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. BARBARA ROBERTS
Statewide and Other Elected Officials
CHIEF JUSTICE WALLACE P. CARSON
SEC. BEV CLARNO
SUPERINTENDENT VERNE DUNCAN
MAYOR VERA KATZ
TREASURER TONY MEEKER
SEC. CLAY MEYERS
ATTORNEY GENERAL HARDY MYERS
U.S. SEN. BOB PACKWOOD
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE BETTY ROBERTS
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.”
Oregon State Legislators
SENATORS
PRES. JOHN BURNS
SEN. JANE CEASE
SEN. RON CEASE
SEN. JOYCE COHEN
PRES. GENE DERFLER
SEN. TED HALLOCK
SEN. LEN HANNON
SEN. KEN JERNSTEDT
SEN. STEPHEN KAFOURY
SEN. HECTOR MACPHERSON
SEN. MONROE SWEETLAND
SEN. CLIFF TROW
Coming soon!
SEN. JACKIE WINTERS
REPRESENTATIVES
REP. PAUL HANNEMAN
REP. WINTON HUNT
REP. DENNY JONES
SPEAKER PHIL LANG
SPEAKER ROGER MARTIN
SPEAKER KAREN MINNIS
REP. NANCIE PEACOCKE FADELEY
REP. JOHN SELL
REP. NORM SMITH
REP. LOREN LASELLS STEWART
REP. TONY VAN VLIET
REP. GARY WILHELMS
Other Influential Oregonians
DAVE BARROWS
KATHLEEN BEAUFAIT
CHUCK BEGGS
SCOTT BURGESS
MARIBEL CADMUS
CAPITOL VOLUNTEERS
GERRY FRANK
MARY BETH HERKERT
TED HUGHES
KEN HUNT
JACK LANSING
Coming soon!
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.”
ELLEN LOWE
JEFF MAPES
PAT MCCORMICK
JANET MCLENNAN
RICHARD MUNN
HENK PANDER
DAN SIMMONS
GERRY THOMPSON
FRED VANNATTA
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.”
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
Interview by Oregon State University
REP. GEORGE EIGHMEY
Audio-only interview by Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest
JUDGE JAMES A. REDDEN
Transcript of 1994 interview by Michael O’Rourke, Oregon Historical Society
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!