Thurman James (T.J.) Starker was born on July 14, 1890 in Grenola, Kansas and resided for most his childhood in Kansas and Iowa with his parents Otto and Mary and sister Caroline. Inspired by a visit to the Pacific Northwest in 1905, Otto moved the Starker family to Portland, Oregon in 1907. Within a year of their relocation, T.J. graduated from Portland High School, where he met fellow classmate Margaret Ostrander. T.J. and Margaret later married in 1914 after T.J. completed graduate work in forestry at the University of Michigan.
Starker's association with Oregon State University began with his enrollment as an undergraduate in 1908. He was among the first four graduates of the School of Forestry in 1910 with his senior thesis examining the costs associated with a logging operation in the Pacific Northwest. After pursuing further studies at the University of Michigan and working for the United States Forest Service in a variety of positions in Oregon (Portland and Sumpter), T.J. returned to Corvallis in 1922 to assume a post as a professor in the School of Forestry.
In his two-decade career with Oregon State University, Starker had a profound impact on the growth and professionalization of the forestry curriculum. In addition to teaching coursework in silviculture, wood identification, timber technology, and park forestry, Starker played a major role in promoting the study of forestry by coordinating the acquisition of lands that became the McDonald-Dunn Research Forests. These forests essentially served as Starker's second classroom where he brought students to study and identify trees. Starker's most enduring legacy at the McDonald-Dunn Research Forests was his establishment of the "post farm" research facility at Peavy Arboretum in 1928. This site, with dozens of wooden posts of different wood types planted into the ground, was designed to be a laboratory for the study of wood preservatives and decay. It still operates as a research site today.
In 1942, T.J. took a leave of absence from the School of Forestry to focus upon the management of his own private timberlands as a full-time business. Though he never returned to Oregon State University to teach, T.J. maintained close ties with the university community as a regular speaker and attendee at forestry alumni gatherings like the annual Fernhoppers' Banquet.
Margaret and T.J. Starker together raised two children: Bruce and Jean, who were born in 1918 and 1920, respectively. Both went on to attend Oregon State College with Bruce graduating with a forestry degree in 1940 and Jean receiving a degree in home economics in 1942. After three years in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II, Bruce returned to Corvallis and married Elizabeth (Betty) Margaret Bond in 1946. This union produced two sons, Bond (1947) and Barte (1950). Jean continued to reside in Oregon after graduation and worked for the Extension Service for several years before she married local mill manager Kermit Roth in 1948. Together Jean and Kermit had four children: Kenneth, Kreg, Kathy, and Kim.
As T.J. began to transition his livelihood from forestry instruction to the business of his forest holdings, he called upon Bruce to get involved in the daily management of his growing acreage of trees. This informal family business partnership, which began while Bruce was a student at Oregon State College, became legally official in 1971 with the establishment of Starker Forests, Inc. This incorporation listed Bruce, Betty Starker, Bond, and Barte as partners with T.J. in the management of the company. With T.J. opting for semi-retirement in 1968, Bruce essentially managed the daily operation of the business until his untimely death in a plane crash in 1975. Bond went on to serve as the company's managing partner and later as the president.
T.J. began to acquire the forest lands that would form the core of his forestry empire in the 1930s. His first purchases were cutover timber lands in the Coast Range and Mary's Peak areas that he replanted and had harvested decades later as second growth. While known primarily for his management of forest holdings, Starker also managed a number of residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial properties, mostly located in and around Corvallis. Starker was one of leading forces in real estate development in post-World War II Corvallis and Benton County. Among the Corvallis neighborhoods Starker had a hand in developing were the Cedarhurst Addition and Village Green area. Despite ambitious planning for a retirement community on the periphery of Corvallis, Starker's vision for West Hills Village was never realized.
During his 61 years as a resident of Corvallis, Starker actively pursued a life of community involvement through membership and board service in a variety of organizations. These groups included: the First Congregational Church, the Benton County Park Board, the Corvallis Lions Club, the Corvallis Park Board, the OSU Foundation, and the Good Samaritan Hospital. Among the most important legacies of Starker's community work resulted from his coordination of fund-raising projects which facilitated the purchase of land that was later developed as Avery Park and aided in the construction of the Good Samaritan Hospital. For his organizational service, Starker was recognized in 1952 as "The Benton County First Citizen" by the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce. In the forestry community, Starker was an active member of the Industrial Forestry Association and the Society of American Foresters. He also served on the Oregon State Board of Forestry from 1962 to 1970.
Margaret Starker was also active in community organizations. In addition to serving as secretary and president of the OSC Folk Club, Margaret was involved in the Women's Auxiliary of the Good Samaritan Hospital and in the Congregational Church.
