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Bioresource Engineering Department Records, 1924-1983

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Oregon State University. Dept. of Bioresource Engineering.
Title
Bioresource Engineering Department Records
Dates
1924-1983 (inclusive)
Quantity
12 cubic ft.
6 microfilm reels
Collection Number
RG 001
Summary
The Bioeresource Engineering Department Records document the research and extension activities of the department; the design, development, and use of agricultural equipment; and the architectural design of structures primarily for agricultural use. The Records also include extensive materials pertaining to the flax industry in Oregon from 1938 to 1954.
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
Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The Department of Agricultural Engineering was created in 1916 when the Department of Agronomy was subdivided, and was placed within the School of Agriculture. It was originally housed in the Farm Mechanics Building (now Gilmore Hall). The first department chair was William James Gilmore. In 1947 the department became jointly administered by the Schools of Agriculture and Engineering. The department's name was changed to Bioresource Engineering in 1991.

Fiber flax processing investigations were conducted at Oregon State College from from the late 1930s through mid 1950s through a joint USDA/Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station project. Engineering research led to the development and introduction of improved equipment for pulling, deseeding, scutching, and cleaning flax. Also, improved designs for flax mills were developed and recommendations made for prevention and control of flax mill fires. Researchers involved in this project included W. M. Hurst, L. M. Klein, J. E. Harmond, and M. C. Widger.

Fiber flax had been grown in the Willamette Valley since 1915, but prior to World War II the acreage was small and production and processing methods were based largely on European practices. When European flax supplies were cut off by World War II the acreage of flax and number of mills increased significantly and research results were available so that improved equipment could be installed in all the flax mills.

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Content Description

Series 4 documents the research activities of the department. Series 7 consists primarily of correspondence of faculty member John Wolfe, much of it concerning irrigation. Series 8 consists of reports and short features broadcast over radio station KOAC in the 1930s and 1940s. Series 9, annual reports of research, spans the years 1970 to 1983.

Series 10 consists of materials pertaining to the flax industry in Oregon from 1938 to 1954: references, reports, design specifications, and building and equipment plans and drawings. These materials resulted from state and federal fiber flax processing investigations between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Engineering Department of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.

Series 11 consists of plans and drawings for homes; farm structures and equipment; selected campus buildings and structures including buildings at some Branch Experiment Stations; and plans for non-OSU buildings and/or sites designed by Agricultural Engineering Department faculty, primarily H. R. Sinnard. Most of the farm structures and equipment plans and drawings were published and distributed by the Extension Service.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

Bioresource Engineering Department Records (RG 1), Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Organized into 11 series: I. Monthly Reports; II. Staff Meeting Minutes; III. Correspondence, Robert M. Alexander; IV. Projects and Reports; V. Patents; VI. Agricultural Engineering Personnel; VII. Correspondence; VIII. Radio Talks and Reports; IX. Annual Reports; X. Flax Industry Materials; and XI. Plans and Drawings.

Related Materials

Materials related to the Bioresource Engineering Department can be found in the College of Agricultural Sciences, Dean's Office Records (RG 158); Agricultural Experiment Station Records (RG 25); Extension Service Records (RG 111); Bioresource Engineering Department Photograph Collection (P106); and publications in PUB 10-11a.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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Subject Terms

  • Agricultural education--Oregon.
  • Agricultural engineering--Research--Oregon.
  • Agricultural machinery.
  • Agricultural experiment stations--Oregon.
  • Architecture--Oregon--Designs and plans.
  • College buildings--Oregon--Corvallis.
  • Farm buildings--Oregon.
  • Flax industry--Oregon.
  • Flax--Processing--Oregon--Willamette River Valley.
  • Fruit--Research--Oregon.
  • Harvesting machinery--Research--Oregon.
  • Irrigation--Research--Oregon.
  • Radio programs--Oregon.

Corporate Names

  • KOAC (Radio station : Corvallis, Or.)
  • Oregon State College. Agricultural Experiment Station.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Architectural drawings.
  • Patents.
  • Radio scripts.
  • Technical drawings.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Alexander, Robert M. (creator)
    • Sinnard, H. R. (Herbert Reeves), 1904- (creator)
    • Wolfe, John W. (John William), 1917- (creator)

    Corporate Names

    • Oregon State College. Federal Cooperative Extension Service. (creator)
    • Oregon State University. Agricultural Engineering Dept. (creator)
    • Oregon State College. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering. (creator)


1994

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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