Photo Collection Finding Aid

Scope and Content

The Oregon Trail Chapter (OTC) of the American Red Cross Collection of photographs documents the public and administrative image of the chapter from 1864-1991. The photographs are divided into thirteen sections:

1. 1800s

2. 1900s

3. 1910s

4. 1920s

5. 1930s

6. 1940s

7. 1950s

8. 1960s

9. 1970s

10. 1980s

11. 1990s

12. Oversized

13. Undated

Because the photograph collection was originally received in a partly processed state, original order is not known and, therefore, is not preserved. Most photographs are in Mylar and acid-free paper sleeves, acid-free folders, and acid-free boxes. However, due to time restrictions, and the availability of archival material, not all photographs are sleeved and some are still in their original sleeves and/or photograph negative packets. Whenever possible, preservation work has been undertaken to ensure the longevity of the photographs. However much preservation work remains to be done including removing tape, rubber cement, glue, grease marks, paper clip indentations, and mounts from photographs. Some photographs are deteriorating, fading, torn, creased, and/or cut. Many photographs have captions attached with tape and/or rubber cement, or are printed on the back, and some photos have newspaper clippings and other notes attached on the back.

Boxes have been chronologically ordered by decade and folders by year within the decade (when possible), but not necessarily. Photographs within folders are not necessarily in chronological order. Boxes have been numbered correspondingly to the finding aid, as well as folders and item descriptions. All folder level descriptions have been written on the folder in pencil, but only some item descriptions have been written on the folder. Writing all item descriptions on folders remains to be done. Many photographs are reprints of the originals, and when possible, an original date has been researched and recorded. The photograph collection also includes many duplicate and triplicate prints.

Whenever possible, the people, events, locations, and dates have been listed in the folder and item level description. However, many photographs have unidentified people, events, locations, and unknown dates. Due to time and staff restrictions, some undated photographs have been dated using information within the photograph, but many photographs remain to be dated in this manner.

A prior numbering/labeling system is retained as [#] in the item description for user reference to a previous finding aid. A parenthesis, ( ), denote important information within an item level description. When appropriate, American Red Cross is abbreviated as ARC, and Oregon Trail Chapter as OTC. Because many people worked on this collection, formatting in the finding aid may not be exactly the same for each folder and item level description. The following format for the item description is generally followed:

[previous ordering #] Date/Estimated Date Description of photograph

Much of the collection includes photographs of natural disasters such as flooding, tornadoes, earthquakes, public relations, window displays, American Red Cross workers in the field, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Junior Red Cross activities, disaster and war victims, diseased and ill patients, refugees, medical services, arts and skills, Red Cross personnel, including national and local directors, office staff, nurses, and volunteers, blood donation drives and blood donors, blood processing, and blood distribution, Red Cross events such as dedication, pin, certificate, and award ceremonies, parades and parade floats.

1800s – 1864 -1896: Includes photographs of Henri Dunant, a Swiss businessman and philanthropist, Red Cross relief in Russian, Jane V. Doyle’s graduate photo from Philadelphia Orthopedic Hospital, and a portrait of American Red Cross Clara Barton.

1900s – 1900-1909: Includes a photograph of Mrs. May S. Loomis of Eugene, Oregon

1910s – 1910-1919: Includes photographs of American Red Cross vehicles, Red Cross volunteers, World War I Red Cross workers in the field, Red Cross canteens in Germany, Red Cross in France, Romania, and Russia, and World War I refugees

1920s – 1920-1929: Includes photographs of women sewing, Red Cross volunteers, and earthquake relief in California

1930s – 1930-1939: Includes photographs of the “Great Fire” in Bandon, Oregon, Red Cross parade floats, Red Cross window displays, and Red Cross nurses