By the time of T.J. Starker's passing in March 1983, Starker Forests, Inc. managed about 52,000 acres of forestlands in ten Oregon counties. The company's measured approach to forest cultivation and timber harvest has been recognized as a model of productive and sustainable forestry. In addition to the forestry company he formed, the legacy of T.J. Starker and his family is evident throughout Corvallis. The Bruce Starker Arts Park and Natural Area in Corvallis is one of the largest public gathering and recreation areas in the community and serves as a nod to T.J. Starker's history of municipal park development. The Starker Lecture Series, organized by the Oregon State University College of Forestry, brings speakers to Corvallis annually to present on topics relating to contemporary issues in forestry.
The bulk of this collection was received in 2017 from Bond Starker and Anna Starker May. Earlier transfers into this collection, primarily of newspaper clippings, correspondence and writings, were received by the former OSU University Archives from T.J. Starker himself in numerous accessions between 1979 and 1982.
Collection is open for research.
T.J. Starker Papers (MSS Starker), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
Other collections that document T.J. Starker and his association with OSU include:
Transcripts and a recording from two oral history interviews with Starker, in 1975 and 1978 respectively, are featured in the
Photographs of Starker can be found in the following collections: Harriet's Photograph Collection; the College of Forestry Photograph Collection (P 061); the Gwil Evans Photographic Collection (P 082);
Video footage of Barte Starker appearing in a production about the Fender's Blue Butterfly is available in the
Arranged into 18 series: 1. Correspondence, 1895-1983; 2. Biographical Materials, 1963-1986; 3. Instruction, 1923-1942; 4. Writings, 1923-1982; 5. Speeches and Radio Scripts, 1934-1979; 6. Organizational Involvement, 1926-1983; 7. Certificates, 1923-1982; 8. Property and Timber Management Files, 1919-1983; 9. Research Projects, 1925-1977; 10. Newspaper Clippings, 1900-1996; 11. Reference Materials; 1900-1981; 12. Starker Forests Inc. Records, 1939-1985; 13. Photographs, 1907-1983; 14. Student Work, 1910-1912; 15. Address Books, circa 1930-1983; 16. Scrapbooks, circa 1890-1983; 17. Drawings, 1950-1985; and 18. Artifacts, 1910-1981.
The T.J. Starker Papers consist of materials generated and collected by alumnus, forestry professor, and timber businessman Thurman James (T.J.) Starker. This collection documents Starker's forestry instruction and research at Oregon State College, management of a diverse range of property holdings, involvement in community and professional organizations, family life, student experience, work with the United States Forest Service, and writings on various subjects.
This collection is arranged into series that are organized by material type (e.g. correspondence) as well as the function of the record (e.g. instruction, property management). Subject matter detailed in these papers that may be of research interest include: Corvallis land use history, forest taxation, the management of forest lands by the Bureau of Land Management, and Victor Atiyeh's tenure as governor of Oregon.
Documentation of Starker's teaching career is reflected through a combination of lecture notes, course syllabi, student papers, photographs, and a variety of publications and clippings collected to serve as reference material. Forestry research is detailed in correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, research data, student papers, and annual progress reports on the studies at the Peavy Arboretum "post farm." Records relating to the management of timber lands and other properties include agreements, contracts, architectural drawings, maps, deed records, newspaper clippings, forest harvest permits, account notebooks, and tax assessment statements.
Starker's membership in governmental, forest industry, and community organizations are reflected in architectural drawings, budgetary statements, certificates, correspondence, maps, meeting minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and reports. Multiple generations of Starker family members are documented through photographs, scrapbooks, and correspondence about genealogical research. Materials relating to the family business, Starker Forests, Inc., also illustrate interaction between T.J., his son Bruce, and grandsons Bond and Barte.
Through letters to the editor regularly featured in the
Series 1 consists of correspondence reflecting T.J. Starker's exchanges with a variety of people regarding land purchases, taxation of his timber holdings, information on noteworthy trees, legislation, Starker family history, environmental protection measures, responses to local newspaper stories/editorials, field trips to Starker forest lands, and Corvallis land use planning. These materials reflect Starker's interaction with other foresters, the Bureau of Land Management, School of Forestry staff, political representatives such as Oregon Governor Tom McCall, and Starker/Ostrander family members. In addition to correspondence, this series includes greeting cards, legislative bills, meeting minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, maps, photographs, and reports. There are a total of 75 photographs (74 prints and 1 negative) in this series.
Includes 6 photographic prints.
References to notably large trees of different species. Among the correspondents is Oliver Matthews. Includes 3 photographic prints.
