ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

STORIES WORTH REMEMBERING

Capitol history as told by the remarkable Oregonians who helped shape our state.

Adopted in 2002, the Capitol Foundation’s oral history project allows influential Oregonians to share their perspectives about their contributions to state government and the people who helped them along the way. Preserving these stories — our shared history — is important.

The Capitol Foundation has collected dozens of histories so far, most produced by historian Janice Dilg of History Built. We invite you to get to know these prominent Oregonians by watching their interviews.

You help create a living history of our Capitol and its history when you support the Capitol Foundation. Thanks to you, generations into the future will learn about Oregon’s most important stories in the voices of the people who made it happen.

Oregon Governors

Gov. Vic Atiyeh

GOV. VIC ATIYEH

Gov. Barbara Roberts

GOV. BARBARA ROBERTS

Statewide and Other Elected Officials

Wallace Carson

CHIEF JUSTICE WALLACE P. CARSON

Sec. Bev Clarno

SEC. BEV CLARNO

Verne Duncan

SUPERINTENDENT VERNE DUNCAN

Vera Katz

MAYOR VERA KATZ

Meeker

TREASURER TONY MEEKER

Clay Meyers

SEC. CLAY MEYERS

Hardy Myers

ATTORNEY GENERAL HARDY MYERS

Bob Packwood

U.S. SEN. BOB PACKWOOD

Betty Roberts

ASSOCIATE JUSTICE BETTY ROBERTS

Treasurer Bill Rutherford

TREASURER BILL RUTHERFORD

“If we are going to self govern then you need people who are going to take on the responsibility to represent you […] We all need to participate in the government process, whether by voting or running for office.”

Treasurer Tony Meeker

Oregon State Legislators

SENATORS

Sen. John Burns

PRES. JOHN BURNS

Sen. Jane Cease

SEN. JANE CEASE

Ron Cease

SEN. RON CEASE

Joyce Cohen

SEN. JOYCE COHEN

Gene Derfler

PRES. GENE DERFLER

Ted Hallock

SEN. TED HALLOCK

Len Hannon

SEN. LEN HANNON

Ken Jernstedt

SEN. KEN JERNSTEDT

Stephen Kafoury

SEN. STEPHEN KAFOURY

Hector Macpherson

SEN. HECTOR MACPHERSON

Monroe Sweetland

SEN. MONROE SWEETLAND

Cliff Trow

SEN. CLIFF TROW

Coming soon!
Sen. Jackie Winters

SEN. JACKIE WINTERS

REPRESENTATIVES

Paul Hanneman

REP. PAUL HANNEMAN

Winton Hunt

REP. WINTON HUNT

Denny Jones

REP. DENNY JONES

Phil Lang

SPEAKER PHIL LANG

Roger Martin

SPEAKER ROGER MARTIN

Karen Minnis

SPEAKER KAREN MINNIS

Nancie Peacocke Fadeley

REP. NANCIE PEACOCKE FADELEY

John Sell

REP. JOHN SELL

Rep. Norm Smith

REP. NORM SMITH

REP. LOREN LASELLS STEWART

Tony Van Vliet

REP. TONY VAN VLIET

Gary Wilhelms

REP. GARY WILHELMS

Other Influential Oregonians

Dave Barrows

DAVE BARROWS

KATHLEEN BEAUFAIT

Chuck Beggs

CHUCK BEGGS

Scott Burgess

SCOTT BURGESS

Maribel Cadmus

MARIBEL CADMUS

Capitol Volunteers

CAPITOL VOLUNTEERS

Gerry Frank

GERRY FRANK

Mary Beth Herkert

MARY BETH HERKERT

Ted Hughes

TED HUGHES

KEN HUNT

Jack Lansing

JACK LANSING

Coming soon!
Gerry Lewin

GERRY LEWIN

“I do know that every Oregonian from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed is touched by some function of government.”

Dan Simmons

Ellen Lowe

ELLEN LOWE

Jeff Mapes

JEFF MAPES

Pat McCormick

PAT MCCORMICK

Janet McLennan

JANET MCLENNAN

Rich Munn

RICHARD MUNN

Henk Pander

HENK PANDER

Dan Simmons

DAN SIMMONS

Gerry Thompson

GERRY THOMPSON

VanNatta1

FRED VANNATTA

Elisabeth Walton Potter

ELISABETH WALTON POTTER

LEARN MORE CAPITOL HISTORY

Much has changed since the release of the Beneath the Dome video! We invite you to take a virtual tour for a modern-day Capitol experience.

“It’s important to remember where we’ve been, where we were and that leads us to a better path of where we should go. Kids need to be instilled with the history of what has been achieved at the Capitol and a will to serve to make our state better. I was privileged to assist in getting the Oregon State Capitol Foundation up and running. It was a way to represent the people who gave their lives and talents to keeping Oregon great — we can’t forget that.”

Debbie Miller

Capitol alumni and former Capitol Foundation staff

OTHER INTERVIEWS OF OREGONIANS WITH CAPITOL CONNECTIONS

Other organizations are preserving our shared history by interviewing influential leaders with Capitol connections. Click the images below to learn about these inspirational Oregonians.

Sen. Margaret Carter

SEN. MARGARET CARTER

Interview by Oregon State University

REP. GEORGE EIGHMEY

Audio-only interview by Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest

SEN. AVEL GORDLY

Audio-only interview by Professor Patricia Schechter
 

JUDGE JAMES A. REDDEN

Transcript of 1994 interview by Michael O’Rourke, Oregon Historical Society
Danny Santos

DANNY SANTOS

Interview by Wilamette University

HOW YOU CAN HELP OREGONIANS LEARN ABOUT “THE PEOPLE’S BUILDING”

AND THE HISTORY THAT IS MADE THERE

Your purchase of Pacific Wonderland license plates and donations to the Capitol Foundation help expand and maintain the virtual Capitol tour. This fun and educational tool is available 24/7 year round in English, Spanish and Mandarin.

Thank you for making this project possible!