OHY_Lot151 Portland General Electric Photograph Collection 1873, 1888-1966 Portland General Electric photographs Finding aid prepared by Lindsey Benjamin Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue Portland, Oregon 97205 Phone: 503-306-5240 Fax: 503-219-2040 E-mail: libreference@ohs.org
2018

Funding for processing this collection and encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant from the Portland General Electric Company.

 Finding aid encoded by Lindsey Benjamin 2018 Finding aid written in English Finding aid based on DACS 2nd edition ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Oregon Historical Society, Davies Family Research Library Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue Portland, Oregon 97205 Phone: 503-306-5240 Fax: 503-219-2040 E-mail: libreference@ohs.org
Org. Lot 151 Portland General Electric Company Portland General Electric photographs 1873, 1888-1966 17.21 cubic feet 46 document cases, 1 oversize folder Photographs relating to the history and development of Portland General Electric. The negatives and photographs in this collection include images of employees, power generating stations, office buildings, recreational sites, power lines, towers, streetcars, streetcar tracks, office buildings and equipment. A majority are black-and-white, with a small selection of color images. Several dam building projects are included, such as those at Round Butte, Pelton, and Oak Grove. Materials in the collection are in English

941 images are viewable online in OHS Digital Collections.

Administrative history

Portland General Electric Company was founded as Willamette Electric Company in 1888 by Edward L. Eastham and Parker F. Morey. Beginning with a hydro-electric generating plant on Willamette Falls, Station A, the company grew quickly. It acquired many of the other electrical interests in the Oregon City area and in 1892 it was reorganized as Portland General Electric. Between 1892 and 1906, PGE acquired many other small electrical utilities and electric railroads, growing its holdings rapidly.

In 1906, the company once again reorganized itself as Portland Railway Light & Power Company. It operated several electric streetcar lines, including an extensive system in the city of Portland. Ridership fell in the late 1920s and the company again reorganized itself into Portland Electric Power Company (PEPCO), with two subsidiaries: Portland General Electric as the electric utility and Portland Traction Company as the railroad. PEPCO went into bankruptcy in 1939, ultimately selling all of its railroad holdings to the Portland Transit Company in 1946 and reorganizing one final time into Portland General Electric (PGE) in 1948. It was bought by Enron in 1997 but as of 2006 PGE is independent.

PGE built many power generating plants in both Oregon and Washington. These plants were primarily hydro-electric, but they also built several steam plants, a gas plants, a coal-fired plant and a nuclear power plant.

The Portland General Electric photograph collection (1873, 1888-1966) contains negatives and photographs illustrating company activities, employees, publications, and power generation and distribution throughout much of the 20th century.

The negatives in Series A are arranged by original numbers assigned by PGE based on subject. These include specific stations, substations, disasters, and dams such as those built at Round Butte, Pelton, and Oak Grove. Additional general images include streetcars and trains, street lighting, power line installation, Rose Festival floats, office buildings, car barns and bridges. Of particular note are original photographs of the first station established by the Willamette Electric Company, a hyro-electric plant at Willamette Falls. A majority are glass negatives of two different sizes, 8x10 and 5x7.

The negatives in Series B are arranged by original PGE numbers assigned by year, rather than subject. Topics include dam building projects at Round Butte and Pelton, employee activities and services, stations and substations, line maintenance, PGE divisions, equipment, recreation at sites such as Timothy Lake, and the 1964 Christmas flood. Images used in the PGE Bullseye, a PGE company publication are also represented. This series also includes a large number of employee portraits, such as those from the rural services division,company presidents and retirees. It consists almost entirely of acetate negatives.

Series C includes photographs taken from 1949 to 1966, many of which are also represented by negatives in Series B. A majority of the images include corresponding negative numbers, and most are black-and-white. Arranged alphabetically by topic, they cover a diverse array of activities and events recorded by PGE. Also included are two oversize photographs mounted on board, taken of the St. Johns Bridge and Swan Island.

The collection is arranged into 3 series. Series A-B include negatives organized by original PGE numbers. The numbers in Series A correspond to a subject, project, or location and are arranged in sequential order. In Series B, numbers correspond to year, and are arranged chronologically. While both series use original PGE numbers, differences in arrangement reflect changing organizational systems over time at PGE.

Series C, photographs, is arranged alphabetically by topic.

Original negatives are restricted. Photographs are available to the public.

