Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Arthur McArthur Research Files, 1880-2013
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- McArthur, Arthur
- Title
- Arthur McArthur Research Files
- Dates
- 1880-2013 (inclusive)18802013
- Quantity
- 2.6 cubic feet, (8 document cases)
- Collection Number
- Coll 376
- Summary
- Arthur McArthur's research files on the development of the Green Hills neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, from 1911 to 2006, and the draft of his history of the neighborhood and families residing there.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Arthur McArthur (1923-2007) grew up in the Green Hills neighborhood in Portland in a house designed by architect Wade Pipes and built for his father, Lewis A. “Tam” McArthur, and mother, Mary Lawrence “Polly” Hewett, in 1922-1923. The family also included Arthur’s brother Lewis L. and his sisters Mary (Bennett) and Harriet (Ashbridge). Polly died in 1943; Tam moved out of the house in 1949.
Arthur received his education at the University of Oregon and worked for many years in public relations for Jantzen. He came by his knowledge and love of history naturally. His father and brother, in turn, edited the monumental compendium, Oregon Geographic Names.
Green Hills (also known as Greenhills) was platted in 1911 by R.S. Greenleaf, who surveyed Henry Hewett’s property at the suggestion of John C. Olmsted, whom Hewett had asked to develop a plan for his land. The subdivision consisted of property owned by Henry Hewett and his wife Susan, Susan’s sister Mary H. Couch, Walter J. and Mary Carolyn Wilson Burns, William A. and Mary F. Burdick, John and Sybil Bain, and the Labbe brothers, Antoine, Blaise, and John. Early houses included those occupied by the Hewetts, Bains, Isabelle and William H. Warrens, the Labbe brothers, and Keats and Terrys.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of Arthur McArthur's research files on the development of the Green Hills neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, from 1911 to 2006, and includes notes, clippings, correspondence, photographs, maps, and photocopies of legal documents, as well as drafts of his history of Green Hills. The files contain information about principal landowners, including R.S. Greenleaf, Walter J. Burns, S.D. Vincent, John Bain, and Mary H. Couch, as well as subsequent developers and occupants of the subdivision. The McArthur, MacVeagh, Labbe, Rawson, Jewett, Warrens and other families are also highlighted. Materials from Virginia MacVeagh and Evelyn MacVeagh Bachman add to the neighborhood history.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Electronic files for Arthur McArthur's Green Hills work files, lots files, and history masters are on CDs. Access to electronic master files is restricted.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright holders.
Preferred Citation
Arthur McArthur Collection, Coll 376, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series:
- Series A: General materials
- Series B: Photographs
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series A: General materials, 1911-2013Return to Top
Many of these files also contain photocopies of land documents and other records that date from circa 1911-2006. Dates for these documents are not specified in the finding aid.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/0 | CDs (3) - Green Hills documents
(work files, lots files, master history)
Use of electronic master files is restricted - please ask
staff.
|
2013 April 20 |
| 1/1 | Clippings |
1997; 2004; undated |
| 1/2 | Council Crest - clippings and
notes |
1949-1999; undated |
| 1/3 | Council Crest Amusement
Park |
1938; undated |
| 1/4 | Correction on data on houses in
the Green Hills area |
2000 April 14 |
| 1/5 | Green Hills History |
2013 March 22 |
| 1/6 | Green Hills History |
2013 April 20 |
| 1/7 | Notebook - Greenleaf
Drive |
2004 |
| 1/8 | Notebook - Warrens
Way |
2004 |
| 1/9 | Notebook - Greenleaf
Court |
2003-2005 |
| 1/10 | Notebook - Labbe
Avenue |
2004 |
| 1/11 | Notebook - Arthur Way |
2004 |
| 1/12 | Notebook - Green Hills
Way |
2004-2006 |
| 1/13 | Notebook - Hewett
Blvd. |
2004-2006 |
| 1/14 | Notebook - Humphrey
Blvd. |
2003-2004 |
| 1/15 | Notebook - Hillside
Drive |
2005-2006 |
| 1/16 | Notebook - Ormandy
Way |
2005 |
| 2/1 | Green Hills - House History -
General |
1995-1997; undated |
| 2/2 | Green Hills -
Miscellaneous |
2005 |
| 2/3 | Green Hills - Other |
1999-2003 |
| 2/4 | Green Hills - History
copies |
1999-2005; undated |
| 2/5 | Publication |
2005-2006; undated |
| 2/6 | Ticor |
2006 |
| 2/7 | County |
2005-2006 |
| 2/8 | Check at O.H.S.
