Category Archives: NWDA_

Extension Service Photograph Collection


Take some time to check our new collection guide for the Extension Service Photograph Collection!

These pictures document Extension programs, activities, and staff throughout Oregon. The bulk of this collection relates to the three traditional Extension programmatic areas (agriculture, home economics, and 4-H) and the photographs show Extension Service programs and staff from all regions of Oregon (with Benton, Clatsop, Klamath, and Lane Counties strongly represented).


Of particular note are images of Braceros and other migrant agricultural laborers; County extension offices (exterior and interior views) and staff; the Dairy Demonstration Train; 4-H club activities and summer school; and soil conservation and dune stabilization. Many individuals farms and ranches are identified; numerous images of the Oliver Ranch in Grant County are part of the collection.


Photographers are not identified for most of the images (though we do know that they were primarily taken by Extension Service staff), but notable photographers and studios of note include the Columbia Commercial Studio (Portland), Asahel Curtis (Seattle), Benjamin A. Gifford, Arthur M. Prentiss, and the Weister Company.


The collection includes a variety of formats, with the bulk collection consisting of black & white prints. You’ll also find a selection of color prints, film negatives, nitrate negatives, color slides, digital prints, and panoramic prints.

Images from the collection are available online in the Best of the Archives and Braceros in Oregon digital collections.

Finding aid fury

Elizabeth Nielsen, Senior Staff Archivist and generally fast & furious finding aid creator, has compiled her “best of” / status report list for the state of the Archives’ world at the end of 2009. It is an impressive thing to read!

Here are a few highlights:

  • 944 total collections in the Archives. This includes 173 record groups (RG); 458 manuscript collections; 244 photo collections; 43 moving image collections; and 15 oral history collections.
  • 464 collections represented in the NWDA finding aids database. More than half of the RGs (61%), MSS (53%), moving images (79%), and oral histories (67%) are reflected in NWDA.
  • 73 preliminary collection-level descriptions. This is an increase of almost 30 since Jan 2009. They will probably continue to grow at this rate (or higher) as we continue to receive large new collections and the number of undescribed collections that are large.
  • 257 collections with no information online (other than perhaps a collection title). This is a reduction from 308 in Jan 2009 and is approaching only a quarter of the total collections. This number includes 8 scrapbooks and photo albums. She is plowing through this at a breakneck pace to work on these and hope to zero-out the scrapbooks/albums category during 2010. The components of our collections that are “least well represented” online are the photograph (51%) and oral history (33%) collections — although both have improved since Jan 2009. She keeps whittling away at these collections by preparing collection-level finding aids (final for small collections and preliminary for larger ones).

Finding Aids

The following 9 finding aids for OSU Archives collections were completed or updated in July 2009. They have been loaded to the NWDA finding aids database and have a PDF on the OSU Archives’ website. MARC records for all of the collections are available through the OSU Libraries’ Catalog, Summit Navigator, and Worldcat. One of the collections was received in 2009; four are for collections for which there was previously no information available online. The OSU Archives now has 418 finding aids in NWDA.

Most of these are new finding aids; one (for the Technology Educators of Oregon Records) is an update of an existing finding aid.

A Dairy Program for Oregon Scrapbook, 1929

Graham, Robert D., Papers, 1903-1973

Home Economics, College of, Oral Histories, 1968-1985 (OH 11)

Home Economics, College of, Motion Picture Films and Videotapes, 1950-1998 (FV P 044)

Landscape Architecture Department Records, 1932-1982 (RG 089)

Rodman, Wilma M., Photograph Collection, 1950-1974 (P 147)

Science, College of, Videotapes, 1991-1997 (FV P 084)

Technology Educators of Oregon Records, 1954-2001

Walls, Robert B., Collection, 1916-1974

Finding Aids

The following 8 finding aids for OSU Archives collections were completed or updated in June 2009. They have been loaded to the NWDA finding aids database and have a PDF on the OSU Archives’ website. MARC records for all of the collection s are available through the OSU Libraries’ Catalog, Summit Navigator, and Worldcat. Four of these collections were received in 2008; two are collections for which there was previously no information available online.

Most of these are new finding aids; one (for the Mesang Collection) is an update of an existing finding aid.

These include a finding aid for an historic map collection that may serve as a model for guides to other components of the historic map collection.

