Oral history interview with Adam C. Heim and Clara C. Heim, 1989 July 26-September 13
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Heim, Adam C. (Adam Clarence), 1902-1995; Heim, Clara C. (Clara Cecilia), 1905-1994
- Title
- Oral history interview with Adam C. Heim and Clara C. Heim
- Dates
- 1989 July 26-September 13 (inclusive)1989-07-261989-09-13
- Quantity
- .1 cubic feet, (7 audiocassettes (5 hr., 25 min., 17 sec.))
- Collection Number
- SR 1086
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Adam C. Heim and Clara C. Heim conducted by Jim Strassmaier from July 26 to September 13, 1989. The Heims discuss their lives in Portland and in Huntington, Oregon.
- 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
- Digitization funded by the James F. Miller Endowment.
Biographical Note
Adam Clarence Heim was born in Topeka, Kansas, in 1902. His family soon moved to Portland, Oregon, and also spent some years in Boise, Idaho. Clara Cecilia Heim, nee Thomas, was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1905. In 1927, Adam Clarence Heim and Clara Cecilia Thomas were married; they later had five children. Clara C. Heim worked for Montgomery Ward & Co., and later worked as a telephone operator. From 1918 to 1969, Adam C. Heim worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. Clara C. Heim died in 1994, and Adam C. Heim died in 1995.
Other Descriptive Information
Handwritten index (3 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Content Description
This oral history interview with Adam C. Heim and Clara C. Heim was conducted by Jim Strassmaier at the Heims' home in Portland, Oregon, from July 26 to September 13, 1989, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. The interview was conducted in five sessions. Adam C. Heim was interviewed in sessions 1 and 2; Clara C. Heim was interviewed in sessions 3 and 4; and both were interviewed together in session 5. The Heims discuss their family backgrounds and early lives in Portland, Oregon. They talk about their marriage and about raising their family, share their experiences during the Depression, and talk about living in Huntington, Oregon. Adam C. Heim also speaks about his career as a machinist for the Union Pacific Railroad.
Use of the Collection
Alternative Forms Available
Audio available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Adam C. Heim and Clara C. Heim, by Jim Strassmaier, SR 1086, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the estate of Adam C. Heim and Clara C. Heim. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/
Administrative Information
Return to TopDetailed Description of the Collection
-
Description: Interview session 1
In the first interview session, conducted on July 26, 1989, Adam C. Heim discusses his family background, including his Russian and German heritage and his father's career with the Union Pacific Railroad Company. He talks about his early life in the Albina neighborhood of Portland, including his education and recreational activities. He speaks about working on a sugar beet farm in Idaho; about the Portland harbor; and about his apprenticeship as a machinist for the Union Pacific Railroad.
Dates: 1989 July 26Container: Cassette 1-2 -
Description: Interview session 2
In the second interview session, conducted on August 2, 1989, Adam C. Heim talks about his siblings, particularly his older brother, John Adams Heim. He continues to discuss his career with the Union Pacific Railroad. He talks about his marriage to Clara C. Heim and about raising their children. He speaks about his experiences living in Huntington, Oregon, during the Depression, including the death of one of his children from spinal meningitis. He also discusses returning to Portland in the 1940s; talks about his children, their families, and their careers; and describes being injured during a robbery.
Dates: 1989 August 2Container: Cassette 3 -
Description: Interview session 3
In the third interview session, conducted on August 29, 1989, Clara C. Heim discusses her family background and early life in North Portland. She talks about her siblings, their families, and their careers. She discusses her health as a child, her education, and working as a telephone operator.
Dates: 1989 August 29Container: Cassette 4 -
Description: Interview session 4
In the fourth interview session, conducted on September 7, 1989, Clara C. Heim continues to discuss her early life in North Portland. She talks about her marriage to Adam C. Heim, about raising a family, and about her experiences during the Depression. She discusses her children, their families, and their careers. She speaks about life in Huntington, and about her political beliefs.
Dates: 1989 September 7Container: Cassette 5-6 -
Description: Interview session 5
In the fifth interview session, conducted on September 13, 1989, Clara C. Heim and Adam C. Heim discuss living in and raising a family in Huntington and in North Portland during and after World War II. They also talk about the Black population in North Portland. They speak about their relationship with their children, about the changes in the Catholic Church, and about their political beliefs. They close the interview by talking about their recreational activities.
Dates: 1989 September 13Container: Cassette 7
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Catholics--Oregon
- Depressions--1929--United States
- Families--Oregon
- Railroad companies--Oregon
Personal Names
- Heim, Adam C. (Adam Clarence), 1902-1995
- Heim, Clara C. (Clara Cecilia), 1905-1994
Corporate Names
- Union Pacific Railroad Company
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
- oral histories (literary works)
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Strassmaier, James (interviewer)
