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

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 MYERS

Hardy Myers

ATTORNEY GENERAL HARDY MYERS

Bob Packwood

U.S. SEN. BOB PACKWOOD

Betty Roberts

JUSTICE BETTY ROBERTS

Treasurer Bill Rutherford

TREASURER BILL RUTHERFORD

Oregon State Legislators

SENATORS

John Burns

PRES. JOHN BURNS

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. LENN HANNON

Ken Jernstedt

SEN. KEN JERNSTEDT

Kafoury

SEN. STEPHEN KAFOURY

Hector Macpherson

SEN. HECTOR MACPHERSON

Monroe Sweetland

SEN. MONROE SWEETLAND

Cliff Trow

SEN. CLIFF TROW

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

Martin

SPEAKER ROGER MARTIN

Minnis

SPEAKER KAREN MINNIS

Nancie

REP. NANCIE PEACOCKE FADELEY

John Sell

REP. JOHN SELL

Rep. Norm Smith

REP. NORM SMITH

Loran Stewart

REP. LOREN LASELLS STEWART

Tony Van Vliet

REP. TONY VAN VLIET

Gary

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

Gerry Lewin

GERRY LEWIN

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

1967 Beach Bill

1967 Beach Bill

1973 Legislative Session

1973 Legislative Session

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