T.J. Starker Papers, circa 1890-1996

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Starker, T. J. (Thurman James), 1890-1983.
Title
T.J. Starker Papers
Dates
circa 1890-1996 (inclusive)
1910-1983 (bulk)
Quantity
23.00 cubic feet, including 3262 photographs, (22 boxes, including 6 oversize boxes, and 4 map folders)
Collection Number
MSS Starker
Summary
The T.J. Starker Papers consist of materials generated and collected by alumnus, forestry professor, and timber businessman Thurman James (T.J.) Starker. This collection documents Starker's forestry instruction and research at Oregon State College, management of a diverse range of property holdings, involvement in community and professional organizations, family life, student experience, work with the United States Forest Service, and writings on various subjects. Among the materials included in this collection are correspondence, lecture notes, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, maps, photographs, research data, and scrapbooks.
Starker earned an undergraduate degree in forestry from Oregon Agricultural College in 1910 and returned to campus in 1922 to assume a faculty position in the School of Forestry. At OSC, Starker worked as an instructor and researcher until 1942, when he left to pursue his private forestry and nursery business fulltime. The company formed by Starker, Starker Forests, Inc., continues to operate today as a family-owned business. Starker died in 1983.
Repository
Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR
97331-4501
Telephone: 5417372075
Fax: 5417378674
scarc@oregonstate.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Thurman James (T.J.) Starker was born on July 14, 1890 in Grenola, Kansas and resided for most his childhood in Kansas and Iowa with his parents Otto and Mary and sister Caroline. Inspired by a visit to the Pacific Northwest in 1905, Otto moved the Starker family to Portland, Oregon in 1907. Within a year of their relocation, T.J. graduated from Portland High School, where he met fellow classmate Margaret Ostrander. T.J. and Margaret later married in 1914 after T.J. completed graduate work in forestry at the University of Michigan.

Starker's association with Oregon State University began with his enrollment as an undergraduate in 1908. He was among the first four graduates of the School of Forestry in 1910 with his senior thesis examining the costs associated with a logging operation in the Pacific Northwest. After pursuing further studies at the University of Michigan and working for the United States Forest Service in a variety of positions in Oregon (Portland and Sumpter), T.J. returned to Corvallis in 1922 to assume a post as a professor in the School of Forestry.

In his two-decade career with Oregon State University, Starker had a profound impact on the growth and professionalization of the forestry curriculum. In addition to teaching coursework in silviculture, wood identification, timber technology, and park forestry, Starker played a major role in promoting the study of forestry by coordinating the acquisition of lands that became the McDonald-Dunn Research Forests. These forests essentially served as Starker's second classroom where he brought students to study and identify trees. Starker's most enduring legacy at the McDonald-Dunn Research Forests was his establishment of the "post farm" research facility at Peavy Arboretum in 1928. This site, with dozens of wooden posts of different wood types planted into the ground, was designed to be a laboratory for the study of wood preservatives and decay. It still operates as a research site today.

In 1942, T.J. took a leave of absence from the School of Forestry to focus upon the management of his own private timberlands as a full-time business. Though he never returned to Oregon State University to teach, T.J. maintained close ties with the university community as a regular speaker and attendee at forestry alumni gatherings like the annual Fernhoppers' Banquet.

Margaret and T.J. Starker together raised two children: Bruce and Jean, who were born in 1918 and 1920, respectively. Both went on to attend Oregon State College with Bruce graduating with a forestry degree in 1940 and Jean receiving a degree in home economics in 1942. After three years in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II, Bruce returned to Corvallis and married Elizabeth (Betty) Margaret Bond in 1946. This union produced two sons, Bond (1947) and Barte (1950). Jean continued to reside in Oregon after graduation and worked for the Extension Service for several years before she married local mill manager Kermit Roth in 1948. Together Jean and Kermit had four children: Kenneth, Kreg, Kathy, and Kim.

As T.J. began to transition his livelihood from forestry instruction to the business of his forest holdings, he called upon Bruce to get involved in the daily management of his growing acreage of trees. This informal family business partnership, which began while Bruce was a student at Oregon State College, became legally official in 1971 with the establishment of Starker Forests, Inc. This incorporation listed Bruce, Betty Starker, Bond, and Barte as partners with T.J. in the management of the company. With T.J. opting for semi-retirement in 1968, Bruce essentially managed the daily operation of the business until his untimely death in a plane crash in 1975. Bond went on to serve as the company's managing partner and later as the president.

T.J. began to acquire the forest lands that would form the core of his forestry empire in the 1930s. His first purchases were cutover timber lands in the Coast Range and Mary's Peak areas that he replanted and had harvested decades later as second growth. While known primarily for his management of forest holdings, Starker also managed a number of residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial properties, mostly located in and around Corvallis. Starker was one of leading forces in real estate development in post-World War II Corvallis and Benton County. Among the Corvallis neighborhoods Starker had a hand in developing were the Cedarhurst Addition and Village Green area. Despite ambitious planning for a retirement community on the periphery of Corvallis, Starker's vision for West Hills Village was never realized.

During his 61 years as a resident of Corvallis, Starker actively pursued a life of community involvement through membership and board service in a variety of organizations. These groups included: the First Congregational Church, the Benton County Park Board, the Corvallis Lions Club, the Corvallis Park Board, the OSU Foundation, and the Good Samaritan Hospital. Among the most important legacies of Starker's community work resulted from his coordination of fund-raising projects which facilitated the purchase of land that was later developed as Avery Park and aided in the construction of the Good Samaritan Hospital. For his organizational service, Starker was recognized in 1952 as "The Benton County First Citizen" by the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce. In the forestry community, Starker was an active member of the Industrial Forestry Association and the Society of American Foresters. He also served on the Oregon State Board of Forestry from 1962 to 1970.

Margaret Starker was also active in community organizations. In addition to serving as secretary and president of the OSC Folk Club, Margaret was involved in the Women's Auxiliary of the Good Samaritan Hospital and in the Congregational Church.

By the time of T.J. Starker's passing in March 1983, Starker Forests, Inc. managed about 52,000 acres of forestlands in ten Oregon counties. The company's measured approach to forest cultivation and timber harvest has been recognized as a model of productive and sustainable forestry. In addition to the forestry company he formed, the legacy of T.J. Starker and his family is evident throughout Corvallis. The Bruce Starker Arts Park and Natural Area in Corvallis is one of the largest public gathering and recreation areas in the community and serves as a nod to T.J. Starker's history of municipal park development. The Starker Lecture Series, organized by the Oregon State University College of Forestry, brings speakers to Corvallis annually to present on topics relating to contemporary issues in forestry.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The T.J. Starker Papers consist of materials generated and collected by alumnus, forestry professor, and timber businessman Thurman James (T.J.) Starker. This collection documents Starker's forestry instruction and research at Oregon State College, management of a diverse range of property holdings, involvement in community and professional organizations, family life, student experience, work with the United States Forest Service, and writings on various subjects.

This collection is arranged into series that are organized by material type (e.g. correspondence) as well as the function of the record (e.g. instruction, property management). Subject matter detailed in these papers that may be of research interest include: Corvallis land use history, forest taxation, the management of forest lands by the Bureau of Land Management, and Victor Atiyeh's tenure as governor of Oregon.

Documentation of Starker's teaching career is reflected through a combination of lecture notes, course syllabi, student papers, photographs, and a variety of publications and clippings collected to serve as reference material. Forestry research is detailed in correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, research data, student papers, and annual progress reports on the studies at the Peavy Arboretum "post farm." Records relating to the management of timber lands and other properties include agreements, contracts, architectural drawings, maps, deed records, newspaper clippings, forest harvest permits, account notebooks, and tax assessment statements.

Starker's membership in governmental, forest industry, and community organizations are reflected in architectural drawings, budgetary statements, certificates, correspondence, maps, meeting minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and reports. Multiple generations of Starker family members are documented through photographs, scrapbooks, and correspondence about genealogical research. Materials relating to the family business, Starker Forests, Inc., also illustrate interaction between T.J., his son Bruce, and grandsons Bond and Barte.