3 folders
2 folders
Preservation of the Corvallis railroad depot station. Includes 2 prints.
Includes city planning reports.
Includes 4 prints.
Mostly letters between T.J. and Paul Boies on Starker family history. Includes 3 prints.
2 folders. Includes 38 prints.
Includes a report by Ken Roth (for a Forestry 433 class) detailing his experience on a 1970 field trip led by Starker of Starker Forests Inc. property.
3 folders. Includes 4 prints.
7 folders. Includes 3 prints.
4 folders.
Dean of the Forestry School.
Includes 5 prints and 1 negative.
Margaret Starker's brother.
Settlement of the estate of Margaret Starker's father, Edward Ostrander. Includes stock certificates.
An analysis of the geology of a rock quarry owned by Starker near Marys Peak by OSU professor William Taubeneck.
Includes 6 prints.
2 folders. Includes minutes from Society of American Foresters (Willamette Chapter) Forest Taxation Committee.
6 folders. Letters reflect Starker's exchange about various Oregon State Legislature forest yield fee bills and appeals brought before the Oregon Tax Commission. Includes articles and editorials by Starker on forest taxation and meeting minutes from the Oregon Legislative Tax Study Committee.
Series 2 documents the work by Starker family members after T.J.'s passing in 1983 to compile details for an official published biography of T.J. Starker's life. These materials also reflect the efforts to inventory, organize, and preserve Starker's records and personal papers. Some of the outlines and resumes in this series were written by T.J. Starker himself. There are also items that reflect T.J.'s memorial service that consist of a guestbook and sympathy cards.
An inventory of files collected and maintained by T.J. Starker. The entries are listed in alphanumeric order and contain information on the file titles, subject matter, date, format, and creator/origin of the contents. The index was compiled after Starker's passing in 1983. The compiler is unidentified.
3 folders. Includes a personal funeral preference statement completed by T.J. in 1967.
Series 3 contains materials that document Starker's instruction of coursework as a professor with the Oregon State College School of Forestry. Organized by course title, these files include class handouts, correspondence, lecture notes, newspaper clippings, photographs, student papers, and syllabi. Among the publications in this series is a manual written by Starker for his "Tree Identification" course. There are a total of 8 photographic prints in this series.
Contains a proposal for a program in technical forestry and course syllabi.
2 folders.
2 folders.
Includes student papers outlining management plans for the "McDonald Demonstration Forest."
2 folders
Includes 3 photos.
Includes 2 photos.
2 folders.
5 folders.
Mechanical drawing of a root pruner developed for use at the Wind River Nursery.
4 folders. Includes 2 photos.
3 folders. Includes 1 photo.
2 folders.
Series 4 is made up of a combination of articles, newsletter columns, essays, book reviews, poems, and letters to the editor written by Starker about a variety of topics ranging from forestry research to local organizations. Roughly half of these writings were published in the
Includes 3 prints.
Starker's reviews of two forestry textbooks.
2 folders. Includes 7 prints.
Essays describing Starker's involvement in community organizations, his development of public parks, and service on various boards.
This file contains issues of the "Hi Lead" newsletter.
Lists of published articles by Starker.
6 folders.
Statements reflecting Starker's basic ideas about various components of forestry management, including the cutting of snags, logging road construction, weed control, pruning, and animal damage to trees.
Starker's recollections of his various experiences working for the U.S. Forest Service during summer breaks as a student and later on, as an instructor.
Series 5 contains scripts and notes documenting speeches and radio talks delivered by Starker. Most of the radio scripts reflect Starker's regular features on the KOAC program "Foresters On the Air." This series also includes a transcript of an interview with Starker broadcast in 1966 as a part of Pacific Power and Light Company's "Stories of Pacific Powerland" series.
2 folders.
2 folders.
Most of the speeches were delivered by W.D. Hagenstein of the Industrial Forestry Association.
Series 6 documents Starker's involvement as a member of various community organizations, governmental boards, and professional associations. The organizations represented in this series illustrate Starker's range of interests from forestry policy management (Oregon State Board of Forestry and Industrial Forestry Association) and local municipal land use (Park Boards of Corvallis and Benton County), to his community church (First Congregational Church). In addition to meeting minutes, these materials include correspondence, budgetary statements, building specifications, maps, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and reports. A notebook reflecting Margaret Starker's participation in the Oregon State College Folk Club is also part of this series.
3 folders.
Corvallis Chamber of Commerce.
Architectural drawings for the Corvallis Park Bridge (1940) and a camp stove design for Cape Arago State Park (1939). Both drawings were generated by the Oregon State Highway Commission. Two sheets.
