Tag: historic newspapers

More Historic Crook County Content Now Online!
Posted on by srabun@uoregon.edu

In partnership with the Crook County Historical Society Bowman Museum in Prineville, Oregon, the Oregon Digital Newspaper Program (ODNP) is proud to announce two additional Prineville titles that are now part of Historic Oregon Newspapers online:

Both papers provide a late 19th century perspective on Crook County and serve as precursors to the Prineville Crook County Journal, which can also be found online from January 1901-July 1921.

Here are just a few fun clippings that can be found in these new additions:

Advertisement: Prineville Wagon and Blacksmith Shop at Swaileys old stand, C.L. Salomon Prop. All kinds of wagon work and blacksmithing done by experienced workmen. Horseshoeing a specialty. Old wagons and hacks and all kinds of old iron taken in exchange for work. All iron work done by as good a smith as there is in the country at related prices.
Ochoco review. (Prineville, Crook County, Or.) April 07, 1888, Image 6. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn00063648/1888-04-07/ed-1/seq-6/

 

Prineville Review. Thursday January 29, 1903. Localettes. P.G. Milliron, of Crook, was in the city last Saturday. Archie McKinnon, of Price, made this office a pleasant call Saturday. Sheriff Smith left last Monday for Salem to hob-nob with our lawmakers for a time. Stock of all kinds continues to look fine and will come out in the spring in fine condition. Left on hand - fine overcoat also pantaloons, will sell cheap. Gormley, The Tailor.
Prineville review. (Prineville, Crook County, Or.) January 29, 1903, Image 3. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn00063658/1903-01-29/ed-1/seq-3/

 

Drawing of horse race, with caption: "Five days of races. $1100 in purses. Under the management of the Prineville Jockey Club. Prineville Oregon. October 27,28,29,30,31."
Prineville review. (Prineville, Crook County, Or.) August 13, 1903, Image 1. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn00063658/1903-08-13/ed-1/seq-1/

 

Stay tuned for more updates!

 

 

 

Morrow County now represented in Historic Oregon Newspapers online!
Posted on by srabun@uoregon.edu

In partnership with the Morrow County Museum in Heppner, Oregon, several early newspapers from Heppner are now available for keyword searching and browsing online at Historic Oregon Newspapers!

Incorporated on Feb. 9, 1887, the town of Heppner has seen many years’ worth of historical events in the Northeastern region of Oregon. In 1885, Morrow County was created, carved from the already existing Umatilla County. In 1888, Heppner welcomed it’s first railroad line, which was a spur from the Columbia River. As more railroads and roads were added over the years, Heppner became a regional trade center. You can follow the community’s enthusiasm and the development of the railroad through these historic newspapers with a  search for “railroad,” limited to Heppner titles with results listed in date order. We found the following entries, but there are over 2,000 pages of Heppner newspapers that mention railroads, so you won’t be bored!

In June of 1888, there was much anticipation for the coming railroad as a contributor to economic boom:

Editorial from the Heppner Weekly Gazette reads: "The Gazette. Heppner, Thursday, June 14, 1888. Everyy inhabitant of these primitive Heppner hills looks with pride to our town which came into existence sixteen years ago, and has been growing steadily year after year without interruption ever since. It is to-day a rustling, bustling, wide-awake place, a counterpart of its inhabitants, who are people of broad, liberal views, kind-hearted and energetic and have never been known to shrink from putting up when the general prosperity of the community demanded it. With a railroad now building to Heppner, stage roads and tri-weekly mail routes being projected to reach out to Haystack and Camp Watson, Monument, Long Creek, Fox Valley and Canyon City, and every part of the country that demands such conviniences, places this town in a position to enjoy the fruits of past labors. Property is increasing in value in a manner that is encouraging to owners of real estate. Once piece of property that cost $800 a short time ago, sold recently for $2000; another was bought for $150 and sold for $300 in ten days, and we might name many other transactions of like nature. We have a boom and no mistake. To be brief, gentle reader, come and see Heppner. It is the coming railroad and educational town of Morrow Co. A few hundred dollars invested now, means thousands of clean cash right in your pocket, and in comparatively short time."
Heppner weekly gazette. (Heppner, Umatilla County, Or.) 1883-1890, June 14, 1888, Image 2. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071041/1888-06-14/ed-1/seq-2/