Bryant, William C., Collection, 1902-1905

Counseling and Psychological Services Records, 1965-2007 (RG 157)

Green, John W., Papers, 1919-1973

Mesang, Ted, Collection, 1925-1968

Newman Foundation of Oregon State University Records, 1962-2008

Oregon State University Alumni Oral History Collection, 2005-2008 (OH 13)

Starker, T.J., Collection, 1975-1982

Zobel, Donald B., Collection of Historic Forestry and Vegetation Maps, 1914-1989

The OSU Archives now has 409 finding aids in NWDA.

February Finding Aids

The following 13 finding aids for OSU Archives collections were completed or updated in February 2009. They have been loaded to the NWDA finding aids database and have a PDF on the OSU archives’ website and a catalog record in the OSU Libraries’ catalog, Summit, and Worldcat. Seven (7) of these are for collections acquired in 2008; four (4) are for collections for which there was previously no information available online. We now have 381 finding aids in NWDA.

Alpha Epsilon Oregon Upsilon Chapter Records, 1978-1995

Alumni Association Records, 1888-2008 (RG 035)

American Society of Agricultural Engineers Oregon Student Branch Records, 1955-1989

Belcher, Jerry D., Collection of Agricultural College Track Photographs, 1905 (P 128)

Elmore, Pitts, Photographs, 1921-1922 (P 123)

Forestry, College of, Moving Images, 2007 (FV P 061)

Klamath County Timber Cruising Records, 1952-1955

Liberal Arts, College of, Records, 1952-2008 (RG 143)

McCulloch, W.F., Collection, 1936-1968

Moore, Willetta, Photograph Album, 1913-1930 (P 269)

Pride Center Records, 1993-2008 (RG 236)

R.H. Robinson Papers, 1889-1968

  • http://nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu/findaid/ark:/80444/xv16702
  • http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives/archive/mss/documents/ORErobinson.pdf
  • This collection documents Robinson’s research on insecticides, fungicides, and spray residues conducted as a chemist with the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, a position he held from 1911 until his retirement in 1951. The papers includes correspondence, article reprints and publications, research data, reference materials, and publications. The Robinson Papers were acquired by the OSU Libraries in the late 1980s and transferred from Special Collections to the Archives in 2008. This is a preliminary collection-level description with a link to a preliminary container list.

Wright, Marshall S., Photograph Album, 1915-1928 (P 276)

If you have any questions about the collections, just let us know!

OSU Archives in The Commons: Images of Celilo Falls

Look for more from the Gerald W. Williams Collection Wednesday March 4th

On March 10, 1957, the Columbia River pooled behind the newly constructed Dalles Dam, effectively drowning a five-mile stretch of cascades known as Celilo Falls. The rising water flooded one of the most prolific salmon runs in North America; it was also an area that had been occupied by Pacific Northwest Indians for at least 10,000 years.

Continuing our focus on photographs from the Gerald W. Williams Collection, we’ve decided to show you all some of the images he collected of Celilo Falls. Many of the pictures you’ll find in this set were taken by Williams’ father, Jack Williams, in September 1956 — only a few months before the falls were inundated.

For thousands of years, Celilo Falls was a traditional fishing spot for mid-Columbia tribes, producing millions of pounds of salmon each year; but the area was much more than a “favorite fishing hole.” Nearby Celilo Village was also trading hub for tribes from California, Montana, and Canada, with an active and lively market that saw local salmon traded for medicines, dried meats, and hides from the East and cedar, shells, and beads from the Pacific Coast. Noted by the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805, the explorers said they found a “great emporium…where all the neighboring nations assemble,” and a population density unlike anything they had seen on their journey —historians have called the Celilo area the “Wall Street of the West.” However, even beyond commerce, the area was a place where “friendships were renewed, and men found brides.”

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) began work on The Dalles Dam in 1952 as a means of harnessing the Columbia River and providing “clean, sustainable, and cheap” hydroelectric power to Portland and Seattle . Between 1952 and 1955, ‘USACOE and representatives from the Warm Springs, Umatilla, Yakama, and Nez Perce reservations negotiate a monetary settlement for the loss of fishing sites resulting from construction of The Dalles Dam.” It was completed it five years later. Records and recollections say that Big Eddy was under water in less than an hour and Celilo Falls in six.

Where to go for more?