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.

Portland General Electric photographs, Org. Lot 151, Oregon Historical Society, Davies Family Research Library

Lib. Acc. 16350

Associated materials can be found in Portland General Electric Collection (circa 1870-2012), Coll 415, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Other photographs related to Portland General Electric can be found in the Oregon Historical Society Research Library as call numbers: PGE 16-342, PGE 139-2, PGE 137-3, and 000652.

Portland General Electric's annual reports for the years 1956-1967, 1972-1977 and 1983 can be found in the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

The PGE Bullseye can be found in the serials collection at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. The periodical was renamed PGE Newsline and can also be found in the serials collection at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Two films are related to this collection:

The Incredible, Lovable Heat Pump, <num>MI 07884</num>

Bull Run Fish Ladder, <num>MI# 07892</num>

Pacific Power and Light Company--Records and correspondence Portland General Electric Company--Records and correspondence Portland General Electric Company--Employees Portland General Electric Company--Employees--Photographs Columbus Day Storm, 1962 Columbus Day Storm, 1962--Photographs Dams--Oregon Dams--Oregon--Photographs Dams--Oregon--Design and construction Dams--Oregon--Design and construction--Photographs Lakes--Oregon Rivers-​-​Oregon-​-​Deschutes River Rivers-​-​Oregon-​-​Sandy River Rivers-​-​Oregon-​-​Clackamas River (Or.) Mountains-​-​Oregon-​-​Hood, Mount (Or.) Electric power--Oregon Electric substations--Oregon Electric substations--Oregon--Photographs Electric utilities--Oregon--Portland Fires--Oregon--Photographs Floods--Oregon--Photographs Floods--Oregon--1964--Photographs Ice storms--Oregon--Portland--Photographs Nuclear industry--Oregon Nuclear power plants--Oregon Nuclear power plants--Oregon--Photographs Nuclear power plants--Oregon--Design and construction Nuclear power plants--Oregon--Design and construction--Photographs Parade floats--Oregon--Photographs Parade floats--Oregon--Portland--Photographs Portland Rose Festival--Photographs Railroad accidents--Oregon--Photographs Railroad bridges--Oregon--Photographs Railroad cars--Oregon Railroad cars--Oregon--Photographs Railroad tracks--Oregon--Portland--Photographs Steam power plants--Oregon Steam power plants--Oregon--Photographs Street-railroads--Oregon--Portland--Photographs Water power--Oregon Billy Chinook, Lake (Or.) Clackamas Co., Or. Photographs Negatives (photographic) Oregon Series A Negatives By PGE Subject Number 1873, 1888-1956 7.79 cubic feet (21 document cases).

Includes negatives of Portland General Electric Company.

Arranged sequentially by PGE number.

 Subseries 1 8X10 Negatives 1889, circa 1907-1932 1 PGE 1-1 to PGE 7-151 2 PGE 7-153 to PGE 13-216 3 PGE 13-231 to PGE 15-173 4 PGE 15-174 to PGE 16-1047 5 PGE 20-11 to PGE 129-103 6 PGE 129-105 to PGE 130-62 7 PGE 130-63 to PGE 138-18 8 PGE 138-19 to PGE 144-1 9 PGE 144-2 to PGE 144-50 Subseries 2 5x7 Negatives 1873, circa 1888-1956 10 PGE 1-3 to PGE 7-15 11 PGE 7-16 to PGE 8-3 12 PGE 8-4 to PGE 13-44 13 PGE 13-45 to PGE 13-126 14 PGE 13-126 to PGE 13-197 15 PGE 13-198 to PGE 16-54 16 PGE 16-55 to PGE 16-412 17 PGE 16-413 to PGE 16-811 18 PGE 16-812 to PGE 114-1 19 PGE 114-2 to PGE 129-90 20 PGE 129-94 to PGE 136-11 21 PGE 136-12 to PGE 146-3 Series B Negatives By PGE Year Number 1949-1966 7.41 cubic feet (20 document cases).

Includes negatives of Portland General Electric Company.

Arranged chronologically by PGE number.