4 folders. First Congregational United Church of Christ, Corvallis.
Camp Adams site plan and vicinity map. Six sheets.
Starker served on the Board of Trustees.
6 folders. Starker served on the Committee on Forest Taxation.
17 folders. Reflects Starker's participation on several committees managed by the Board: the State Forests Committee, the Legislative Committee, and the Emergency Fire Cost Committee.
A notebook maintained by Margaret Starker reflecting her involvement as President and board member of the OSC Folk Club. Loose items found inside the notebook include: a publication reporting the Folk Club's activities for 1926/27, a clipping about the birth of Kenneth Roth, and an invitation to the wedding of Caroline Starker.
Includes 2 decals.
Series 7 is made up of certificates received by Starker by various organizations as a part of awards and recognition of service.
Series 8 documents T.J. Starker's management and development of property holdings that include timber lands, buildings, farms, residential lots, livestock, and agricultural products. Made up of account notebooks, agreements, architectural drawings, contracts, correspondence, forest harvest permits, land deeds, maps, newspaper clippings, photographs, and tax assessments, this series reflects a variety of transactions: land leases, timber cruises, lawsuits, deed transfers, property exchanges, purchases, tax appeals, and residential housing development.
Descriptions of property locations in these files with the terms "addition," "block," and "lot" are based on Corvallis and Philomath plat map designations. Other locations, identified by terms such as "section" and "township", are described according to the township and range system of mapping, which was used as a point of reference for donation land claim properties. There are a total of 17 photographic prints in this series.
2 folders.
Washington County, Oregon. 2 folders.
Washington County, Oregon.
Corvallis.
Polk County.
Purchase of timber on City of Corvallis property.
2 folders. A 16-acre parcel of land in Benton County (later incorporated into Corvallis) managed by Starker for residential development. The property, originally part of the F.A. Horning donation land claim, was bordered by Harrison Street to the North and 35th Street to the east. The Starkers resided in this area at 3664 NW Van Buren Street.
Starker Forests road and setting map, Clatskanie (Or.). One sheet.
In addition to tax statements and correspondence, this file contains paperwork reporting the amount of timber harvested from classified reforestation lands in Columbia County.
Corvallis.
2 folders. Linn County, Oregon.
6 folders. An arrangement made between T.J Starker and Crown Zellerbach (CZ) to trade Starker-owned forest lands to CZ in exchange for CZ forest lands of similar value in 5 years. Part of this deal involved an automatic appreciation in the valuation of the Starkers' lands. This arrangement became a major tax case with the Internal Revenue Service when Starker didn't report any taxable gains. Upon receiving a tax bill by the IRS, Bruce Starker filed suit and ultimately the Starkers won. These files include legal documentation and newspaper clippings.
Township 12 South, Range 5 West. Corvallis.
Township 11 South, Range 5 West. Dixon's 2nd Addition. Corvallis.
Township 11 South, Range 5 West. Corvallis. (Corner at 35th and Jackson Street)
Township 12 South, Range 5 West. Benton County.
Lots 10 and 11 on Block 6, Corvallis.
Corvallis.
Suit filed by Starker against Andy Gilmore for fire damage to 400 acres of Starker's forest property. Includes 5 prints.
2 folders. Also documents Starker's interaction with the Cascadia Lumber Company.
3 folders. These files detail an arrangement made between Starker and the Georgia Pacific Corporation for an exchange of forest lands similar to the deal Starker made with Crown Zellerbach Corporation described above.
A brief business venture by Starker in the raising of goats for the sale of mohair. Tualatin Valley, Washington County, Oregon.
Fred Kiger and Sam Pace.
2 folders. South Second Street, Corvallis.
Linn County, Oregon.
Clackamas County, Oregon.
Polk County, Oregon. The property resided within Camp Adair and the documentation includes references to the wholesale selling of land within the camp starting in 1948.
Johnson's Addition, Corvallis.
Corvallis.
Corvallis.
Corvallis.
Corvallis.
Philomath.
Contains references to Pacific Grains Inc.
9th and Beca Street, Corvallis.
Corvallis.
2 folders. Agricultural property near Wapato Lake, Yamhill County, Oregon.
Includes a copy of a 1899 plat map for the Wapato Lake Subdivision.
Legal suit brought by Starker over the compensation amount for property condemned in the construction of the Alsea Highway. Property resided in North Corvallis. Includes 9 prints.
The company leased a cold storage facility in Corvallis from Starker. Also details the spur rail line that Starker had built for the facility.
4 folders. Company leased grain storage warehouses in Rickreall, Oregon.
2 folders. Veneer plant between Corvallis and Philomath.