By late November of 1888, the railroad was complete, a cause for celebration:

Clipping from the Heppner Weekly Gazette reads: "One thousand people were present, among whom were many pioneers, who no doubt could hardly realize the change since 1872. At 3 o'clock, the last rail being laid, Mayor Henry Blackman made a short address, yet to the point, which is as follows: 'Fellow Citizens and Ladies: We have assembled here for the purpose of celebrating the completion of the railroad, which connects this city and surrounding country with the outer world. Those who are present among the pioneers who established Heppner in 1872 at that time never dreamed that the iron horse would traverse the Heppner Hills, but it is an actual fact, and we welcome it, not only as the advance guard of civilization, but the opening up of vast acres of grazing, agricultural and timber lands.' "
Heppner weekly gazette. (Heppner, Umatilla County, Or.) 1883-1890, November 29, 1888, Image 2. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071041/1888-11-29/ed-1/seq-2/

As the county seat, Heppner was and still is the home of the Morrow County Courthouse. Constructed in 1903, it is one of the oldest continually used courthouses in Oregon, not to mention a fabulous example of American Renaissance architecture. That same year, a devastating flood crashed through the town killing hundreds of community members and destroying hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property. Gruesome reports of victims and body parts being found months after the event can be seen in the Heppner Times, from which digitized issues are available from late 1903 to late 1904:

A clipping reads: "Glen Davis found a human foot one day last week as he was cleanin out an irrigation ditch. It undoubtedly belonged to a flood victim."
Heppner times. (Heppner, Or.) 1???-1912, April 14, 1904, Image 4. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071040/1904-04-14/ed-1/seq-4/

The very same page contains a surprising advertisement for, well, see for yourself:

Clipping reads: "Chinaware Decorated with Heppner Flood scenes - a useful and pretty souvenir"
Heppner times. (Heppner, Or.) 1???-1912, April 14, 1904, Image 4. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071040/1904-04-14/ed-1/seq-4/

Another flood struck again in 1918, along with two fires that destroyed many buildings and homes in the community. The Heppner Herald was one of the many businesses affected by the fire of June, 1918, which apparently started in or near the Palace Hotel and spread by wind, destroying four and a half city blocks. Publisher S.A. Pattison gives his perspective in the July 5, 1918 issue of the paper, which came out a day late due to the fire:

Clipping reads: " Somewhat Disfigured, Still in the Ring. The Herald appears a day late this week and in tabloid form due to certain circumstances over which the publisher had no control. To be brief and frank with this tale of woe the Herald has no more of a printing plant this morning than a rabbit has fighting qualities and the publisher and his family have no more household goods and not much more clothing than a family of sparrows. Everything in home and office was completely wiped out in Thursday's fire and it is only because of the courtesy and true neighborliness of Mr. Crawford and the Gazette-Times force that we are able to appear even in condensed form and only one day late."
Heppner herald. (Heppner, Or.) 1914-1924, July 05, 1918, Image 1. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071037/1918-07-05/ed-1/seq-2/

The Heppner Hotel, built in 1920, was part of the town’s rebuilding after the several disasters, and it is one of the historic buildings still standing in Heppner today:

Clipping reads: "Furniture Going in New Heppner Hotel. Rooms ready for guests this week. Dining room probably ready for Christmas - All Equipment First Class. The new Heppner hotel is the scene of much activity this week with a small army of workment installing the carpets, furniture and other equipment. The work is being rushed in order to accomodate the public at the earliest possible moment.
Heppner herald. (Heppner, Or.) 1914-1924, December 14, 1920, Image 1. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071037/1920-12-14/ed-1/seq-1/

These clippings are just a few examples of the content that can be found in Heppner’s historic newspapers. Search or browse these titles and see what other kinds of interesting things you can find!

