamous Whitman Massacre of 1847); his farm chores and woodwork projects (including bringing logs for what would become Tualatin Academy); his religious life; his business ventures; his trips to East Plains, Tualatin Lodge, the "Falls," Vancouver, Willamette Falls, Yamhill, "Logies," and Portland; his interactions with W. M. Stokes, a Mr. Newbanks, Thomas Naylor, Eliza and Henry Spalding, Harvey Clark (or Clarke), William Geiger, Joseph Gale, Eli Harper, John Terwilliger, a Mr. Patton, a Mr. Dixon, a Mr. Snowden, Benjamin Catchings, Calvin B. Green, Joseph Gale, a Mr. Wilks, Charles Conklin, and Alvin C. Brown.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1847

  A transcription of a 1847 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life living as a settler on the increasingly populated Tualatin Plains; his daily farm chores; his work at the mill; his religious life; his business ventures; his trips to the East Plains, North Plains, Vancouver, Yamhill, Willamette Falls, David Hills, and Portland; and his interactions with Harvey L. Clark (or Clarke), Alvin Brown, P. H. Hatch, Joseph Gale, a Mr. New Banks, a Mr. Pomeroy, a Mr. Owensby (and Smith's taking in of his nieces), a Mr. Harrison, Frederich Waymire, John Harrison, Joseph and Samuel Davis, William Geiger, Peter B. Littlejohn, Jacob Grusenvelt, David Harper, the "Tualatin Indians," David Harper, a Mr. Chapels, a Mr. Tuckers, Eli Harper, a Mr. Shuey, Thomas Naylor, a Mr. Wilks, Ellen and Catherine Owens. Smith notably writes about the infamous Whitman Massacre involving his friend Dr. Marcus Whitman.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1840-1846 Index

  A typewritten index for all the names mentioned in Alvin Thompson Smith's diaries from 1840-1846. Some especially notable names include William Geiger, John Smith Griffin, Peter B. Littlejohn, Charles Richard McKay, John B. Mills, Abigail Raymond Smith, Harvey L. Clark (or Clarke), Henry and Eliza Spalding, Marcus Whitman, and Courtney Meade Walker.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1846

  A transcription of a 1846 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life living as a settler on the increasingly populated Tualatin Plains; his daily farm chores; his woodwork projects, including building barns for friends and coffins for deceased settlers in the area; his work on local roads and at the mill his religious life; his trips to Willamette Falls, the Cowlets River Clatsop, Cape Lookout, the Hudson's Bay Company, and Vancouver; his interactions with P. B. Littlejohn, a Mr. Geiger, a Mr. New Banks, a Mr. Holmans, Joseph Gale and his wife Eliza, John Flets, I. F. Pomeroy, a Mr. Owensby, John Waymire, a Mr. Fuller, Charles McKay, a Mr. Thompson, a Mr. Dixon, Harvey L. Clark (or Clarke), Lewis C. Cooper, a Mr. Bozorth, Alexander McKay, a Mr. Hampton, a Mr. Sweets, a Mr. Moore, a Mr. Mills, a Mr. Owensbys, a Mr. Wilson, a Mr. Walker, Anderson Smith, Henry and Eliza Spalding at an "Indian village," a Mr. Cranks, a Mr. Stephens, David Flet, David Carles, Caleb A. Smith, W. H. Bennett, Orus Brown, Joshua Dixon, a Mr. Baldras, a Mr. Holmans, a Mr. Naylor, an Emericks Tucker, a Mr. Knighton and a Mr. Catchin; attending meetings at the Oregon Institute (the first American school built in the Willamette Valley, which in turn became Willamette University); attending temperence meetings; and Probate Court.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1845

  A transcription of a 1845 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life living as a settler on the Tualatin Plains; his tending to daily farmwork and chores; his religious life and reading of the Bible; his work at Joseph Gale's mill and his business dealings with Gale; his business dealings with Mr. Thomas New Banks, Mr. Cornelius Gilliams, Mr. Laframboise, Mr. Geiger, Mr. Owensbys, and Charles McKay; his interactions with "Indians;" his contributing efforts to build a bridge at John B. Mills Creek and David Hills; helping a Mr. Naylor build a bridge; his travels to Willamette Falls, Multnomah Island, and "Sovies" (perhaps refering to the Sauvie Island area); and his religious friends Congregational Minister Harvey L. Clark (or Clarke) and P. B. Littlejohn. On July 26, 1845, Smith describes how he "went over to the east plain to vote for sustaining the old Organic law of the territory." He describes how his friend Harvey Clark became the pastor of the local church in July of that year.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1844

  A transcription of a 1844 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life living as a settler on the Tualatin Plains, his tending to daily farmwork and chores; constructing a barn; reading, attending prayer meetings, listening to the sermons of missionary John Smith Griffins; helping a Mr. Kelsey build a house; meeting with Joseph Gale and assisting Gale with his mill and arranging for Smith to continue taking in his children Edward and Ellen; visiting Vancouver; attending the Champoeg meetings; trading with his missionary friend Harvey Clark; attended meetings with Mr. Thomas New Banks; his increasing business deals with local settlers, including Alexander and Charles McKay; and his trips to Vancouver.
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  A. T. Smith Diary transcript 1843

  A transcription of a 1843 diary in which Alvin Thompson Smith writes about topics such as his daily life living as a settler on the Tualatin Plains, his tending to daily farmwork and chores; constructing a barn; reading and attending prayer meetings and church; his travels to Willamette Falls; Congregational Minister Harvey L. Clark (or Clarke), P.B. Littlejohn, missionary John Smith Griffin, and the business affairs between the men; and his fellow settlers James and David Flet, C. M. Walker, Charles McKay and Cornelius Rogers, amongst others. Smith also describes taking in the children of Joseph Gale.