To watch the Oregon Field Guide “Celilo Fishing” video, which features a color film shot by the Army Corps of Engineers, click here. To see a detailed picture of the bottom of the Columbia River at Celilo Falls, check out the sonar data from the Army Corps of Engineers, check out the “Celilo Animation” video found here.

YouTube also has many videos of Celilo Falls, with a search for “Celilo,” you’ll find plenty! For example, there are some great historic photos of the people of Celilo Falls in the “celilo finished 0001” YouTube video by clicking here.

Oregon Public Broadcasting Oregon Territory program called “Celilo Falls,”which aired March 3, 2007 is worth a viewing. Find out more here.

Katrine Barber’s 2005 book Death of Celilo Falls is another excellent resource for information on the both the cultural and political history of the area. “This book examines the negotiations and controversies that took place during the planning and construction of The Dalles dam and the profound impact the project had on both the Indian community of Celilo Village and the non-Indian town of The Dalles.”

Sites Consulted:

New Collection Descriptions for the Month!

The following 12 finding aids for OSU Archives collections have been completed or updated in January 2009. They have been loaded to the NWDA finding aids database and have a PDF on the OSU archives’ website and a catalog record in the OSU Libraries’ catalog, Summit, and Worldcat. Five of these are for collections acquired in 2008; six are for collections for which there was previously no information available online.

We now have 368 finding aids in NWDA.

Agricultural Sciences, College of, Photographs, 1892-2001 (P 036)

  • http://nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu/findaid/ark:/80444/xv14749
  • http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives/archive/documents/OREp036.pdf
  • These images (1247 total) depict OSU’s academic and research programs in agriculture; Branch Experiment Stations in Oregon; faculty, students, and alumni; international programs; and special events, conferences, and workshops. Of particular note are images taken in 1913 by bacteriologist Emile Pernot of farms and slaughter houses in Benton County. The largest component of the collection is a group of 900 color slides, many taken in 2001, that depict students and faculty participating in instruction and research activities. This finding aid includes a detailed list of the photographs.

Audiovisual Education Scrapbook, 1930-1939

Borg, Marcus J., Papers, 1969-2000

Foote, Wilson H., Photographs, 1948-1955 (P 268)

  • http://nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu/findaid/ark:/80444/xv68258
  • http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives/archive/documents/OREp268.pdf
  • This Wilson H. Foote Photographs consist of 241 color slides taken by Foote during his early years at Oregon State College and depict the OSC campus, students, and athletic events; agriculture and forestry; Oregon landscapes and landmarks; and landscapes of western North America. Of special note are images of football games at Bell Field, construction of the heating tunnels on campus, Native Americans fishing in the Columbia Basin (perhaps Celilo Falls), and the effects of a flood (perhaps the Vanport Flood in 1948). This collection was donated to the Archives in 2008 by Foote’s daughter. This is a preliminary collection-level description.

Home Management House Photograph Collection, 1945-1948 (P 266)

International Research and Development Office Records, 1993-2007 (RG 211)

Jeffersonian Literary Society Records, 1897 (RG 067)

Lloyd, Les, Papers, 1942-1951

McCormick, Alta, Photograph Collection, 1905-1931 (P 113)

Morris, Walter E., Photograph Collection, 1909-1911 (P 122)

Siletz News, 2007-2008

Zobel, Donald B, Papers, 1995-2003

New Collection Descriptions for the Month!

book-2571.jpgThe following 6 finding aids for OSU Archives collections have been completed or updated in December 2008. They have been loaded to the NWDA finding aids database and have a PDF on the OSU Archives’ website and a catalog record in the OSU Libraries’ catalog, Summit, and Worldcat. Two of these are for collections acquired in 2008; two are for collections for which there was previously no information available online.

Alumni Association Motion Picture Films and Videotapes, 1942-1988

This collection of 25 films and 8 videotapes includes promotional films; recordings of special events, such as commencement and OSU centennial activities; films of football games; footage honoring Oregon State alumni; and videotapes of alumni award presentations. Of special note are a 1958 production This is Oregon State; a film of the homecoming banquet for the 1942 Rose Bowl team; and a film about the 1964 football season leading to OSU playing in the 1965 Rose Bowl. This finding aid includes a detailed list of the collection contents.

