Our collections exist to be used. When students work directly with primary source materials, historic photographs, and documents that are old or unique, they discover an excitement and passion not generated by textbooks.
Primary source documents can inspire, but they also teach about learning to verify sources, tracking down connections, finding evidence from content and from physical clues.
Special Collections and University Archives collects in the topical area Northwest History and Culture, including materials in all formats that describe or reflect Northwest history and culture.
Published works on Northwest railroads are available in the Oregon Collection. Photographs of Northwest railroads are held in many collections in Rare Photographs including Lee Moorhouse, Angelus Studio, Bryce Disque, and Randall Mills.
Abilene & and Southern Railway Company, defendant.
West Coast Lumbermen's Association, complainant, vs. Abilene & Southern Railway Company. Interstate Commission docket no. 13211, 1923.
Bx 153
The complaint was against railroad rates charged for lumber shipments from Eastern Oregon. The files include correspondence, exhibits, testimony, briefs, and the decision. These are the files of A.S. Titus, tragic manager of the California White and Sugar Pine Manufacturers' Association.
Carkin, John H. , 1883-1971
Oregon public utility commission papers, 1889-1955.
Ax 600
Carkin was born in Bangor, Maine, and educated at the universities of Minnesota and North Dakota. He came to Oregon in 1908 and practiced law in Medford. From 1913-1929 he was a member of the state legislature and from 1929-1939 he was chairman of the State Tax Commission. He was counsel and supervisor of the Rail Transport Department, Oregon Public Utility Commission from 1944-1953.
Most of the papers consist of petitions, hearings, transcripts of testimony, and orders in ex parte increased freight rates and charges cases before the Interstate Commerce Commission, and of concern to the Pacific Northwest. There is also a file on class rate cases, and wool and mohair rate cases. For the period prior to the establishment of the Oregon Public Utility Commission (1907), there are briefs and other printed documents bearing in freight rates for grain.
Crosby, Alexander, 1906-1980. Finding aid
Papers, 1921-1980.
55 boxes
Coll. 13
Crosby was a newspaperman, 1929-1942; pamphlet writer and editor, 1942-1959; author of children's books, 1959-1980. The collection includes articles collected by Crosby on railroads, and a subject file on railroads.
Pierce, Walter M., 1861-1954.
Papers, 1888-1969.
87 boxes
Coll. 68
Pierce was a U.S. Congressman for Oregon's Second District from 1933-1943. Previously he served as Governor of Oregon from 1923-1927. Although Pierce was an active member of the Democratic Party, he was essentially a Populist by inclination. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal federal relief and regulatory programs, and an ardent proponent of public-owned and operated power facilities.
Transportation is one of the many subjects covered by the Pierce papers. Material on railroads is found in the subject/correspondence files, subject/issues files, and the clippings files. Most of this concerns long-short haul, 70-car limit, and labor.
[Identification of item], Date (if known), Collection Title, Collection Number, Box and Folder number [or photo ID number], Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.
Special Collections and University Archives is the primary repository for the University of Oregon’s archives, rare books, historic photographs, and one of the largest historical manuscripts collections in the Pacific Northwest. Our mission is to acquire, preserve, and make available a clearly defined set of primary sources and rare books, reflecting the written, visual, and audio history and culture of Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and selected aspects of American and world history. Our diverse collections support all types of research, from K–12 education to international scholarship. We strive to play an active and creative role in the teaching, research, and service missions of the University.
Historical Collection Strengths
1501 Kincaid Street
Eugene, OR 97403
P: 541-346-3053
F: 541-346-3485
