Vlasta Becvar Barber oral history recording on the Agricultural Workers Health Association
The Washington County Museum in Hillsboro, Oregon holds a collection of over 400 oral histories containing diverse and compelling stories of immigration, land use, economic transition, war and politics that the county’s communities have experienced.
Some of the highlights include the Tualatin River Oral History Collection , a set of 24 oral histories that address land use, changing environmental laws, dam-building, and its impacts on the region. The High Tech Collection captures 14 oral histories of founders and significant leaders of Tektronix, Intel, Planar, and other world-renowned technology companies. The extensive Latino Oral History Collection includes the oral histories of members of the ten earliest Latino families to arrive in Washington County and the creation and ongoing development of a significant and vibrant community. And the Japanese-American Collection contains stories of the experiences of immigration, farming, war, and internment of Japanese-Americans in Washington County during the era of the Second World War.
The Washington County Museum exhibits and collects the region's heritage. Hosting educational programs, lectures and outreach, its archives are open to researchers.
Highlights from the collections are below.
You can also browse all the oral histories contributed by the Washington County Museum.
Latino Oral History Collection
An oral history of Julia Ramirez in which she discusses her migrant life as a child, citizenship, choosing to live in rural Cornelius, and her taco truck business
Oral history of Jose Jaime, including his experiences with the Valley Migrant League and the founding of Centro Cultural
An oral history of Carlos Perez, including his experiences of his family being migrant workers, getting a BA and MA in education in 1978, and working with the Hillsboro School District
Sister Ina Marie Nosack shares about her life and discusses the ways she and others sought to assist migrant families in Washington County.
History of High Tech in Washington County
C. Norman Winningstad on the development of key high-tech companies in Washington County, Oregon
John Kobbe on the Silicon Forest, Tektronix, and Oak Knoll Winery
Duane Kuhn on the Silicon Forest and Rodgers Instruments
Oral history of David Vernier and the creation of Vernier Systems.
Japanese-American Collection
Oral history of Arthur Iwasaki, including his family's farming history in Washington County; his experiences in World War Two and discrimination against Japanese people; and building a nursery business after the war.
George Tsugawa on the Japanese Community in Washington County
Oral history of sisters Aya Fuji and Taka Mizote on growing up in Washington County and their experiences leading up to, and living in, an internment camp during World War Two.
A group oral history interview on the Japanese Community in Washington County at an event for Nikkei at the Washington County Museum
Tualatin River Oral Histories
Oral history of Lucille Hagg, wife of Oscar Hagg and sister-in-law of Henry Hagg, after whom Henry Hagg Lake is named. Lucille speaks about dairy farming and the lobbying that Oscar and Henry did to advocate for the creation of the dam on Scoggins Creek and the Hagg Lake reservoir.
Oral history of Jack Smith on his early life and later efforts to clean up the Tualatin River
Oral history of Althea Pratt-Broome, on her work as a wetland conservation advocate as well as her experiences as a teacher and as owner of Tualatin's historic Sweek House
Oral history of Eldon Mills who discusses his work on water supply and waste water treatment in Washington County as Hillsboro City Manager