Through letters to the editor regularly featured in the Corvallis Gazette-Times as "Readertorials" and short essays on local history, T. J. Starker left behind a rich record of writings that document his opinions on a range of subjects and personal connections to the region. These writings also reflect Starker's work in the School of Forestry penning articles on wood research and regular columns from "OTBE the Prof" featured in newsletters of the OSC Forestry Club. Starker's outreach to the student forestry community is also illustrated through transcripts from the KOAC radio program "Foresters on the Air."

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

T.J. Starker Papers (MSS Starker), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged into 18 series: 1. Correspondence, 1895-1983; 2. Biographical Materials, 1963-1986; 3. Instruction, 1923-1942; 4. Writings, 1923-1982; 5. Speeches and Radio Scripts, 1934-1979; 6. Organizational Involvement, 1926-1983; 7. Certificates, 1923-1982; 8. Property and Timber Management Files, 1919-1983; 9. Research Projects, 1925-1977; 10. Newspaper Clippings, 1900-1996; 11. Reference Materials; 1900-1981; 12. Starker Forests Inc. Records, 1939-1985; 13. Photographs, 1907-1983; 14. Student Work, 1910-1912; 15. Address Books, circa 1930-1983; 16. Scrapbooks, circa 1890-1983; 17. Drawings, 1950-1985; and 18. Artifacts, 1910-1981.

Acquisition Information

The bulk of this collection was received in 2017 from Bond Starker and Anna Starker May. Earlier transfers into this collection, primarily of newspaper clippings, correspondence and writings, were received by the former OSU University Archives from T.J. Starker himself in numerous accessions between 1979 and 1982.

Related Materials

Other collections that document T.J. Starker and his association with OSU include: the College of Forestry Records (RG 139); Contract Administration Records (RG 212); Engineering Experiment Station Records (RG 100); News and Communication Services (RG 203); President's Office Records (RG 013); Alumni Association Records (RG 035); and the OSU Memorabilia Collection (MSS MC). Starker's undergraduate thesis for his forestry degree is part of the School of Forestry Senior Forestry Papers (RG 299) and is available online here.

Transcripts and a recording from two oral history interviews with Starker, in 1975 and 1978 respectively, are featured in the Oregon Pioneers Oral History Collection (OH 001) and the Horner Museum Oral History Collection (OH 010). Oral history recordings in the Royal G. Jackson Papers (MSS JacksonR) contain stories from forestry alumni about Starker as a professor. Oral history interviews with Jean Starker Roth and Bond Starker are featured in the OSU Sesquicentennial Oral History Collection (OH 026) and the OSU Alumni Oral History Collection (OH 013).

Photographs of Starker can be found in the following collections: Harriet's Photograph Collection; the College of Forestry Photograph Collection (P 061); the Gwil Evans Photographic Collection (P 082); Faculty and Staff Photograph Collection (P 046); Alumni Relations Photographs (P 017); Oregon Stater Photographs (P 195); and the Robert W. Henderson Photographic Slides Collection (P 098).

Video footage of Barte Starker appearing in a production about the Fender's Blue Butterfly is available in the College of Forestry Moving Images (FV 061). Barte is also referenced in the Liz VanLeeuwen Spotted Owl Collection (MSS VanLeeuwen).

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1:  Correspondence, 1895-1983Return to Top

Series 1 consists of correspondence reflecting T.J. Starker's exchanges with a variety of people regarding land purchases, taxation of his timber holdings, information on noteworthy trees, legislation, Starker family history, environmental protection measures, responses to local newspaper stories/editorials, field trips to Starker forest lands, and Corvallis land use planning. These materials reflect Starker's interaction with other foresters, the Bureau of Land Management, School of Forestry staff, political representatives such as Oregon Governor Tom McCall, and Starker/Ostrander family members. In addition to correspondence, this series includes greeting cards, legislative bills, meeting minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, maps, photographs, and reports. There are a total of 75 photographs (74 prints and 1 negative) in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1.1
Alsea Mountain Timber Cut and Highway Planning
 1953-1963
8.1
Alsea Mountain Timber Cut and Highway Planning
 1959
1.2
Bapst, Margaret
Includes 6 photographic prints.
1948-1950
1.3
Benton County Foundation
 1966-1978
1.4
Big Tree Champs
References to notably large trees of different species. Among the correspondents is Oliver Matthews. Includes 3 photographic prints.
1941-1975
1.5
Bureau of Land Management - General
 1944-1969
1.6 - 1.8
Bureau of Land Management - Land and Timber Sales
3 folders
1945-1980
8.2
Bureau of Land Management - Land and Timber Sales/Exchanges
 1948-1969
1.9 - 1.10
Bureau of Land Management - Oregon and California Railroad (O&C) Lands Right of Way
2 folders
1945-1970
8.3
Bureau of Land Management - Oregon and California Railroad (O&C) Lands Right of Way
 1949-1964
1.11
Bureau of Land Management - Road Taxation
 1961-1964
8.4
Bureau of Land Management - Road Taxation
 1962-1963
1.12
Bureau of Land Management - Timber Trespass
 1946-1966
1.13
Burwell, Dave
 1962-1979
1.14
Columbia County Land Queries
 1937-1949
8.5
Columbia County Land Queries
 1944-1945
1.15
Corvallis Community Cannery
 1960-1961
1.16
Corvallis Depot Project
Preservation of the Corvallis railroad depot station. Includes 2 prints.
1979
1.17
Corvallis First Street Bypass
 1975-1980
1.18 - 1.19
Corvallis Land Use Planning and Annexation
Includes city planning reports.
1945-1951; 1974-1978
22.1
Corvallis Land Use Planning and Annexation
 1949-1952
1.20
Corvallis Lions' Club
 1933-1977
1.21
Ecology
Includes 4 prints.
1971-1972
1.22
Eucalyptus Growth in Oregon
 1949-1957
1.23
Family History Research
Mostly letters between T.J. and Paul Boies on Starker family history. Includes 3 prints.
1932-1981
8.6
Family History Research
 1942-1982
21.1
Family History Research
 1895-1975
1.24 - 1.25
Famous Oregon Trees
2 folders. Includes 38 prints.
1935-1941
1.26
Farmers' Cooperatives
 1950-1976
1.27
Field Trips
Includes a report by Ken Roth (for a Forestry 433 class) detailing his experience on a 1970 field trip led by Starker of Starker Forests Inc. property.
1967-1980
1.28 -1.30
General
3 folders. Includes 4 prints.
1914-1959
2.1 - 2.7
General
7 folders. Includes 3 prints.
1960-1983
8.7
General
 1960-1981
2.8
General
 undated
2.9
The Great Tree Race
 1975-1977
2.10
Hagenstein, Bill
 1958-1980
8.8
Herd Law
 1956-1976
2.11
Horner Museum
 1974-1980
2.12 - 2.15
Land Purchases and Sales
4 folders.
1935-1976
8.9
Land Purchases and Sales
 1944-1951
21.2
Land Purchases and Sales
 1944
2.16
Log Scaling Bureaus-Congressional Report
 1966
2.17
Margaret O. Starker Memorial Scholarship
 1982
2.18
Marys River Basin Study
 1974
2.19
Mason, Earl
Dean of the Forestry School.
1941-1942
2.20
Munger, Thornton
Includes 5 prints and 1 negative.
1957-1959
2.21
Oregon State College School of Forestry
 1923-1941
2.22
Oregon State University Foundation
 1949-1978
2.23
Ostrander, Earl
Margaret Starker's brother.
1963-1964
8.10
Ostrander, Edward
Settlement of the estate of Margaret Starker's father, Edward Ostrander. Includes stock certificates.
1937-1958
2.24
Polk County Fire Patrol Association
 1939-1947
2.25
Rock Quarry Geology
An analysis of the geology of a rock quarry owned by Starker near Marys Peak by OSU professor William Taubeneck.
1978
2.26
Slash and Field Burning
 1975-1977
2.27
Starker, Bruce
 1941-1956
2.28
Starker Family Christmas Cards
 1960-1963
2.29
Starker, Margaret
 1948-1964
2.30
Tallest/Largest/Oldest Trees
Includes 6 prints.
1932-1938
2.31
Tax Appeals
 1967-1975
8.11
Tax Appeals
 1965-1975
2.32
Taxes - General
 1967-1979
2.33 - 2.34
Taxes - Land and Timber
2 folders. Includes minutes from Society of American Foresters (Willamette Chapter) Forest Taxation Committee.
1932-1955
3.1 - 3.6
Taxes - Land and Timber
6 folders. Letters reflect Starker's exchange about various Oregon State Legislature forest yield fee bills and appeals brought before the Oregon Tax Commission. Includes articles and editorials by Starker on forest taxation and meeting minutes from the Oregon Legislative Tax Study Committee.
1956-1981
8.12
Taxes - Land and Timber
 1951-1977
3.7
Thank You Letters and Birthday Greetings
 1965-1983
3.8
Tillamook Burn
 1966
3.9
Tree Snags and Birdhouses
 1975-1976
3.10
United States Forest Service Employment
 1918-1935
3.11
United States National Bank
 1948-1969
3.12
Wedding and Funeral Announcements
 1979-1980
3.13
Willamette River Greenway
 1976
3.14
Wood Fuel
 1976-1978