Oregonian Now Available Through Dec. 1922!
Posted on by srabun@uoregon.edu

The time we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived! Historic Oregon Newspapers online now contains the full 20th century public domain run of the Portland Morning Oregonian and The Sunday Oregonian! All newspapers published on or before December 31, 1922 are considered to be in the “public domain,” which means that copyright permission is not required for reproduction or use of the content.

In 1922, the Morning Oregonian successfully launched Oregon’s first commercial radio station, KGW, evidence of which can be found in the newspaper:

Clipping from the Morning Oregonian reads: "The Oregonian Test of Radio Makes Hit. Congratulations Pour in at First of Broadcasting. Another trial tonight. Piano to be installed today and musical selections sent out for short time. "Hello, KGW. THe Oregonian. This is the Vancouver barracks talking. Say old man, you come in like a ton of bricks. What power are you using? Only 50 watts? Why, you sound like a 250-watt outfit. Will you relay a message for me to San Diego? Your voice modulation is perfect, KGW you've got some station there, Congratulations."
Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, March 24, 1922, Page 5, Image 5. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025138/1922-03-24/ed-1/seq-5/

Also, by the time 1922 rolled around, the Morning Oregonian was publishing a political cartoon on the front page of every issue! These cartoons are just as telling of the times as the textual content, and can serve to remind us how much things have changed since then, but also how much things have stayed the same! For example, on this day, December 5, in 1922 (91 years ago!!!!), the following political cartoon appeared on the front page of the Morning Oregonian:

Political cartoon depicts several men, apparently members of Congress, throwing bricks at each other, using umbrellas as shields, and running around in a flurry. Bricks are labeled with words such as "charges," "impeachment proceedings," "counter charges," "General Daugherty." Caption reads: "This promises to be as hot a session of congress as the last one."
Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, December 05, 1922, Image 1. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025138/1922-12-05/ed-1/seq-1/

How does this scene compare to the Congress of today? Knowing the context of these cartoons is crucial to understanding their messages, and the textual articles within the papers help to build that understanding.

The Sunday Oregonian also consistently published a Comics Section at the end of each issue, with a more relaxed approach than the highly charged political cartoons of the Monday Oregonian. Stay tuned for our next blog, which will provide a guide to finding cartoons and comics on the Historic Oregon Newspapers site!

Happy searching!

New titles from La Grande, Eugene, and Portland now online!
Posted on by srabun@uoregon.edu

What better way to stay warm in the coming winter months than to hunker down with Historic Oregon Newspapers online? With over 500,000 pages from 75 titles, you can search and browse to your heart’s delight, especially now that we have added four new keyword-searchable titles from La Grande, Eugene, and Portland! We could have spent hours browsing through these new papers alone, but in order to get this news out in a timely manner, below are just a few examples of content that can be found within the new additions:

