Howard D. Dorman Journal for the Northrup Creek Range Experiment, 1937-1938

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Dorman, Howard D.
Title
Howard D. Dorman Journal for the Northrup Creek Range Experiment
Dates
1937-1938 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.05 cubic foot, (1 box)
Collection Number
MSS Dorman
Summary
The Howard D. Dorman Journal for the Northrup Creek Range Experiment documents the daily activities and tasks performed by Dorman on this agricultural research project on the Oregon coast. Dorman was a general mechanic at the John Jacob Astor Experiment Station from 1937 until his retirement in 1969. The Northrup Creek Grazing Experiment was begun in 1936 on the site of one of the Tillamook forest fires to study the seeding, fertilizing, grazing, and management of logged-off and burned-over timberlands.
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

Howard D. Dorman was a general mechanic at the John Jacob Astor Experiment Station from 1937 until his retirement in 1969 and provided technical assistance to various agricultural research projects at the station. His employment began on October 21, 1937. Howard Donald Dorman was born on July 21, 1903.

The Northrup Creek Grazing Experiment was begun in 1936 on the site of one of the Tillamook forest fires to study the seeding, fertilizing, grazing, and management of logged-off and burned-over timberlands and the effects of grazing on reforestation. The project continued until the early 1950s. The Northrup Creek project was overseen by the John Jacob Astor Experiment Station which was established in 1913 at a site 4 miles southeast of Astoria in Clatsop County to conduct agricultural research under coastal conditions, specifically to investigate and demonstrate agricultural possibilities of reclaiming and utilizing tidelands and logged-off lands. The Astor Station was closed in 1972. Herbert B. Howell served as Station superintendent from 1934 until 1965.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Howard D. Dorman Journal for the Northrup Creek Range Experiment documents the daily activities and tasks performed by Dorman on this agricultural research project on the Oregon coast. The journal begins with an entry for October 21, 1937 -- Dorman's first day of employment -- and continues to August 1938. Dorman notes his work building fences, constructing shelters, repairing bridges, and caring for livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats). In addition to daily handwritten entries, the journal includes settlement sheets from Blakely and Wester Livestock Co. and typed lists of visitors to the Northrup Creek Range Experiment. The collection includes a bound journal and several loose pages of handwritten entries.

Dorman's first entry, for October 21, 1937 is: "Arrived at Sta. 11 am. Had to put more timbers and braces under long (2) bridge. Rest of time getting house in order." His entry for July 14, 1938 refers to fires in the area: "I have been worried about the fire. The smoke is so thick you can't see .."

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Howard D. Dorman Journal for the Northrup Creek Range Experiment (MSS Dorman), Oregon State University Special Collections & Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Custodial History

The donor found the journal in a family desk owned by her grandfather, Herbert Howell, who served as Superintendent at the John Jacob Astor Experiment Station from 1934 until 1965.

Acquisition Information

The Journal was donated to the Special Collections & Archives Research Center in 2015 by Candace Pierson-Charlton.

Related Materials

Extensive photographic documentation of the Northrup Creek Grazing Experiment is available in the Agricultural Experiment Station Photograph Collection (P 029). Materials pertaining to the John Jacob Astor Experiment Station are part of the Agricultural Experiment Station Records (RG 025).

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Agricultural experiment stations--Oregon--Clatsop County.
  • Agriculture--Research--Oregon.
  • Grazing--Oregon.
  • Rangelands--Oregon.
  • Tillamook Burn, Or., 1933.

Corporate Names

  • John Jacob Astor Branch Experiment Station.
  • Oregon State College. Agricultural Experiment Station.

Geographical Names

  • Clatsop County (Or.)

Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Nielsen.
2015

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

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