Series 2:  Biographical Materials, 1963-1986Return to Top

Series 2 documents the work by Starker family members after T.J.'s passing in 1983 to compile details for an official published biography of T.J. Starker's life. These materials also reflect the efforts to inventory, organize, and preserve Starker's records and personal papers. Some of the outlines and resumes in this series were written by T.J. Starker himself. There are also items that reflect T.J.'s memorial service that consist of a guestbook and sympathy cards.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3.15
Biographical Outlines and Resumes
 1963-1986
3.16
Guestbook For T.J. Starker's Memorial Service
 1983
19.8
Index of T.J. Starker's Files
An inventory of files collected and maintained by T.J. Starker. The entries are listed in alphanumeric order and contain information on the file titles, subject matter, date, format, and creator/origin of the contents. The index was compiled after Starker's passing in 1983. The compiler is unidentified.
circa 1985
3.17 - 3.19
Sympathy Letters and Cards
3 folders. Includes a personal funeral preference statement completed by T.J. in 1967.
1983
3.20
T.J. Starker History and Archives Project
 1984-1986

Series 3:  Instruction, 1923-1942Return to Top

Series 3 contains materials that document Starker's instruction of coursework as a professor with the Oregon State College School of Forestry. Organized by course title, these files include class handouts, correspondence, lecture notes, newspaper clippings, photographs, student papers, and syllabi. Among the publications in this series is a manual written by Starker for his "Tree Identification" course. There are a total of 8 photographic prints in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3.21
Commercial Woods (F 334)
 1922-1925
3.22
Curriculum Development
Contains a proposal for a program in technical forestry and course syllabi.
1942
3.23 - 3.24
Dendrology (F 353)
2 folders.
1923-1942
3.25 - 3.26
Forest Management
2 folders.
1928-1935
17.1
Forest Management
Includes student papers outlining management plans for the "McDonald Demonstration Forest."
1926-1935
3.27
Forest Mensuration (F 221-223)
 1930-1931
4.1 - 4.2
General Forestry (F 111)
2 folders
1934-1938
4.3
General Forestry (F 417-418)
 1932-1934
4.4
Lumber Seasoning (LM 496)
Includes 3 photos.
1929
4.5
Non-OSC Course Materials
 1919-1939
4.6
Park Forestry
Includes 2 photos.
1940-1942
8.13
Park Forestry
 1940
4.7
Regional Forestry (F 418)
 1939
4.8 - 4.9
Seminar Classes (F 407)
2 folders.
1932-1941
4.10 - 4.14
Silviculture (F 341 - 342)
5 folders.
1925-1940
8.14
Silviculture
 1925-1937
22.2
Silviculture
Mechanical drawing of a root pruner developed for use at the Wind River Nursery.
1924
4.15
Timber Technology (F 432)
 1925-1930
4.16 - 4.19
Tree Identification (F 153)
4 folders. Includes 2 photos.
1925-1942
4.20 - 4.22
Wood Identification (F 331)
3 folders. Includes 1 photo.
1924-1942
5.1
Wood Identification (F 331)
 1924-1939
17.2
Wood Identification (F 331)
 1925-1931
5.2 - 5.4
Wood Utilization (F 332)
2 folders.
1923-1936
19.1
Wood Utilization (F 332)
 1925-1928

Series 4:  Writings, 1923-1982Return to Top

Series 4 is made up of a combination of articles, newsletter columns, essays, book reviews, poems, and letters to the editor written by Starker about a variety of topics ranging from forestry research to local organizations. Roughly half of these writings were published in the Corvallis Gazette-Times as "readertorials." Starker penned these readertorials as responses to local issues and other editorials. This series also contains correspondence, manuscript drafts, notes, newspaper clippings, and photographs. There are a total of 10 photographic prints in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
5.4
Anecdotes and Word Games
 1966-1979
5.5
Avery Park
 1974-1979
5.6
Axioms and Rules of Thumb
Includes 3 prints.
1950-1981
5.7
Beaver
 1978
5.8
Book Reviews
Starker's reviews of two forestry textbooks.
1930-1939
5.9 - 5.10
Cascara Tree Studies
2 folders. Includes 7 prints.
1926-1941
5.11
Clemens, Rex
 1976-1980
5.12
Community Involvement
Essays describing Starker's involvement in community organizations, his development of public parks, and service on various boards.
1973-1981
5.13
Corvallis Congregational Church
 1967-1980
5.14
Corvallis Lions' Club
 1935-1978
5.15
Farm Woodlots
 1927
5.16
Fire Control
 1934
5.17
Good Samaritan Hospital
 1979-1981
5.18
Land Use
 1932
5.19
Logging History in Benton County
 1937-1974
5.20
Marys Peak
 1976
5.21
McDonald-Dunn Forests
 1970-1979
5.22
Oregon State University School of Forestry
 1924-1981
5.23
"OTBE the Prof" Columns in OSC Forestry Club Newsletters
 1938-1939
8.15
"OTBE the Prof" Columns in OSC Forestry Club Newsletters
This file contains issues of the "Hi Lead" newsletter.
1937-1942
5.24
Poems by Starker and Others
 1930-1975
5.25
Preservation of Wood
 1933
5.26
Publication Lists
Lists of published articles by Starker.
1935
5.27 - 5.32
Readertorials
6 folders.
1933-1982
5.33
Starker Family Histories
 1970-1980
5.34
Starker Forests Inc.
 1960-1979
5.35
Student Years at Oregon Agricultural College and the University of Michigan
 1976-1982
5.36
T.J.'s Forest Practices and Policy Statements
Statements reflecting Starker's basic ideas about various components of forestry management, including the cutting of snags, logging road construction, weed control, pruning, and animal damage to trees.
1971-1981
5.37
U.S. Forest Service Experiences
Starker's recollections of his various experiences working for the U.S. Forest Service during summer breaks as a student and later on, as an instructor.
1956-1982
6.1
Various Corvallis Area History Topics
 1973-1980
6.2
Various Forestry Topics
 1922-1979
6.3
Whiteside, Charles
 1980