  • Eugene, OR. The Eugene City Guard, from February 12, 1876 – April 21, 1900, “Established for the dissemination of Democratic principles, and to earn an honest living by the sweat of our brow:”
Advertisement clipped from The Eugene City Guard reads: "University of Oregon. Eugene. Next session begins on Monday, the 21st day of September, 1891. Tuition, free. Four courses: Classical, Scientific, Literary, and a short English course, in which there is no Latin, Greek, French or German. The English is pre-eminently a Business Course. For catalogue or other information, Address J.W. Johnson, President."
The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) August 15, 1891, Image 4. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn84022653/1891-08-15/ed-1/seq-4/
  • La Grande, OR. La Grande Evening Observer, from December 1, 1904 – December 13, 1911, daily newspaper covering eastern Oregon:
Clipping from the La Grande Evening Observer reads: "To make a newspaper requires many hands and several minds. Metropolitan papers can only be printed in large centers of population because of the enormous expense required. In towns the size of La Grande and other Eastern Oregon points the paper that first gives the telegraph news of the world and then confines itself to state and local news is bound to satisfy and please the people. But to do this requires an outlay of money and labor each week that few people realize. La Grande and Union and Wallowa counties are entitled to a good evening newspaper carrying telegraphic news, and that is what the Observer is today. We invite comparison with papers of other cities of this size with the full realization that no loyal La Grande man will be ashamed of the Observer."
La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) May 10, 1910, Image 1. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/2006260039/1910-05-10/ed-1/seq-1/
  • Portland, OR. The West Shore, from August 1, 1875 – March 28, 1891 and The Illustrated West Shore, from April 4, 1891 – May 2, 1891, Oregon’s first illustrated journal with roots as a booster magazine for the Pacific Northwest:
Image from The West Shore depicts a very detailed drawing of old city buildings and street, with people, horses, and carriages in the street. Caption reads, "Front Street, Portland, Looking South from Alder."
The west shore. (Portland, Or.) March 01, 1876, Image 1. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/2012260361/1876-03-01/ed-1/seq-1/
Image from the Illustrated West Shore depicts, in political cartoon fashion, Uncle Sam sleeping under a tree next to the Columbia River, with a stack of grain sacks nearby as if preparing for a flood. Three women standing in the river with shovels are indicated as representing Oregon and Washington. Caption reads: "Girls in chorus - There are no signs of his waking up. We'll have to do this ourselves."
The illustrated west shore. (Portland, Or.) April 25, 1891, Image 1. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/2012260365/1891-04-25/ed-1/seq-1/

Stay tuned for more announcements and updates to come! Happy Fall, and Happy searching!

New Additions from Oregon City
Posted on by srabun@uoregon.edu

In partnership with the Oregon City Public Library, with funding from a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Oregon State Library, more historic newspaper content from Oregon City is now available on Historic Oregon Newspapers. The new additions are:

The Oregon Argus (April 21, 1855 – Oct. 26, 1863)

Oregon City Courier (Nov. 23, 1883 and June 13, 1884)

Oregon Courier (Jan. 31, 1890 – July 3, 1896)

Oregon City Enterprise (Now available from Feb. 24, 1893 – July 13, 1917)

Oregon City Courier (July 10, 1896 – Oct. 8, 1897)

Oregon City Press (Feb. 9, 1898 – April 26, 1899)

Clackamas County Record (Jan. 5, 1903 – July 30, 1903)

Oregon City Courier (July 29, 1904 – July 3, 1919)

Masthead from the Oregon Courier
Oregon courier. (Oregon City, Clackamas County, Or.) 188?-1896, November 03, 1893, Image 1. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn00063695/1893-11-03/ed-1/seq-1/

Other titles already available from Oregon City include:

Oregon Spectator (Feb. 5, 1846 – Feb. 10, 1855)

Oregon Free Press (April 15, 1848 – Nov. 25, 1848)

Oregon City Enterprise (Nov. 15, 1872 – Nov. 7, 1878)

Items in the news 100 years ago today in Oregon City:

Newspaper clipping reads: "Forest Fires Squelched - Rain puts an end to threatening fires about Oregon City. The steady rain all day Sunday quenched once and for all several forest fires that had started about Oregon City during the past two weeks, probably caused by carelessness on the part of slashers or campers. One fire out above the Clackamas Heights section had reached a rather alarming stage and had burned an area of several acres of valuable timber, when the welcome rains ended the conflagration. It is not thought that there will be any further trouble from forest fires from now on.
Oregon City courier. (Oregon City, Or.) 1902-1919, October 02, 1913, Image 1. http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn00063698/1913-10-02/ed-1/seq-1/
Advertisement from the Oregon City Courier announces special trains to the Oregon State Fair, for $1.50 roundtrip from Oregon City to Portland via the Southern Pacific railroad. John M. Scott, General Passenger Agent.
Oregon City courier. (Oregon City, Or.) 1902-1919, October 02, 1913, Page 6, Image 6.http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn00063698/1913-10-02/ed-1/seq-6/

Stay tuned for more updates on new additions to Historic Oregon Newspapers!