 22 PGE 34-1 to PGE 49-228 23 PGE 49-229 to PGE 50-570 24 PGE 50-571 to PGE 51-903 25 PGE 51-904 to PGE 52-1236 26 PGE 52-1237 to PGE 52-1590 27 PGE 52-1591 to PGE 53-136 28 PGE 53-136 to PGE 54-128 29 PGE 54-128 to PGE 55-129 30 PGE 55-130 to PGE 55-597 31 PGE 55-598 to PGE 56-137 32 PGE 56-137 to PGE 56-208 33 PGE 56-210 to PGE 56-252 34 PGE 56-252 to PGE 57-231 35 PGE 57-231 to PGE 57-447 36 PGE 58-106 to PGE 58-148 37 PGE 59-148 to PGE 59-310 38 PGE 59-311 to PGE 60-330 39 PGE 60-330 to PGE 61-362 40 PGE 61-362 to PGE 64-250 41 PGE 64-250 to PGE 100-21 Series C Photographs 1949-1966 1.85 cubic feet (5 document cases, 1 oversize folder).

Includes photographs of Portland General Electric Company.

Arranged alphabetically by topic.

 42/1 4H photographs 1950-1952 42/2 Agriculture 1950-1952 42/3 All-electric buildings 1965 42/4 Annual meeting 1960 42/5 Barge #14, hog fuel 1949-1950 42/6 Awards 1960-1961 42/7 Bay Roc apartments 1964 42/8 Beaverton and Bell substations 1949-1952, 1960 42/9 Big Sandy Dam 1949-1952 42/10 Billing department 1951 42/11 Bird control circa 1966 42/12 Blandena substation 1949 42/13 Boones Ferry substation 1952 42/14 Bull Run 1960 42/15 Bullseye miscellaneous 1951-1952, 1960-1965 42/16 Bullseye , OSU engineering school feature 1962 42/17 Canby substation 1949-1950 42/18 Canby transmission line 1949 42/19 Canyon substation undated 42/20 City pumping plant 1952 42/21 Commercial customers 1952, 1960-1964 42/22 Cranes 1950-1951 42/23 Crooked River 1959 42/24 Customer service division 1949-1952 42/25 Dam repair, Willamette Falls 1949 42/26 Dana substation 1951 42/27 Displays 1961-1962 42/28 Distribution 1952, undated 42/29 Eastmoreland substation 1949 42/30 Education tours 1955 42/31 Eels 1949 42/32 Electric club 1950-1952 42/33 Electrical Maintenance and Construction (EMC) 1955 43/1 Employees 1949-1952, undated 43/2 Faraday diversion 1965 43/3 Engineering department 1949-1952 43/4 Equipment (not vehicles) 1950-1952, 1963 43/5 Errol substation 1949 43/6 Fair photographs 1955 43/7 Fairlawn substation 1950-1952 43/8 Fairmont substation 1949-1950 43/9 Fire, Zidell dock 1952 43/10 Fish farm, coggin visit 1960 April 43/11 Fish screen, Big Sandy canal 1949-1952 43/12 Foremen's forum 1951 43/13 Forty year employees 1959 43/14 Gregory Heights substation 1951 43/15 Greshman division 1950-1952 43/16 Greshman substation 1962 43/17 Halsey substation undated 43/18 Harborton substation 1949 43/19 Heat pump installation 1953 43/20 Helicopters 1963 43/21 Hillsboro Library 1951 43/22 Hillsboro office and radio antenna 1949 43/23 Hillsboro substation 1949-1951 43/24 Holgate substation 1951 43/25 Home economics 1952-1953 43/26 Housing project 1950 43/27 Howard substation 1950-1951 43/28 IBM 1951 43/29 Industrial customers 1952, 1960 43/30 Industrial load 1955 43/31 Industrial monkey 1950-1952 43/32 Irrigation 1950-1952, 1955 43/33 Island substation 1951-1952 43/34 Jennings lodge substation 1952 43/35 Junior achievement award 1952 43/36 Knott substation 1949,1958 43/37 Laurelhurst substation 1952 43/38 Leaders club 1950 43/39 Lents substation 1949-1951 43/40 Liberty substation 1950 43/41 Lighting 1952 43/42 Line department 1949-1952 43/43 Line extension 1949 43/44 Load dispatcher's office 1963 43/45 Loader 1950 44/1 Market Street garage 1951 44/2 Mclain substation 1949-1950 44/3 Men's forum 1960 44/4 Merrykhana parade 1960-1961 44/5 Middlegrove substation 1949-1950 44/6 Mt. Angel ballpark lights 1949 44/7 Mt. Angel