Series 5:  Speeches and Radio Scripts, 1934-1979Return to Top

Series 5 contains scripts and notes documenting speeches and radio talks delivered by Starker. Most of the radio scripts reflect Starker's regular features on the KOAC program "Foresters On the Air." This series also includes a transcript of an interview with Starker broadcast in 1966 as a part of Pacific Power and Light Company's "Stories of Pacific Powerland" series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
6.4 - 6.5
Radio Scripts
2 folders.
1934-1940
6.6 - 6.7
Speeches
2 folders.
1949-1979
6.8
Speeches By Others
Most of the speeches were delivered by W.D. Hagenstein of the Industrial Forestry Association.
1966-1970
6.9
Transcript of Radio Interview With Starker
 1966

Series 6:  Organizational Involvement, 1926-1983Return to Top

Series 6 documents Starker's involvement as a member of various community organizations, governmental boards, and professional associations. The organizations represented in this series illustrate Starker's range of interests from forestry policy management (Oregon State Board of Forestry and Industrial Forestry Association) and local municipal land use (Park Boards of Corvallis and Benton County), to his community church (First Congregational Church). In addition to meeting minutes, these materials include correspondence, budgetary statements, building specifications, maps, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and reports. A notebook reflecting Margaret Starker's participation in the Oregon State College Folk Club is also part of this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
6.10 - 6.12
Benton County Park Board
3 folders.
1957-1974
8.16
Benton County Park Board
 1960-1962
21.3
Benton County Park Board
 1958-1960
8.17
Committee On City Beautification
Corvallis Chamber of Commerce.
1930-1931
6.13
Corvallis Park Board
 1939-1953
8.18
Corvallis Park Board
 1939-1948
map-folder
1
Corvallis Park Board
Architectural drawings for the Corvallis Park Bridge (1940) and a camp stove design for Cape Arago State Park (1939). Both drawings were generated by the Oregon State Highway Commission. Two sheets.
1939-1940
Box/Folder
6.14 - 6.17
First Congregational Church
4 folders. First Congregational United Church of Christ, Corvallis.
1963-1983
8.19
First Congregational Church
 1963-1978
map-folder
2
First Congregational Church
Camp Adams site plan and vicinity map. Six sheets.
1968
Box/Folder
6.18
Good Samaritan Hospital
Starker served on the Board of Trustees.
1956-1981
6.19
Lincoln County Fire Patrol Association
 1951-1952
6.20 - 6.25
Industrial Forestry Association
6 folders. Starker served on the Committee on Forest Taxation.
1953-1981
21.4
Industrial Forestry Association
 1957-1958
7.1 - 7.17
Oregon State Board of Forestry
17 folders. Reflects Starker's participation on several committees managed by the Board: the State Forests Committee, the Legislative Committee, and the Emergency Fire Cost Committee.
1966-1972
8.20
Oregon State Board of Forestry
 1967
7.18
Oregon State College Folk Club
A notebook maintained by Margaret Starker reflecting her involvement as President and board member of the OSC Folk Club. Loose items found inside the notebook include: a publication reporting the Folk Club's activities for 1926/27, a clipping about the birth of Kenneth Roth, and an invitation to the wedding of Caroline Starker.
1926-1941
7.19
Oregon Timber Transport Operators
Includes 2 decals.
1951
7.20
Society of American Foresters
 1926-1956

Series 7:  Certificates, 1923-1982Return to Top

Series 7 is made up of certificates received by Starker by various organizations as a part of awards and recognition of service.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
7.21
Certificates
 1951-1982
19.2
Certificates
 1923-1981

Series 8:  Property and Timber Management Files, 1919-1983Return to Top

Series 8 documents T.J. Starker's management and development of property holdings that include timber lands, buildings, farms, residential lots, livestock, and agricultural products. Made up of account notebooks, agreements, architectural drawings, contracts, correspondence, forest harvest permits, land deeds, maps, newspaper clippings, photographs, and tax assessments, this series reflects a variety of transactions: land leases, timber cruises, lawsuits, deed transfers, property exchanges, purchases, tax appeals, and residential housing development.