Includes two photoprints, circa 1910
|
1989; 2004-2006; undated |
| 2/9 | Newspaper info. |
1999-2004 |
| 2/10 | Green Hills - Deed projects to
complete |
2004-2005 |
| 2/11 | Green Hills - Lower |
2004-2006 |
| 2/12 | To county for deed
info. |
2004 |
| 2/13 | Green Hills - More
notes |
2002-2003 |
| 3/1 | Green Hills - Labbe |
1997-2006 |
| 3/2 | Green Hills - Rawson |
1986-2005 |
| 3/3 | Green Hills - Hewett &
Olmsted
Includes photocopies of correspondence with the Olmsted Brothers
re: plan for Mt. Zion, 1906-1917.
|
circa 2003 |
| 3/4 | Green Hills -
MacVeagh
Contains original correspondence and documents regarding
litigation concerning the MacVeagh property.
|
1926-1939; 1999 |
| 3/5 | Walter Burns - Deeds |
2001-2004 |
| 3/6 | Green Hills - Terry /
Keats |
2002-2006 |
| 3/7 | Hewett et al - Deeds |
2004 |
| 3/8 | Multiples - Vincent
Tract |
|
| 3/9 | Multiple Deeds |
|
| 3/10 | Mortgages |
|
| 3/11 | Street Add. |
|
| 4/1 | Block 1 |
|
| 4/2 | Block 2 |
|
| 4/3 | Blocks 3-5 |
|
| 4/4 | Block 6 |
|
| 4/5 | Block 7 |
|
| 4/6 | Block 8 |
|
| 5/1 | Blocks 9 & 10 |
|
| 5/2 | Block 11 |
|
| 5/3 | Block 12 |
|
| 5/4 | Block 13 |
|
| 5/5 | Block 14 |
|
| 5/6 | Block 15 |
|
| 5/7 | Block 16 |
|
| 5/8 | Block 17 |
|
| 5/9 | Block 20-21 |
|
| 6/1 | Block 23 |
|
| 6/2 | Block 24 & 25 |
|
| 6/3 | Block 26 |
|
| 6/4 | Block 27-30 |
|
| 6/5 | Block 31 |
|
| 6/6 | Block 32-35 |
|
| 7/1 | Abstracts and deeds - Bain Tract,
Green Hills |
|
| 7/2 | List of residents by
streets |
1911-2004 |
| 7/3 | Maps (photocopies) |
Series B: Photographs, 1880-2002Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 8/1 | Assorted, mostly
unidentified |
circa 1930-2000; undated |
| 8/2 | "At Isabelle Warrens"
As found - extracted from album
|
1914; undated |
| 8/3 | Delano 40133 |
circa 1940 |
| 8/4 | Drill House |
undated |
| 8/5 | Fewell House (Macintosh), and
related correspondence |
circa 1941; undated |
| 8/6 | Green Hills house, under
construction |
undated |
| 8/7 | Hewett Farm |
1913-1914 |
| 8/8 | Holt Wilson Warrens |
1915 or 1916 |
| 8/9 | Jewett |
1940; undated |
| 8/10 | From folder labeled "Green Hills
Photos"
Also includes clippings, print, and photo Christmas cards.
|
approx. 1880-2002 |
| 8/11 | Green Hills by Virginia
MacVeagh |
1937-1948; undated |
| 8/12 | Labadie
("Sallentine") |
circa 1930 |
| 8/13 | Labbe |
circa 1915 |
| 8/14 | Lawson |
circa 1930 |
| 8/15 | Odette Watson House |
1939 |
| 8/16 | Snow / Torrey House |
circa 1931-1932 |
| 8/17 | Street cars |
approx. 1906-1946 |
| 8/18 | Unidentified album pages and
house |
circa 1940s |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Neighborhood--Oregon--Portland--History
- Architecture, Domestic
Personal Names
- Bain, John.
- Burns, Walter J.
- Couch, Mary H.
- Greenleaf, R. S.
- McArthur, Arthur, 1923-2007--Archives
- Vincent, S. D.
Corporate Names
- Olmsted Brothers
- St. Thomas More Church (Portland, Or.)--History
Family Names
- Hewett family
- Jewett family
- Labbe family
- MacVeagh family--Photographs
- McArthur family
- Rawson family
- Warrens family
Geographical Names
- Portland (Or.)--Buildings, structures, etc.--History
- Portland (Or.)--Neighborhood--Green Hills
Form or Genre Terms
- Clippings
- Legal documents
- Letters (correspondence)
- Photographs
- Research notes
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Bachman, Evelyn MacVeagh (creator)
- MacVeagh, Virginia (creator)