1940s – 1940-1949: Includes photographs of the “Thursday Girls,” Swan Island, arts and skills, blood services, various disasters, General George Marshall, WWII Servicemen, Red Cross vehicles and buildings, a parking lot, refugees of the Vanport flood, Vanport flood volunteers, President Truman visit to Portland, Red Cross campaign banquet, Portland’s Red Cross Regional Blood Center dedication, Junior Red Cross, Red Cross Nurses, “Out in the Woods,” Gray Ladies, public relations displays, WWII volunteer services, staff assistants, ladies luncheon, and Red Cross general volunteers

1950s – 1950-1959: Includes photographs of the Red Cross in Korea, Portland Housing Authority, Idaho State Mental Hospital, Red Cross Christmas stockings, Monterey, Arkansas flood, Reno, Nevada flood, Red Cross blood drives, Red Cross volunteers at the Portland Air Base, Columbia Pictures Corporation movie shots, Judsonia, Arkansas tornado, Red Cross blood displays, events at Reynolds Metal, Island of Cephalonia, Greece earthquake, Pacific Area Council of Junior Red Cross members, Winsted, Connecticut flood, Scranton, Pennsylvania flood, Yuba City, California winter storm, the sinking of the SS Andrea Doria, a Hungarian refugee relief camp, Mount Tabor Presbyterian Church canteen, Howard D. Hoops in Taipei, Formosa, Red Cross in Hong Kong, Kiwanis Mount Hood Children’s Camp, Roseburg, Oregon explosion, ARC classes, Gray Ladies, office workers, Red Cross Motor Corps, ARC disaster services, arts and skills, ARC directors and administrators, awards and pin ceremonies, group photos, ARC national meetings, blood services, blood donors, Frances Chiossi, cooking and kitchen activities, Lila Shea, ARC in Tokyo, Japan, ARC nurses, Junior Red Cross, Bannes Hospital, bandage making, Dixie McCulloch, Lane Cousart, open heart surgery, Fort Lewis, Washington, Jane Doyle, and photograph negatives

1960s – 1960-1969: Includes photographs of eyeglass collections for Chilean earthquake victims, first aid, award presentation, consolidation of ARC chapters, hurricane Carla, blood programs and donations, Strawberry Camp flood, Columbus Day storm, ARC nurses, Clara Banks, caring for patients, water safety, Corbett Street chapter building, ARC volunteers at work and sewing, Sharon Hampton, hurricane Dora, ARC high school classes, Vietnam flooding, Paradise Park flooding, Operation Easter Basket, Youth Council banquet, Junior Red Cross activities, Vietnam War Induction Center, hurricane Betsy, ditty bag project, Red Cross staff, food, gifts, and supplies, posters, displays, exhibits, meetings, conferences, leadership training, capping, recognition and awards ceremonies, military families, hurricane Cannile, and photographic negatives

1970s – 1970-1979: Includes many negatives and small prints of blood drives, Red Cross providing hurricane assistance, birthday parties, awards and pin ceremonies, retirement ceremony, Red Cross displays, OTC dogs, OTC volunteers, staff picnics, safety classes, open houses, Rose Festival, blood center staff, Red Cross annual meetings, Red Cross nurses, banquets, the Goose Hollow fire, hurricane Celia, Los Angeles, California earthquake, Ted Kennedy, hurricane Agnes, prisoners of war, 25 th anniversary OTC blood program, unknown events, Lubbock, Texas tornado, flood relief in Rapid City, South Dakota, Buffalo Creek flood, West Virginia, Peru earthquake, blood donation process, Clara Barton house, General Collins Portland visit, youth services summer camp, Red Cross general volunteers, Guam typhoon, Pakistan cyclone and tidal wave, unknown disasters, “Safe Ways for Summer Days,” Junior Red Cross, Red Cross nurses, hurricane Fifi, and a Nicaraguan earthquake

1980s – 1980-1989: Includes photographs of Red Cross uniforms on display, “1920s Boardwalk Fun Day,” Gertrude Peters, Blood Park Assignment station, ARC fashion show, OTC headquarters, and Christmas celebrations

1990s – 1990-1991: Includes photographs of the Multnomah Falls fire response

Oversized: Includes framed photographs of chairmen, motor corps, and a panoramic photograph of Portland Red Cross workers