Descriptions of property locations in these files with the terms "addition," "block," and "lot" are based on Corvallis and Philomath plat map designations. Other locations, identified by terms such as "section" and "township", are described according to the township and range system of mapping, which was used as a point of reference for donation land claim properties. There are a total of 17 photographic prints in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
8.21
Account Notebooks
 1919-1961
8.22 - 8.23
Airlie Farms
2 folders.
1948-1965
8.24
Alsea Mountain Property Fire Damage
 1964-1967
8.25
Anderson, Frank
 1951-1973
8.26
Avery Properties
 1969-1978
8.27
Ball, Whitney
 1958
8.28
Barlow, Dean
 1969-1971
8.29 - 8.30
Barnes Road Farm
Washington County, Oregon. 2 folders.
1920-1943
8.31
Beaver Cabinet Building
 1958-1966
8.32
Beaver Cabinet Works
 1937-1944
8.33
Beaver Electric Company
 1955
8.34
Benton County State Bank
 1936-1948
8.35
Benton-Linn Timber and Lumber Company
 1936
8.36
Berry Creek Farm
 1952-1959
8.37
Beusonic Heights
Washington County, Oregon.
1919-1925
8.38
Block 33 in Avery's Third Addition
Corvallis.
1957
8.39
Brandt, Ted
 1972-1979
8.40
Brown Farm
Polk County.
1949-1962
8.41
Burnap, Frank
 1938-1940
9.1
Cedar Creek Sale
Purchase of timber on City of Corvallis property.
1959-1975
9.2 - 9.3
Cedarhurst Addition
2 folders. A 16-acre parcel of land in Benton County (later incorporated into Corvallis) managed by Starker for residential development. The property, originally part of the F.A. Horning donation land claim, was bordered by Harrison Street to the North and 35th Street to the east. The Starkers resided in this area at 3664 NW Van Buren Street.
1928-1972
22.3
Cedarhurst Addition
 1959-1965
9.4
Charnholm, Harold
 1959-1977
9.5
Columbia County Harvest Permits
 1954-1971
9.6
Columbia County Properties
 1950-1972
map-folder
3
Columbia County Properties
Starker Forests road and setting map, Clatskanie (Or.). One sheet.
undated
Box/Folder
9.7
Columbia County Yield Tax
In addition to tax statements and correspondence, this file contains paperwork reporting the amount of timber harvested from classified reforestation lands in Columbia County.
1955-1964
9.8
Corvallis Riverside Property
 1952-1959
9.9
Corvallis Sand and Gravel Lots
 1951-1958
9.10
Country Club Heights
Corvallis.
1943-1962
9.11 - 9.12
Crossley-Crabtree Farm
2 folders. Linn County, Oregon.
1967-1976
21.5
Crossley-Crabtree Farm
 undated
9.13
Crown Zellerbach Corporation
 1959-1960
9.14 - 9.18
Crown Zellerbach Corporation-Land Trade
6 folders. An arrangement made between T.J Starker and Crown Zellerbach (CZ) to trade Starker-owned forest lands to CZ in exchange for CZ forest lands of similar value in 5 years. Part of this deal involved an automatic appreciation in the valuation of the Starkers' lands. This arrangement became a major tax case with the Internal Revenue Service when Starker didn't report any taxable gains. Upon receiving a tax bill by the IRS, Bruce Starker filed suit and ultimately the Starkers won. These files include legal documentation and newspaper clippings.
1967-1983
21.6
Crown Zellerbach Corporation-Land Trade
 undated
9.19
Digger Mountain Lumber Company
 1947-1956
9.20
Dog Face Lumber Company
 1947-1954
9.21
Donation Land Claim #42 - Section 6
Township 12 South, Range 5 West. Corvallis.
1947-1960
9.22
Donation Land Claim #49
Township 11 South, Range 5 West. Dixon's 2nd Addition. Corvallis.
1948-1965
9.23
Donation Land Claim #53
Township 11 South, Range 5 West. Corvallis. (Corner at 35th and Jackson Street)
1964
9.24
Donation Land Claim #63 - Section 30
Township 12 South, Range 5 West. Benton County.
1961-1977
9.25
Earl Galloway Logging Company
 1955-1962
9.26
Eberting Estate Buildings
Lots 10 and 11 on Block 6, Corvallis.
1943-1954
10.1
Ellis and Mann Lumber Company
 1939-1940
10.2
E.W. Heckart Appliance Company
 1934-1954
10.3
Farmhouse Fraternity
 1969-1978
10.4
First National Bank of Corvallis
 1939-1958
10.5
First Street Lots
Corvallis.
1940-1962
10.6
Forest Fire Lawsuit
Suit filed by Starker against Andy Gilmore for fire damage to 400 acres of Starker's forest property. Includes 5 prints.
1949-1951
10.7 - 10.8
George E. Miller Lumber Company
2 folders. Also documents Starker's interaction with the Cascadia Lumber Company.
1950-1963
22.4
George E. Miller - Cascadia Lumber Company
 1961-1962
10.9 - 10.11
Georgia Pacific Corporation Exchange Agreement
3 folders. These files detail an arrangement made between Starker and the Georgia Pacific Corporation for an exchange of forest lands similar to the deal Starker made with Crown Zellerbach Corporation described above.
1959-1964
10.12
Giesy, Wayne
 1956-1977
10.13
Gillaspie Building Fund
 1958
10.14
Goats
A brief business venture by Starker in the raising of goats for the sale of mohair. Tualatin Valley, Washington County, Oregon.
1921-1924
10.15
Great Western National Bank
 1968-1972
10.16
Horn-Harlan Tract
 1936-1937
10.17
Irrigation Equipment
 1956-1957
10.18
Kendall Pacific Inc.
 1963
10.19
Kiger and Pace
Fred Kiger and Sam Pace.
1938
10.20
King, Porter
 1944
10.21 - 10.22
Kline Building
2 folders. South Second Street, Corvallis.
1938-1960
10.23
Lawrence David Property
Linn County, Oregon.
1968
10.24
Leslie Phelps Property
Clackamas County, Oregon.
1956-1957
10.25
Lewis Farm
Polk County, Oregon. The property resided within Camp Adair and the documentation includes references to the wholesale selling of land within the camp starting in 1948.
1948-1957
10.26
Loans and Other Financial Transactions Between Starker Family Members
 1920-1943
10.27
Longview Fibre Company
 1955
10.28
Lot 2 in Block 1
Johnson's Addition, Corvallis.
1955-1959
10.29
Lots 2, 3, 4 in Block 4
Corvallis.
1933-1940
10.30
Lot 3 in Block 12
Corvallis.
1943-1949
10.31
Lot 9 in Block 2
Corvallis.
1939-1958
10.32
Lot 11 in Block 6
Corvallis.
1943-1944
10.33
Lot 103 in Block 27
Philomath.
1952-1953
10.34
Mar-Linn Timber Company
 1950
10.35
Monmouth-Independence Cooperative (MICO)
Contains references to Pacific Grains Inc.
1957-1981
10.36
Neuman, John
 1959-1973
11.1
Normarc, Inc.
 1979-1980
11.2
North Gate Shopping Center Property
9th and Beca Street, Corvallis.
1968-1974
11.3
North 9th Street Properties
Corvallis.
1944-1959
11.4
Oglesby, Ralph
 1953-1965
11.5 - 11.6
Onions
2 folders. Agricultural property near Wapato Lake, Yamhill County, Oregon.
1967-1976
22.5
Onions
Includes a copy of a 1899 plat map for the Wapato Lake Subdivision.
1966
11.7
Oregon State Board of Forestry Land Trade
 1954-1959
11.8
Oregon State College School of Forestry Land Trade
 1952
11.9
Oregon State Highway Commission
Legal suit brought by Starker over the compensation amount for property condemned in the construction of the Alsea Highway. Property resided in North Corvallis. Includes 9 prints.
1946-1967
22.6
Oregon State Highway Commission - Alsea Highway
 1953
17.3
Oregon State Highway Department Rock Quarry Sale
 1956
11.10
Pacific Fruit and Produce Company
The company leased a cold storage facility in Corvallis from Starker. Also details the spur rail line that Starker had built for the facility.
1945-1966
11.11 - 11.14
Pacific Grains Inc.
4 folders. Company leased grain storage warehouses in Rickreall, Oregon.
1955-1979
11.15 - 11.16
Peak Plywood Inc.
2 folders. Veneer plant between Corvallis and Philomath.
1954-1976
11.17
Pearl, Theodore
 1950
11.18
Philomath Building
The structure was located on Main Street between C and D Streets. Lot 103 on block 27.
1952-1955
11.19
Pierce Freight Lines Inc.
Warehouse in Corvallis. Includes 2 prints.
1951-1954
11.20
Piling Companies
 1948-1964
11.21
Pope, John B.
 1959-1967
11.22
Publishers Paper Company
Oregon City paper mill.
1969-1972
11.23
Recken Quarry Site
Benton County.
1956
11.24
Record of Taxes Paid on Property Sold in 1943
 1943
11.25
Redi-Built Products Inc.
Corvallis.
1949-1972
11.26
Rodgersdale Addition
Albany, Oregon.
1969
17.4
Rodgersdale Addition
 1969-1972
11.27
Rooney and Nicolaides
R.V. Rooney and E.K. Nicolaides.
1941-1950
11.28
Roth, Jean
T.J. Starker's daughter. Correspondence relating to Starker's transfer of properties to Jean.
1948-1951
11.29
Schrock Farms
Properties in Benton and Linn Counties, Oregon.
1959-1973
11.30
Section 2, Township 12 South, 5 West
Corvallis.
1939-1962
11.31
Section 11, Township 11 South, 6 West
Benton County.
1942-1967
11.32
SeRine, Alden
 1980
11.33
Sigma Pi Lots
Real estate transactions with Sigma Pi Fraternity. Lots 5, 6, 7, and 8 in Block 13, Corvallis.
1925-1952
11.34
Sjogren, Per
 1952-1979
22.7
Sjogren, Per
A map of the Queen's View Subdivision, Benton County.
1970
11.35
Soap Creek Farms
Benton County.
1948-1964
12.1
Southern Pacific Company
Transactions regarding the Derry and Suver station warehouse facilities. Related to the operation of Pacific Grains Inc.
1957-1975
21.7
Southern Pacific Company
Relating to property owned by Starker alongside the rail line at the Toledo Branch (MP 720.7).
1957
22.8
Southern Pacific Company - Derry and Suver Station Warehouses
 1972
12.2
Starr, Vernon
 1946-1951
12.3
Sulphur Springs Farm
Benton County.
1949-1962
12.4 - 12.5
Timber Assessments and Appeals
2 folders. Relates to Starker's interaction with the Oregon Tax Commission regarding assessments of his timber properties.
1958-1977
12.6
Timian, E.F.
Timian Construction Company. Relating to the development of the West Hills Terrace residential subdivision, Benton County.
1967-1981
12.7
United Products Company
 1950-1956
12.8
United States Forest Service - Land Trade
 1950-1957
12.9
United States Forest Service - Timber Sales
 1953-1960
12.10
Utilizer Machinery
Log processing machinery developed by the Crown Zellerbach Corporation to handle small trees (defined as 5" to 12" diameter).
1967-1972
12.11
Various Contracts and Leases
 1950-1975
12.12
Venell, Clarence
 1967-1973
12.13 - 12.19
Village Green
7 folders. A residential subdivision in Northern Corvallis (Benton County at the time of development) developed by the Harman Investment Corporation. Starker helped in financing the project and owned a number of lots in the subdivision. The boundaries of this area are Conifer Avenue to the West, the Southern Pacific Rail line to the East with Canterbury Circle forming the Northern edge, and Plymouth Circle/Sherwood Way forming the southern border. Includes 1 print.
1959-1978
map-folder
4
Village Green
Maps relating to the development of the Village Green residential area. Letters from the City of Corvallis to Starker regarding establishment of water and sewer services to the subdivision are attached to three of the maps.
1959-1971
Box/Folder
12.20
West Hills Terrace
A residential subdivision in Western Corvallis (along 43rd street) where Starker owned several lots.
1959-1982
22.9
West Hills Terrace
 1952
12.21 - 12.23
West Hills Village
3 folders. Starker's plan for the development of a residential retirement community. The area envisioned for this housing development was a 21-acre site in Corvallis along West Hills Road. Contains brochures and other reference materials about retirement communities throughout the western U.S.
1957-1960
12.24
Wicks Addition-Sections 2 and 11
 1942-1979
12.25
Wilson, Robert
 1957-1961
12.26
Wilt, Stanley
 1968-1980
12.27
Winney Brothers
 1936-1938
12.28
Winston, Harrison
 1946-1950
12.29
Wolfe, Norlin
 1948-1953
12.30
Woods Creek Rock Quarry
 1953-1965

