Digital Exhibits

Clarence Buffam oral history recording

An audio recording of an oral history of Clarence Buffam of his life in Beaverton, Oregon, recorded on October 28, 1982. Buffam came to Beaverton in 1941 and transferred from the Portland post office to the one in Beaverton in 1943. Eventually, he was promoted all the way to up to First Assistant Post Master and stayed there until he retired in June, 1970. Buffam was involved in the Boy Scouts, serving as scoutmaster for a couple years. He also volunteered for the fire department. Since he lived the closest to the department, he had the fire phone at his house. Buffam describes the drills and activities for training, who was hired, what the pay per fire was, and how the wellhouse was the most important thing to save in a fire. He remembers what Beaverton was like then and what his job at the post office entailed. Buffam states that the growth of the post office matches the growth of the town because the higher population demands greater postal services. The voices in the recording are clearly audible. Attached is a full transcript of the interview.

Buffam, Clarence

Beaverton Oral History Project

Washington County (Or.) -- History

Volunteer fire departments -- Oregon -- History

Beaverton Post Office (Beaverton, Or.)

Washington County (Or.)

Beaverton (Or.)

1 sound cassette (13 min.)

English

WCM_OH_236

In Copyright

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Five Oaks Museum

Tanzer, Shirley

Audiocassettes

Sound