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Oregon Journal photographs collection, 1902-1982

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Oregon Journal (Firm)
Title
Oregon Journal photographs collection
Dates
1902-1982 (inclusive)
1921-1982 (bulk)
Quantity
288.1 cubic feet, (238 records cartons, 36 oversize boxes, 2 oversize folders and 1 document case)
Collection Number
Org. Lot 1027
Summary
Photograph collection of the Oregon Journal, a Portland afternoon newspaper which was published from 1902 to 1982.
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

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the Jackson Foundation.
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Historical Note

The Oregon Journal was an afternoon newspaper based in Portland, Oregon. Originally founded in March 1902 by Alfred D. Bowen under the name Evening Journal, Charles Samuel (“Sam”) Jackson purchased the newspaper that July and renamed it the Oregon Journal. Originally located in the Goodnaugh Building, the Journal’s offices moved to the Jackson Tower in 1912, where they remained until 1948, when the paper moved into the Public Market building on Portland’s waterfront. The Jackson family retained ownership of the paper until the death of C. S. Jackson’s son Philip in 1953.

The Journal was known for some innovations. It shipped additional issues to Oregon’s coastal towns during the summer months as a means of boosting circulation. It was also the first newspaper in the United States to own a helicopter, and its waterfront building included a helicopter pad.

The Journal was considered a rival to Portland’s other major newspaper, the Oregonian, throughout its existence. The Journal’s editorials favored the Democratic Party, in contrast with the Oregonian’s Republican leanings, and expressed what some labeled an anti-establishment tone. However, the two papers became intertwined as time went on. In the 1950s, the Journal began to suffer from revenue losses, and discussed the possibility of sharing production facilities with the Oregonian. For the first five months of the protracted Portland newspaper strike which began in 1959, the Journal and Oregonian published joint issues. In August 1961, the Oregonian Publishing Company, by then owned by newspaper mogul Samuel I. Newhouse, purchased the Journal for $8 million. With this sale, the Journal offices and production facilities merged with those of the Oregonian on SW Broadway, although the Journal retained its own editorial department and tone.

The Journal’s highest circulation was at 201,000 in March 1948. By 1982, circulation had reduced to a little more than 100,000, and the paper struggled to remain relevant in an age where afternoon newspapers were considered obsolete. The Journal published its final issue on September 6, 1982. The paper’s staff and production were then absorbed into the Oregonian.

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Content Description

The collection contains images from the Oregon Journal’s files, which were donated to the Oregon Historical Society over the course of several years. The vast majority are black-and-white production prints.

In addition to photographs taken by such Journal photographers including Al Monner, Herb Alden, Dana Olsen, Mel Junghans, Les Ordeman, and Edmund Yee, there are photographs from other newspapers and from newswire services such as International Newsreel Corporation, AP and UPI. The collection also contains a few other items, such as concept drawings of buildings, maps, and floorplans.

The collection contains photographs of prominent Portland and Oregon figures such as Mark Hatfield, Terry Schrunk, and Wayne Morse. There also are photographs of national figures visiting Oregon, including Herbert Hoover, Adlai Stevenson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jimmy Carter. Additional photographs include the Journal’s long-time publisher C. S. Jackson, his wife Maria Clopton Jackson and son Philip L. Jackson. Also portrayed are locations, businesses and organizations in Portland and Oregon, as well as many community events such as the Miss Oregon pageant and the Portland Rose Festival. Other materials relate to Washington State, to other parts of the United States, and to other countries. A substantial number of photographs relate to subjects such as agriculture, art, aviation, the military, and plants and animals.

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Other Descriptive Information

Newspaper production images, with extensive markings, usually with a caption and date stamp; condition varies.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Oregon Journal photographs collection, Org. Lot 1027, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged in the following series:

  • Series A: People
  • Series B: Oregon
  • Series C: Portland
  • Series D: Oregon State Government and Agencies
  • Series E: Oregon Journal
  • Series F: Washington State
  • Series G: Other US Locations
  • Series H: Non-US Locations
  • Series I: Subjects
  • Series J: Oversize A
  • Series K: Oversize B
  • Series L: Oversize
  • Series M: Written Materials

Custodial History

The Oregon Journal and the Oregonian transferred the collection's materials to the Oregon Historical Society over the course of several years; this transfer was incomplete.

Acquisition Information

Lib. Acc. 18878, Lib. Acc. 18799, Lib. Acc. 20684, and possibly others.

Processing Note

Materials from multiple accessions were combined during processing; there was also some rearrangement of materials.

Separated Materials

A sizeable number of items were previously removed from this collection and placed in the Self-Indexing Files and other locations.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Agriculture--Photographs
  • American newspapers--Oregon--Portland--Photographs
  • Animals--Photographs
  • Art--Photographs
  • Aviation--Photographs
  • Business enterprises--Oregon--Portland--Photographs
  • Military--Photographs
  • Oregon--Politics and government--Photographs
  • Pageants--Photographs
  • Plants--Photographs
  • Portland (Or.)--Politics and government--Photographs

Personal Names

  • Carter, Jimmy, 1924-2024--Photographs
  • Hatfield, Mark O., 1922-2011--Photographs
  • Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964--Photographs
  • Jackson, Maria Clopton, 1862-1956--Photographs
  • Jackson, Philip L. (Philip Ludwell), 1893-1953--Photographs
  • Jackson, C. S. (Charles Samuel), 1860-1924--Photographs
  • Morse, Wayne L. (Wayne Lyman), 1900-1974--Photographs
  • Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962--Photographs
  • Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945--Photographs
  • Schrunk, Terry D., 1913-1975--Photographs
  • Stevenson, Adlai E. (Adlai Ewing), 1900-1965--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Oregon Journal (Firm)--Photographs
  • Portland Rose Festival (Portland, Or.)--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Portland (Or.)--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

  • photographs

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Alden, Herb (photographer)
    • Junghans, Mel (photographer)
    • Monner, Al (Alfred Anthony), 1909-1998 (photographer)
    • Olsen, Dana (photographer)
    • Ordeman, Les T. (Leslie Thomas), 1906-1991 (photographer)
    • Yee, Edmund (photographer)

    Corporate Names

    • Associated Press (photographer)
    • International Newsreel Corporation (photographer)
    • United Press International (photographer)

Jeffrey A. Hayes
2015

CC0

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