Series 9:  Research Projects, 1925-1977Return to Top

Series 9 pertains to research projects conducted by Starker in his role as Professor for the School of Forestry. Made up of correspondence, Extension publications, newspaper clippings, photographs, progress reports, research data, and student papers, these materials primarily reflect studies of preservative treated wooden posts at the "post farm" at Peavy Arboretum. There are a total of 39 photographs (38 prints and 1 negative) in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
13.1
Black Locust Fertilizer Project
Includes 18 prints.
1933-1942
13.2 - 13.6
Post Farm Studies
5 folders. Contains 20 photographic prints and 1 negative.
1925-1977
13.7
Various Research Projects
 1925-1940

Series 10:  Newspaper Clippings, 1900-1996Return to Top

Series 10 consists of newspaper clippings and magazine articles collected by Starker that contain stories about Starker's involvement in community events, members of the Starker family, Oregon Governor Victor Atiyeh, Starker's association with the School of Forestry, the logging industry in the Pacific Northwest, tours of Starker Forests land, projects for wildlife preservation, and awards received by Starker. Among these clippings are a few editorials and articles written by Starker. Primarily drawn from the Corvallis Gazette-Times and The Oregonian newspapers, the clippings also include articles from OSU alumni magazines, journals, and organizational newsletters. Some of the clippings have letters and greeting cards attached to them.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
13.8
Atiyeh, Victor
Victor Atiyeh served as Oregon's Governor from 1979 to 1987. The clippings are primarily news stories relating to various actions by Atiyeh as governor as well as his opinions on federal government policies and Atiyeh's 1982 re-election campaign. Starker was a strong supporter of Atiyeh and this is reflected in materials found among the clippings such as letters to Atiyeh, re-election campaign fundraising literature, and an invitation to Atiyeh's gubernatorial inauguration ceremony reception in 1983.
1979-1983
13.9
Awards and Honors Received by Starker
 1952-1982
13.10 - 13.12
General
3 folders.
1934-1983
13.13
Jackson, Glenn
Glenn Jackson was a political fixture in state politics acting as a personal advisor for several Oregon governors and serving in a number of state agencies, including the Oregon Highway Commission. Never formally elected to office, Jackson graduated from OAC in 1925 and was involved on the boards of many OSU clubs and organizations. The clippings all date from the time of his death in 1980.
1980
13.14
Logging Industry
 1936-1982
13.15
Mount St. Helens
The clippings mostly pertain to the aftermath of Mount St. Helens' 1980 volcanic eruption and the debate that ensued over plans to harvest the downed timber from around the mountain. Starker's personal interest in St. Helens is reflected in an essay found with the clippings in which he wrote of his summer job there as a part of the U.S. Forest Service in 1923.
1978-1982
13.16
Starker Family Members
 1900-1996
13.17
Starker Forests Inc.
 1976-1982

Series 11:  Reference Materials, 1900-1981Return to Top

Series 11 is comprised of material collected by Starker for reference in his teaching of forestry classes and research. Among the published media in this series include article reprints, technical bulletins, newspaper clippings, product literature, and research reports. There are also notes, student papers, and correspondence between Starker and a variety of companies and researchers. There are 50 photographic prints in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
13.18
Cascara Tree
Includes 10 prints.
1922-1931
13.19 - 13.22
Civil Service Exam Questions
4 folders. Lists of civil service questions used by the U.S. Forest Service to recruit for positions within the agency.
1900-1941
13.23
Douglas Fir
Includes 1 print.
1919-1924
13.24
Famous Oregon Trees
 1935-1938
13.25
Fluoridation
Literature against the movement to add fluoride to municipal drinking water supplies.
1957-1960
19.3
Forest Land Management
A publication, "Good Stewardship of Our Forest As Practiced by Both Industry and the Federal Government" generated by the Coos Head Timber Company. The publication resembles a scrapbook that includes photographs (22 prints in all) and maps depicting the results of replanting on logged forest lands in Coos and Douglas Counties.
circa 1992
13.26
Forestry History - General
Article reprints, brochures, and reports relating to harvesting techniques, trends in yield management, and the overall outlook for North American forestry. These publications were primarily generated by forestry journals and various forestry associations.
1934-1978
14.1 - 14.3
Forestry History - Oregon
3 folders. Mostly made up of reports by the U.S. Forest Service and various forestry associations relating to forestry topics in Oregon, including: forest land ownership, forest laws, second growth management, and the general outlook of the state's forest products industry.
1913-1981
21.8
Forestry History - Oregon
Includes a map of Benton County logging railroad lines.
1938-1980
14.4
Fuel Values of Wood
 1910-1929
14.5
Glues
 1921-1929
14.6
Jokes and Anecdotes
 1922-1977
14.7 - 14.9
Lumber Mill Operations and Trade
3 folders.
1916-1930
21.9
Lumber Mill Operations and Trade
Includes a floor plan for the Willamette Valley Lumber Company (Dallas, Or.).
1929
22.1
Lumber Mill Operations and Trade
 1924-1958
14.10
Lumber Seasoning Technology
 1918-1926
21.10
Lumber Seasoning and Kiln Drying Technology
 1923-1929
14.11
Oregon Agricultural Research and Advisory Council
 1959
14.12
Oregon and California Railroad Grant Lands
 1946-1971
14.13
Oregon State University Campus History
 circa 1930-1978
14.14
Paper Manufacturing
 1922-1930
14.15
Plywood
 1937-1939
14.16
Population Growth
 1972
14.17
Redwoods
Includes 4 prints.
1916-1926
14.18
Reforestation
Includes 11 prints.
1971-1977
14.19
Siuslaw National Forest
 1939-1979
14.20
Southern Pines
 1926
14.21 - 14.23
Timber Growing and Logging Practice By Region
3 folders. Technical bulletins issued by the U.S. Forest Service describing slash disposal, timber cultivation, and logging methods by particular silvicultural region of the U.S. There are 14 bulletins in total.
1926-1932
14.24
Turpentine
Includes 7 prints.
1903-1932
14.25
United States Forest Service - Annual Reports
Annual Reports of the Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station.
1952-1956
14.26
United States Forest Service - Forest Management Handbook
 1928-1932
14.27
United States Forest Service - Maps and Surveys Handbook
 1924
14.28
United States Forest Service - Recreation Plans
A handbook for the management of recreational facilities on National Forest lands. Includes drawings with design specifications for structures such as signage, bridges, and buildings.
1936
15.1
Western Yellow Pine
 1923
15.2
White Pine
 1924
15.3
Wilderness Bills
 1962-1982
15.4
Willamette Basin Project
 1958
15.5
Wood Distillation and Byproducts
 1921-1929
15.6 - 15.9
Wood Preservation
4 folders. Includes 17 prints.
1913-1942
19.4
Wood Preservation
 1924-1930
21.11
Wood Preservation
 1920-1927
15.10
Wood Stoves
 1977-1980

