Tag Archive for 'Archives'

OR Archives Invites the Public to Celebrate Archives Month

Published on October 3, 2011 in Archives, Press Releases, Secretary Brown and Uncategorized. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , .

The Oregon State Archives will hold an open house Saturday, October 8, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, as part of the celebration of Oregon Archives month. Tours of the building will be offered on the hour and will provide visitors with a chance to go “behind the scenes,” see the records storage area, learn more about the Archives and its holdings, while being guided by an Archives staff member. Tours will last about thirty minutes and include the opportunity to see some of Oregon’s most significant historical documents, including the original Oregon Constitution. In addition, visitors will also have an opportunity to conduct research as additional staff will also be available to assist them and make records available to them to use.

The lobby gallery will be open and is currently showing a collection of scenic photographs from around the state. We will also be showing a video in the lobby celebrating 100 years of the Oregon Blue Book. The Blue Book is published by the Archives Division and both the 2011-2012 edition and a facsimile edition of the 1911 Blue Book will be available for purchase at the event.

Please join us in celebrating National Archives Month and take advantage of this special Saturday opening. Light refreshments will be served.

The Oregon State Archives is located as 800 Summer Street NE in Salem. Normal operating hours are 8:00 am to 4:45 pm Monday through Friday.

Contact: Andrea Cantu-Schomus
503-986-2368

 

Scenic Oregon 2012 calendar, historic trademarks bags available

Published on September 21, 2011 in Archives, Headlines, Press Releases and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , .

The “Scenic Oregon 2012”calendar features colorful photographs highlighting the diverse beauty of the state, from the rugged coast of Clatsop County to the remote “Pillars of Rome” in Malheur County. The photographs are just some of the nearly 4,000 Oregon Scenic County Images available for purchase from the Oregon State Archives. Printed on high quality coated paper, the calendar is 11 inches wide and 17 inches tall when open, with plenty of room for notations. Get one for yourself as a daily reminder of why it’s great to live in Oregon or give one to family or friends who live elsewhere to show them how lucky you are!

The high quality cloth shopping bags feature colorful and historic Oregon trademark labels. The labels date from 1894 to 1912 and advertise “Oregon Fruit Chewing Gum,” “Woodland’s Best Full Cream,” “Pheasant Brand Italian Prunes,” and “Mt. Hood Ice Cream.” Set against a black background on the tan-colored bags, the labels stand out as bright and evocative symbols of Oregon’s food past. Collect all four and show that you are a foodie with a sense of history.

The calendar sells for $9.95 (plus shipping and handling) each and the bags sell for $10.95 (plus shipping and handling) each. You can avoid the shipping and handling charges by dropping by the Archives Building at 800 Summer St. NE, Salem, OR; or by phone at 503-373-0701 ext. 1. Proceeds from the sale of these items support Oregon State Archives programs and services.

To learn more about these items and to see additional images please visit the Archives website

Andrea Cantu-Schomus

Communications Director
Oregon Secretary of State
andrea.l.cantu-schomus@state.or.us

503-986-2368
503-507-0082

The Early Oregonians Project

Published on December 15, 2009 in Archives and Census. 1 Comment Tags: , .

Do you recognize either of these seals?

Don’t feel bad if you don’t! They both predate the State of Oregon but at one time or another they were the official seals of the territory, which now constitutes our great state! The Oregon Territory and The Provisional Government of Oregon are part of our State’s great history and  our Archives Division is working on a project that will help us all get more familiar with some of the people who lived here during that time.

The Early Oregonians Project combines census, death, probate and other records into a searchable database to help researchers find relevant information about the people who lived in Oregon from 1800 to 1860.

To begin, Archives staff outlined an ‘Early Oregonian Criteria’, to establish just who could be counted as an Oregonian. This task was made difficult by the fact that parts of the territories that made up the Oregon of the time are now prominent sections of Washington, Idaho and Montana. For example, the 1850 census for Oregon Territory included what became Washington Territory as soon as 1853. However, in creating the Early Oregonian Criteria it was decided that individuals living in or born in that part of the Oregon Territory prior to 1853 were to be  included in this database as Early Oregonians.

With a criteria in place, staff began extracting vital data and other relevant information on these early Oregonians.

The initial information for this project was taken from the 1850 and 1860 federal censuses conducted in Oregon. A team of volunteers and student interns reviewed the extracted information and combined entries that appeared on both censuses.

In addition to primary sources, various records from the Oregon State Archives such as probate records, death certificates and marriage records were also searched to identify individuals who appeared to meet the criteria. Currently there are over 105,500 entries representing these early Oregonians.

The database is up now, but what you see today is not what the finished project will look like. As additional features of the database are made available, researchers will be able to view a list of associated records for individuals and request copies from the Archives.

Archives is also looking to YOU for help making this project a success! If you have documentation you would like to contribute to the Early Oregonians Database or a website you think might be helpful in our staff locating more information, send an email to Early.Oregonians@state.or.us and let us know!

October is Archives Month

Published on October 14, 2009 in Archives. 0 Comments Tags: , .

A copyright from Archives

When it comes to the ‘wow factor’, our Archives Division is about as good as it gets in State government. Since 1947, Archives has been the home of the state’s most valuable and indeed invaluable records, spanning from the provisional and territorial governments through to the present day.

Taking a quick tour of the Archives website, one can find information on genealogical research, a collection of Governor’s records, some incredible Web exhibits, and a link to the online version of the Oregon Blue Book; an encyclopedia of Oregon knowledge. That isn’t even to speak of the amazing stuff you can check out during a personal visit to Archives here in Salem.

Beach goers in 1940

Beach goers in 1940

Once a year since 1989, Archives divisions across the country have taken center stage with an officially recognized Archives Week or Month. In Oregon, Governor Ted Kulongoski made a formal proclamation for Oregon Archives Week, and later Archives Month, starting in 2004. At that point our State joined in supporting Archivists efforts to: increase the public’s awareness of archives and historical records; educate people, organizations and others about preserving their own historical records; and encouraging people to explore and use the archives in their area.

This year, the Oregon State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) applied for, and received National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) grant funds in part to support the printing and distribution of a poster commemorating Oregon Archives Month.

Archives Month programs vary from state to state and usually include a broad range of activities such as award presentations, exhibits, lectures, open houses and workshops. To get up to date information on Archives Month events in Oregon, check out the Archives month website.

Current events include the Multnomah Library’s “The Origins of Multnomah County Library: Primary Sources Celebrating Oregon & National Archives Month”, which will run through November 23. An event sponsored by the University of Oregon will celebrate home movies, while two separate events will be taking place on the Oregon State University campus this month, details can be found here.

Archives month is a tremendous opportunity for Oregonians to explore the State’s rich past with a full plate of fantastic events. Should you miss out on the fun this month, don’t fret; our Archives division is open year round to help you find whatever you might be looking for.