Over 92,000 pages added to Historic Oregon Newspapers online!
Posted on by srabun@uoregon.edu

Get ready for some serious keyword searching and browsing! Historic Oregon Newspapers online has just added over 92,000 pages of historic newspaper content from Ashland, Enterprise, Grants Pass, St. Helens, Pendleton, Portland, Salem, The Dalles, and Toledo! See links below for specific titles and date ranges, and use our Search page to quickly scan the content for names, places, and events of interest. Happy researching, and Happy 4th of July!

Independence Day
Bohemia nugget. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1899-1907, June 29, 1900, Image 6. http://tinyurl.com/l9j649c

Ashland, Oregon:

Ashland Tidings
Ashland tidings. (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, May 30, 1912, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/kcsygzh


Enterprise, Oregon:

NewsRecord
The News=record. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1907-1910, August 31, 1907, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/lvssdym
Wallowa Chieftain
Wallowa chieftain. (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, January 02, 1902, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/n8jcyls

Grants Pass, Oregon:

Rogue River Courier
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, September 27, 1900, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/lfeohe7

St. Helens, Oregon:

St. Helens Mist
St. Helens mist. (St. Helens, Or.) 1913-1933, June 19, 1914, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/pyvshvb

Pendleton, Oregon:

East Oregonian
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, Umatilla Co., Or.) 1888-current, March 01, 1888, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/mhoognz

Portland, Oregon:

Oregon Daily Journal
The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972, July 01, 1904, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/ky9ecny

Salem, Oregon:

Daily Capital Journal
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919, December 08, 1916, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/lxdxplw

The Dalles, Oregon:

The Daily Mountaineer
The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, February 20, 1864, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/l4apm8m

 

Toledo, Oregon:

Lincoln County Leader
Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, March 16, 1893, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/mql467q
New historic Oregon newspaper content now online at Chronicling America!
Posted on by srabun@uoregon.edu

Attention all historic Oregon newspaper lovers! The Library of Congress and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) have added hundreds of new Oregon newspaper issues to Chronicling America, the nation’s free, online, keyword-searchable historic newspaper database!

Ashland Tidings Salute Old Glory
Ashland tidings. (Ashland, Or.) July 04, 1912, Image 1. http://tinyurl.com/bqvxtfn

New content includes:

In addition to these Oregon titles, Chronicling America now has an additional 800,000 new newspaper pages from more than 130 new titles from across the country, including all new content from Indiana and North Dakota, as well as new content in French and Spanish from Arizona, Louisiana and New Mexico.
For more info, please see the NEH Announcement of New Release of Chronicling America.

Outside Perspectives on Oregon News
Posted on by srabun@uoregon.edu

Oregon’s history is not only accessible for searching and browsing through Oregon’s historic newspapers. Several newspapers from other states, available for keyword-searching online through the Library of Congress and National Endowment for the Humanities’ Chronicling America website, can yield a wealth of articles about Oregon. Below you’ll find a few examples of topics and articles that are available, with links arranged by newspaper “sections.”