Series 12:  Starker Forests, Inc. Records, 1939-1985Return to Top

Series 12 pertains to the management of Starker Forests, Inc. the business Starker formed in 1937 to manage his forest lands. Made up of a combination of agreements, correspondence, maps, photographs, reports, and research data, this series documents company operations such as timber sales and studies of forest practice. There are a total of 5 photographic prints in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
15.11
Fertilizer Studies
 1964-1971
12.31
Forms
Contract forms used to document the sale of timber on Starker forest properties. This folder also contains blank permit forms from the State of Oregon for new road construction, affidavit of timber removal, and the use of public water resources.
1951-1952
15.12
General
 1952-1980
12.32
General
 circa 1976
15.13
Hamar Lake Rehabilitation Project
 1969-1970
15.14
Invitation To Bid at Private Sale Announcements
Announcements issued by Starker Forests Inc.
1971-1980
15.15
Maps
Hand drawn maps of Starker Forest properties.
1958-1959
21.12
Maps
 1955-1956
15.16
North Marys River Properties
Includes 3 prints.
1939-1942
15.17
Partnership Agreement
Documentation relating to a partnership agreement drawn up for the management of Starker Forests Inc. Parties named in the agreement are: T.J. Starker, Bruce Starker, Elizabeth Bond Starker, Bruce Bond Starker, and Barte Starker.
1970-1971
15.18
Pruning and Thinning Douglas Fir
A pruning and thinning research project on Starker Forest lands on Marys Peak. Includes data and a photocopy of a book chapter referencing this activity. Includes 2 prints.
1937-1968
15.19
Radio Communications
 1972-1985
15.20
Stumpage Sale Records
 1946-1980
15.21
Sturdevant, Ed
Sturdevant Logging Company.
1956-1957

Series 13:  Photographs, 1907-1983Return to Top

Series 13 is made up of photographic images taken and collected by T.J. Starker that document Starker in portrait shots, Starker family members, Starker's involvement in community events, friends of the Starkers, examples of different tree types, wood research, and forestry management activities. Among these images include postcards collected and received by Starker. About one-third of the postcards contain messages, many of which came from Bruce Starker during his service in the U.S. Coast Guard. There are a total of 1357 photographs (1132 prints, 189 negatives, and 36 slides) in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
15.22
Bapst Family
Images of Bapst family members Jim, Margaret, Patrice, and Mark.
undated
15.23 - 15.24
Brazil Views from Bruce Starker
2 folders. Images taken and collected by Bruce Starker in Brazil during his service in the U.S. Coast Guard. Views include postcard prints of areas around Rio de Janeiro and shots of Bruce with shipmates and from the ocean.
1944
15.25
Cannery Building
Cannery Building, 9th Street, Corvallis.
undated
15.26
Cascara Tree
 undated
15.27
Chinese Lumber Operations
Includes a letter to Starker about being in the Chinese port city of Nanking in the aftermath of a bombing raid by the Japanese.
1938
15.28
Christmas Greeting Card Images
Greeting cards featuring images of T.J. Starker, Bruce, Barte, Bond, the Roth children, and various friends.
1965-1977
15.29
Damage To Trees
 1966-1978
15.30
Dunn Family
Images of the Dunn Family- Joyce, Howard, Terry, and Ashley.
undated
15.31
Eucalyptus Tree
 undated
15.32
Field Trips To Peavy Arboretum and Elsewhere
 1928
15.33
Fireproof Building
Two copies of a photographic print depicting Starker standing next to the ruins of a "fireproof" building that burned in 1932 somewhere in Pennsylvania. Images found in an envelope with a 1975 letter Starker sent to Val Gardner.
1932
15.34
First Christian Church
Starker was involved in the preservation of this church building, referred to as the "little brown church." Includes newspaper clippings.
1958-1968
15.35 - 15.36
General
2 folders.
circa 1910-1979
19.5
General
 1939
15.37
Images from a TV Feature About Starker
Shots of a TV screen airing a news feature about Starker televised on KOIN TV's  "Ray Summers at Large."
1981
15.38
Level of Growing Stock Plots-Starker Forests
 1971
15.39
Mexican Tree and Forestry Images
 undated
17.5
Mill Operations-Aerial Views
Aerial views of mill operations in the Corvallis/Philomath area, likely depicting the same general area during different years. Sites identified as: Peak Plywood, Larson Lumber Company, and Rex Clemens Mill. 5 prints.
1956
15.40
Noyes, Pat Harris
 1976
15.41
Oak Thinning
 1936
15.42
Oregon State University
 1910-1967
15.43
Oregon State University Centennial Parade-Starker Float
 1968
15.44
Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity House
 undated
15.45
Pine Trees-Different Species
 1934
15.46
Planting Machinery
Ray Strawn and Jimmy Lowe.
undated
15.47
Portrait Shots of T.J. Starker
 1907-1983
15.48
Postcard Views of College Campuses
These views document Oregon State College, Cornell University, Yale University, Pennsylvania State College, the University of Washington, and the University of Michigan.
circa 1935
15.49
Postcard Views-General
 undated
15.50
Postcard Views of Oregon and Washington
 1912-1976
16.1 - 16.3
Postcard Views of Places in the U.S. Outside of the Pacific Northwest
3 folders. Places represented in these views include: Alaska, New Orleans, Hawaii, New York City, California, and Minnesota.
1916-1979
16.4 - 16.5
Postcard Views of Places Outside the U.S.
2 folders. Places represented in these views include: Canada, England, Japan, Scotland, and Mexico.
circa 1935-1978
16.6
Slash Disposal
 1938
16.7
Starker Family
Along with featuring T.J. and Margaret Starker, these images also depict the Starker children Jean Starker Roth and Bruce, and their families (Kim, Kathy, Kreg, Kenneth, Betty, Bond and Barte).
1914-1976
16.8
Starker Forests Inc. Employees
Group shots identified as the "men of Starker Forests." The seven featured in the image include T.J., Bruce, Barte, Bond, and Gary Blanchard.
1967
16.9
Starker in Parades and Other Community Events
 1975-1980
16.01
Starker Residences
 1963-1981
16.11
Tree Research Study
Described as being a tree "race study".
1940
16.12
Weeping Willow Tree
Images of a large weeping willow and Starker with rounds of two cut trees. Photographs may have been featured in a story in the Gazette-Times newspaper.
1980
16.13
Whitman National Forest
These images document Starker's life in the U.S. Forest Service from 1912 to 1921 in Eastern Oregon.
undated
16.14
Wood Preservation and Beam Strength Research
 undated

Series 14:  Student Work, 1910-1912Return to Top

Series 14 consists of course notes, a certificate of completion, and a thesis reflecting Starker's student work at Oregon Agricultural College (now OSU) and the University of Michigan. Starker graduated with a bachelor's degree in forestry in 1910 and a master of science in forestry in 1912. He was in the first graduating class of the OAC School of Forestry. There are a total of 16 photographic prints in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
16.15
Certificate of Graduate Course Work Completion
A photocopy of a handwritten statement by Professor Filibert Roth certifying that T.J. Starker completed the two-year graduate course in forestry at the University of Michigan.
1912
16.16
Course Notes
 1910-1912
22.11
Survey Mapping Project
A large folio containing seven hand drawn renderings by Starker that illustrate different types of survey maps. Some of the maps depict locations on or close to the University of Michigan. One of the pages contains 16 photographic prints composed in an overlapping manner to reflect a landscape drawn graphically on the preceding page.
1911
16.17
Undergraduate Thesis
A photocopy of Starker's thesis for his bachelor's degree at Oregon Agricultural College: "A Thesis on the Methods and Cost of Logging as Carried on in the Northwest."
1910

Series 15:  Address Books, circa 1930-1975Return to Top

Series 15 is made up of two address books maintained by Starker that contain information on family members, friends, colleagues in forestry, and other contacts. In addition to street address information, the entries also contain details of the birth dates, spouse names, and anniversary dates of those listed.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
16.18
Address Books
 circa 1930-1975