Berg, Helen M. and Alan B., Papers, 1914-2007

The Berg Papers were received by the Archives in early 2008 and document their professional and civic activities at OSU and in the City of Corvallis. Helen and Alan Berg earned degrees at Oregon State and were faculty. They both served on the Corvallis City Council and as Mayor of Corvallis (Alan in 1979-1986 and Helen in 1995-2006). This is a preliminary collection-level description with a link to a preliminary container list.

Journalism Department Photographs, 1930-1984 (P 208)

These photographs (105 total) consist of images created or acquired by the Journalism Department staff for use in publications and displays as well as photographs taken by students for class projects. Subjects include student activities, campus buildings, and Oregon scenic views. This finding aid includes a detailed list of the photographs.

Oregon Native American Language Sound Recordings, 1962-1964 (OH 12)

These recordings (57 audiotapes) were made by Joe E. Pierce (a faculty member at Portland State) as part of his study of Native American languages in Oregon. They include interviews with members of the Coquille and Siletz tribes. This collection is a component of the Oregon Multicultural Archives.

Pass Creek Motion Picture Film Collection, 1968-1993 (FV P 273)

This collection consists of the Pass Creek film, produced in 1968 to document the impact of clearcut logging on the small tributary streams of Oregon’s North Umpqua Basin, and records documenting the production and distribution of the film. The film and related documentation were transferred to the Archives by Jim Hall of the OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife in 2008. The film is available online as a streaming media file — http://oregonstate.edu/media/zgqpn — and is part of the Umpqua Basin Explorer.

Struve, Marcus, Photographs, 1907-1908 (P 110)

This small photograph collection (4 images) includes images of Struve (a 1908 OAC graduate in pharmacy) with OAC Mandolin Club and Orchestra and other pharmacy students. One of the photographs is available in the Best of the Archives digital collection: http://digitalcollections.library.oregonstate.edu/u?/archives,1072

We now have 356 finding aids in NWDA.

New Collection Descriptions for the Month!

The following 7 finding aids were prepared during November 2008 and loaded to NWDA (with PDFs on our website). All have MARC catalog records in the OSU Libraries catalog, Summit, and Worldcat – or will have them very shortly.

Curriculum Coordination Records, 1924-1981 (RG 029)

Facilities Services Records, 1888-2003 (RG 193)

Hesperian Lyceum Society Records, 1891-1893 (RG 065)

Journalism Department Records, 1918-1988 (RG 091)

McAlister, Harvey L., Collection, 1805-1950

Peiffer, Kareen, Laboratory Notes, 1930-1931

Schultz, Clark Edwards, Papers, 1900-1982

Other notes: 5 are new finding aids and 2 are updates of existing finding aids (Curriculum Coordination Records and Journalism Department Records), 3 are final collection-level finding aids, 3 are full finding aids with a folder-level inventory, 1 is a preliminary collection-level finding aid, 1 is for a collection received in 2007 (Peiffer) and one is for a collection received in 2008 (Schultz), 2 are for collections for which we previously had no information available online, other than a title (Hesperian Lyceum Society and McAlister). 1 of the new finding aids is for the Facilities Services Records (RG 193), which is one of our largest collections.

We now have 350 finding aids in NWDA.

New Collection Descriptions for the Month!

The following 12 finding aids were prepared during Oct 2008 and loaded to NWDA (with PDFs on our website). All have MARC catalog records in the OSU Libraries catalog, Summit, and Worldcat – or will have them very shortly.

Agricultural Research Foundation Records, 1936-2007

Anderson, Roberta Frasier, Papers, 1959-1974

Athenian Literary Society Records, 1892-1895

Chemistry Department Records, 1937-1997 (RG 098)

Cutler, Melvin, Papers, 1951-1958

Dean of Women’s Office Photographs, 1941-1916 (P 097)

Education, School of, Photographs, 1962-1967 (P 108)

Finance and Administration Videotapes, 1997 (FV P 247)

Human Resources Videotapes, 1992 (FV P 223)

Rice, Charles M., Papers, 1977

Rice Family Photograph Album, 1935-1947 (P 272)

University Archives Videotapes (FV P 169)

Other notes: 10 are new finding aids and 2 are updates of existing finding aids (Chemistry Department Records and Human Resources Videotapes), 11 are collection-level finding aids and one (Chemistry Department Records) is a full finding aid with a folder-level inventory, and 5 are for collections for which we previously had no information available online other than a title (Rice Papers; P 097; P 108; P272; RG 061).

We now have 343 finding aids in NWDA.