A newspaper page from The San Francisco Call, March 25, 1900, featuring images of women from Oregon.
The San Francisco call. (San Francisco, Calif.) March 25, 1900, Image 12. http://tinyurl.com/7ghxvwf

Civics:

“How We Got Oregon” – A reporter from the Salt Lake Herald (UT) visits the Umatilla Indian Reservation in 1903, and is told a story from pioneer days

“Lewis & Clark Centennial” – Account of the 1905 Exposition in Portland, from the San Francisco Call (CA)

Advertisement for the Great Northern Railway, taken from The Appeal, a newspaper from Saint Paul, Minnesota, on April 29, 1905. Advertisement states: "Scenic suprises all the way to the Lewis and Clark Exposition in Portland, Oregon, if you travel via the Great Northern Railway, the comfortable way, the height of travel and comfort afforded by two through transcontinental trains daily. Tourist sleepers, palace sleepers, buffet library cars, dining cars, a trip acorss the mountains by daylight.
The appeal. (Saint Paul, Minn.) April 29, 1905, Minnesota Law Supplement, Page 24, Image 29. http://tinyurl.com/7cnw2mk

Politics:

“Women’s Battle For The Ballot” – Story about the narrow defeat of Oregon’s proposed 1906 equal suffrage amendment, from the Washington Times (DC)

“Political Depravity In Oregon” – The Washington Herald (DC) details a land fraud scandal that was sullying Oregon politics in 1906

Business:

“Home Again From The Willamette” – 1893 account of business opportunities in Oregon, from the San Francisco Morning Call (CA)

“Dairy Production In The Pacific Northwest” – 1915 article from the Pullman Herald (WA) with in-depth analysis of agricultural economics in our region

Headline from Ranch and Range, a newspaper from Washington state, August 13, 1898, reads: "Agriculture in Oregon. Remarkable resources, present condition and future developement, stock to be pre-eminent. By Thos. Shaw, professor of the bureau of animal husbandry of the University of Minnesota."
Ranch and range. (North Yakima, Wash.) August 13, 1898, Image 4. http://tinyurl.com/82ryunr
Image of three cows in association with an article about agriculture in Oregon from Ranch and Range, a newspaper from North Yakima, Washington, August 13, 1898.
Ranch and range. (North Yakima, Wash.) August 13, 1898, Image 4. http://tinyurl.com/82ryunr

Weather:

“Oregon’s Two Climates” – From 1905, the Washington Times (DC) explains our prevailing weather patterns

Leisure & Lifestyles:

“Pendleton’s First Round-Up” – A long-running Oregon tradition begins in 1910, with the San Francisco Call (CA) reporting

 Sports:

“N.W. Conference To Remain” – 1915 item from the Pullman Herald (WA) recounts the beginning of the Pac-10 athletic conference

“Best Eleven Won” – The University of Oregon plays in its first Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day of 1917, as reported by the Evening Ledger of Philadelphia (PA)

Photograph from a football game between Oregon and Pennsylvania teams, published in the Evening Public Ledger of Philadephia, Pennsylvania on January 10, 1917. Caption reads: "At the new year football game - Huntington, of Oregon, starts around Penn's left end, aided by compact interference."
Evening public ledger. (Philadelphia, Pa.) January 10, 1917, Night Extra, Image 16. http://tinyurl.com/76npk5w
More Cultural Heritage Goes Online
Posted on by srabun@uoregon.edu

Although I am not supposed to use the term ‘archive’ for the results of our digitization project (microfilm remains the official archival medium of newspaper content) — the internet ‘archiving’ of cultural materials is a buzz-worthy topic in the news of late.

Especially with the recent launch of Google’s Art Project, there is a growing sense that the time for ambitious, full-scale digitization of cultural relics and resources has finally arrived. Technology is evolving to the point that the ‘library experience’ and the ‘museum experience’ can now be replicated with a high degree of sophistication in an online environment.

“Images are no longer just uploaded onto a website, but can be made stimulating and engaging,” observes Nicholas Serrota, director of the Tate Gallery in London.

'The Harvesters' by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Digitized by Google's Art Project.

Digitized newspapers and paintings are just the beginning: see The best online culture archives, Florence Waters’ recent Telegraph (UK) article with links to help you explore 15 of the top websites. You probably will be amazed by what is available–whether your interest is in art, poetry, film, history, textiles, or even spelunking!