Series 16:  Scrapbooks, circa 1890-1983Return to Top

Series 16 is made up of six scrapbooks containing items collected by T.J. Starker that document his childhood, college years, family life, U.S. Forest Service employment, work as a forestry professor, involvement in community events, management of his forest properties, and honors received by him. Primarily consisting of photographs, these scrapbooks also contain game programs, dance cards, letters, receipts, and newspaper clippings. Loose materials found inside the scrapbooks have been placed in folders that are stored in the same box as the scrapbooks. Among the six scrapbooks there are a total of 1685 photographs.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
17.6 - 17.8
Scrapbook 1
3 folders. Scrapbook 1 contains photographs depicting various members of the Starker family in portrait shots and in groups involved in family gatherings. The earliest images portray Otto and Molly Starker as well as T.J. and Caroline as children. Bruce Starker, Jean Starker Roth, and their families are also represented among the images. There are also views of the Ostrander family that include Margaret's sister Dorothy, her husband Leonard, and their children. Other photographs depict T.J. engaged in a variety of public activities such as awards ceremonies, parades, and the dedication of the Oregon 4-H Center swimming pool. Loose photographs and birth announcements (Barte Starker and Ken Roth) found in this scrapbook have been placed into a separate folder. There are a total of 367 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
circa 1890-1983
18.1 - 18.2
Scrapbook 2
2 folders. Scrapbook 2 contains photographs, dance cards, game programs, ticket stubs, messages from classmates, newspaper clippings, certificates, grade reports, and receipts documenting Starker's student experience at Oregon Agricultural College and the University of Michigan. These materials reflect Starker's attendance of college athletic and stage events, as well as his involvement in the Rocky Mountain Club at Michigan. There are also views of the two campuses, Starker's own dormitory room at OAC, and field trips taken for forestry classes. This scrapbook also contains images and letters pertaining to Starker's employment with the United States Forest Service in Eastern Oregon. There are a total of 307 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
1909-1917
16.19
Scrapbook 2 Guide
This guide contains descriptive caption information corresponding to the number and position of the photographs in Scrapbook 2, page by page. It also contains photocopied information from the back of postcards and photographs that are adhered to the pages.
circa 1985
19.6 - 19.7
Scrapbook 3
2 folders. Scrapbook 3 consists of photographs primarily reflecting Starker's work for the United States Forest Service in Eastern Oregon. The images depict logging operations, railroad construction, brush burning, and views of the towns of Sumpter and White Pine. Some of the photographs show Starker with Forest Service colleagues, local friends, and Margaret Starker. There are also views of Starker's residence in Sumpter and a group shot of the members of the OAC Forest Club. There are a total of 295 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
1912-1918
16.20
Scrapbook 3 Guide
This guide contains descriptive caption information corresponding to the number and position of the photographs in Scrapbook 3 page by page. It also contains photocopied information from the back of postcards and photographs that are adhered to the pages.
circa 1985
20.1- 20.3
Scrapbook 4
3 folders. Scrapbook 4 is made up of photographs relating to Starker's employment for the United States Forest Service in Eastern Oregon, his work as a forestry professor, and his student years at Oregon Agricultural College and the University of Michigan. About half of the photographs in this scrapbook relate to Starker's instruction and research work for Oregon State College and include shots of class field trips to logging sites, mills, and tree nurseries throughout Oregon. Other OSC related shots depict trees on research plots and seedling specimens. A series of views of a 1925 logging operation at Huckleberry Mountain (near Baker, Oregon) are attributed to Bruce Moreland. The only non-photographic item in the scrapbook is a piece of wooden veneer prepared for use in 1934 as currency for the town of Tenino, Washington. There are a total of 466 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
1910-1942
20.4 - 20.5
Scrapbook 5
2 folders. Scrapbook 5 contains photographs and newspaper clippings relating to forestry management that include views of mill operations, the use of trees as shatterbelts for agriculture, and tree nurseries/plantations. Some of the images were taken and collected by Starker in Pennsylvania during his sabbatical at Pennsylania State College in 1932. Photographs of Oregon forestry primarily reflect activity on Starker Forest' lands and depict research plots, logging operations, slash burning, tours led by Starker, and examples of animal damaged trees. Lumber mills referenced among these images include the Marys Peak Veneer Mill, the Rex Clemens Sawmill and Pond, and Peak Plywood. There are also shots of the development of Avery Park in Corvallis. Some of images in the scrapbook feature Bruce, Bond, and Barte Starker. There are a total of 246 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
1926-1975
16.21
Scrapbook 6: "A Citation for Pop"
Scrapbook 6 contains photographs, newspaper clippings, event programs, and a citation statement. Entitled "A Citation for Pop," this scrapbook documents Starker's receipt of a Distinguished Service Award by OSU at the 1971 commencement ceremony. The images depict T.J. and Jean Starker Roth during the day of the ceremony. There are four prints in total.
circa 1974

Series 17:  Drawings, 1950-1985Return to Top

Series 17 is made up of three sets of hand drawn renderings in pen and pencil that were collected by T.J. Starker.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
16.22
Starker Caricature
A caricature portrait of T.J. Starker drawn by one of his students. This image was turned into a stamp and an impression from it on a piece of mail is also included in this file.
1950
16.23
Totem Pole Design Sketches
 1969-1985
17.9
Totem Pole Design Sketches
 1969
16.24
Tree Root Studies
 undated

Series 18:  Artifacts, 1910-1981Return to Top

Series 18 is made up of artifacts and paper ephemera that document honors received by T.J. Starker, membership in various organizations, and signage for displays about tree growth. In addition to plaques, this series includes business cards, decals, display captions/signage, and ribbons.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
16.25
Decals
 undated
16.26
Display Captions and Signage
 1979
16.27
Membership and Business Cards
 1910-1980
16.28
Ribbons
Two ribbons presented to T.J. Starker at Triad Club events. Starker was one of the charter members of the club.
1956-1967
16.29
Tenant Rules Sign
A cardboard sign listing "Apartment Rules" for tenants. Date and creator unknown.
undated
box-item
16.1
Plaque: Tree Farmer of The Year
Presented by the Portland Chamber of Commerce and the Oregon Small Woodlands Association.
1975
16.2
Plaque: Benton County Tree Farmer of the Year
 1975
16.3
Plaque: Certificate of Recognition For Conscientious and Dedicated Community Service
Presented by the Modern Woodmen of America, Camp 6029.
1977
16.4
Plaque: Certificate of Appreciation For Community Activities
Presented by the Modern Woodmen of America, Camp 6029.
1977
16.5
Plaque: Park Board Member-Presented In Recognition of Dedication to the Citizens of Benton County and Their Parks
 1977
16.6
Plaque: Santiam Council-Trefoil Club
 1980
16.7
Plaque: Special Recognition of Service, Devotion and Dedication to the Citizens of Philomath and Benton County
Presented by Philomath Area Business and Civic Organizations.
1981
16.8
Plaque: Presented With Special Gratitude For Outstanding Service to the Oregon 4-H Foundation
Presented by the Oregon 4-H Foundation.
1981

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Forest management--Oregon.
  • Forestry schools and education--Oregon.
  • Forests and forestry--Oregon.
  • Forests and forestry--Taxation--Oregon.
  • Housing--Oregon--Corvallis.
  • Logging--Oregon.
  • Lumbering--Oregon.
  • Timber--Law and legislation--Oregon.
  • Timber--Oregon.
  • Urban parks--Oregon--Corvallis.

Personal Names

  • Atiyeh, Victor.
  • Starker, T. J. (Thurman James), 1890-1983.

Corporate Names

  • Oregon Agricultural College--Students.
  • Oregon State Board of Forestry
  • Oregon State College--Faculty.
  • Oregon State College. School of Forestry
  • Starker Forests, Inc.

Geographical Names

  • Corvallis (Or.)
  • Corvallis (Or.)--History.
  • Saint Helens, Mount (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Architectural drawings (visual works)
  • Drawings (visual works).
  • Film negatives.
  • Maps (documents)
  • Photographic prints.
  • Scrapbooks.

Finding Aid Authors: Karl McCreary.
2020

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