substation 1951 44/8 Mt. Pleasant substation 1952 44/9 Multnomah substation 1951 44/10 Newberg undated 44/11 Newberg substation 1951 44/12 New Canyon substation 1966 January 44/13 New Tigard substation 1952 44/14 New Yamhill substation 1950 44/15 North Fork 1960 44/16 North Plains substation 1951 44/17 Nurse, PGE 1952 44/18 NWEL and power conversion 1950-1951 44/19 Oak Grove dam and lake 1949 44/20 Office improvements 1955 44/21 Oil filter tank 1950-1951 44/22 Oil painting in office of Henry Cabell 1949 44/23 Oregon City Division 1950 44/24 Oregon City Division, service center 1951-1952 44/25 Parade of homes 1952 44/26 Past Timer activities 1952, 1958-1960 44/27 Pelton project 1951-1952, 1960 44/28 Pelton recreation 1960 44/29 Personalities 1955 44/30 Personnel 1956-1966 44/31 Picnic, Portland Division 1950-1952 44/32 Plane 1965 44/33 Pole treatment 1952 44/34 Pole-wrench 1950 44/35 Pole yard, Gresham Division 1949 44/36 Portable substation 1952 44/37 Portland line crew 1952 44/38 Radio transmitter 1952 44/39 Ramapo substation 1949-1950 44/40 Raymond substation 1951 44/41 Repair crew, Portland Division 1950-1952 44/42 Reproduction department 1949 44/43 Retirees 1951-1962 44/44 Richmond substation 1951 44/45 Rose festival 1955 44/46 Rose festival float 1949-1952 45/1 Roslyn Park recreation 1960 August 45/2 Round Butte Dam 1952, 1966 45/3 Round Butte Dam, location in canyon 1960 45/4 Ruby substation 1951 45/5 Rural services 1960 45/6 Safety 1951-1963 45/7 Salem Office 1949-1950 45/8 Salvage department 1958 45/9 School lighting 1950-1952 45/10 Scoggins Valley substation 1951 45/11 Scotts Mills 1961 May 45/12 Service Center 1955 45/13 Service change 1960 45/14 Service drops 1949-1952 45/15 Sheridan drops 1949 45/16 Silverton substation 1949 45/17 Six corners substation 1951 45/18 Sprayer (chemical sprayer equipment) 1950-1952 45/19 Sprinkler system, Fairmont substation 1949 45/20 Standard Insurance contract signing 1960 45/21 Station B (folder 1 of 3) 1952-1953 45/22 Station B (folder 2 of 3) 1952-1953 45/23 Station B (folder 3 of 3) 1952-1953 45/24 Station E 1949-1952, 1960, undated 45/25 Station G 1952 45/26 Station H 1950-1952 45/27 Station L 1949-1952 45/28 Station M (folder 1 of 2) 1951-1952 45/29 Station M (folder 2 of 2) 1951-1952 45/30 Station O 1950-1952 46/1 Station P 1949 46/2 Stenographic department 1949 46/3 Stephens substation 1950-1951 46/4 St. Helens Division 1950, 1962 46/5 St. Helens substation 1960 Oversize St. Johns Bridge, north undated 46/6 St. Mary's substation 1949-1951 46/7 Street cars undated 46/8 Street lighting (folder 1 of 2) 1949-1960 46/9 Street lighting (folder 2 of 2) 1949-1960 46/10 Substation B, West Linn 1949-1952 Oversize Swan Island undated 46/11 Sylvan substation 1952 46/12 Tabor substation 1949-1952 46/13 Testing department 1951-1952 46/14 Timothy Lake 1959 46/15 Timothy Meadows 1952 46/16 Tours 1962 46/17 Transformers 1951-1952 46/18 Transmission lines 1949-1951, 1961 46/19 Tree trimming 1949-1952 46/20 Tualatin Fire Department 1951 46/21 Tualatin Valley Division 1951-1952 46/22 Twenty year club 1952 46/23 Underground circa 1955 46/24 Underground department 1949-1951 46/25 Vehicles 1950-1961 46/26 Vernon substation (19th and Prescott) 1951 46/27 Villa substation 1951 46/28 Voit Rubber Company 1951 46/29 Willamina substation 1951 46/30 Willamette Valley division 1949-1952, 1960 46/31 Window display 1952 December 46/32 Woodstock substation 1949-1953 46/33 Yamhill division 1950-1952