The structure was located on Main Street between C and D Streets. Lot 103 on block 27.
Warehouse in Corvallis. Includes 2 prints.
Oregon City paper mill.
Benton County.
Corvallis.
Albany, Oregon.
R.V. Rooney and E.K. Nicolaides.
T.J. Starker's daughter. Correspondence relating to Starker's transfer of properties to Jean.
Properties in Benton and Linn Counties, Oregon.
Corvallis.
Benton County.
Real estate transactions with Sigma Pi Fraternity. Lots 5, 6, 7, and 8 in Block 13, Corvallis.
A map of the Queen's View Subdivision, Benton County.
Benton County.
Transactions regarding the Derry and Suver station warehouse facilities. Related to the operation of Pacific Grains Inc.
Relating to property owned by Starker alongside the rail line at the Toledo Branch (MP 720.7).
Benton County.
2 folders. Relates to Starker's interaction with the Oregon Tax Commission regarding assessments of his timber properties.
Timian Construction Company. Relating to the development of the West Hills Terrace residential subdivision, Benton County.
Log processing machinery developed by the Crown Zellerbach Corporation to handle small trees (defined as 5" to 12" diameter).
7 folders. A residential subdivision in Northern Corvallis (Benton County at the time of development) developed by the Harman Investment Corporation. Starker helped in financing the project and owned a number of lots in the subdivision. The boundaries of this area are Conifer Avenue to the West, the Southern Pacific Rail line to the East with Canterbury Circle forming the Northern edge, and Plymouth Circle/Sherwood Way forming the southern border. Includes 1 print.
Maps relating to the development of the Village Green residential area. Letters from the City of Corvallis to Starker regarding establishment of water and sewer services to the subdivision are attached to three of the maps.
A residential subdivision in Western Corvallis (along 43rd street) where Starker owned several lots.
3 folders. Starker's plan for the development of a residential retirement community. The area envisioned for this housing development was a 21-acre site in Corvallis along West Hills Road. Contains brochures and other reference materials about retirement communities throughout the western U.S.
Series 9 pertains to research projects conducted by Starker in his role as Professor for the School of Forestry. Made up of correspondence, Extension publications, newspaper clippings, photographs, progress reports, research data, and student papers, these materials primarily reflect studies of preservative treated wooden posts at the "post farm" at Peavy Arboretum. There are a total of 39 photographs (38 prints and 1 negative) in this series.
Includes 18 prints.
5 folders. Contains 20 photographic prints and 1 negative.
Series 10 consists of newspaper clippings and magazine articles collected by Starker that contain stories about Starker's involvement in community events, members of the Starker family, Oregon Governor Victor Atiyeh, Starker's association with the School of Forestry, the logging industry in the Pacific Northwest, tours of Starker Forests land, projects for wildlife preservation, and awards received by Starker. Among these clippings are a few editorials and articles written by Starker. Primarily drawn from the
Victor Atiyeh served as Oregon's Governor from 1979 to 1987. The clippings are primarily news stories relating to various actions by Atiyeh as governor as well as his opinions on federal government policies and Atiyeh's 1982 re-election campaign. Starker was a strong supporter of Atiyeh and this is reflected in materials found among the clippings such as letters to Atiyeh, re-election campaign fundraising literature, and an invitation to Atiyeh's gubernatorial inauguration ceremony reception in 1983.
3 folders.
Glenn Jackson was a political fixture in state politics acting as a personal advisor for several Oregon governors and serving in a number of state agencies, including the Oregon Highway Commission. Never formally elected to office, Jackson graduated from OAC in 1925 and was involved on the boards of many OSU clubs and organizations. The clippings all date from the time of his death in 1980.
The clippings mostly pertain to the aftermath of Mount St. Helens' 1980 volcanic eruption and the debate that ensued over plans to harvest the downed timber from around the mountain. Starker's personal interest in St. Helens is reflected in an essay found with the clippings in which he wrote of his summer job there as a part of the U.S. Forest Service in 1923.
Series 11 is comprised of material collected by Starker for reference in his teaching of forestry classes and research. Among the published media in this series include article reprints, technical bulletins, newspaper clippings, product literature, and research reports. There are also notes, student papers, and correspondence between Starker and a variety of companies and researchers. There are 50 photographic prints in this series.
Includes 10 prints.
4 folders. Lists of civil service questions used by the U.S. Forest Service to recruit for positions within the agency.
Includes 1 print.
Literature against the movement to add fluoride to municipal drinking water supplies.
A publication, "Good Stewardship of Our Forest As Practiced by Both Industry and the Federal Government" generated by the Coos Head Timber Company. The publication resembles a scrapbook that includes photographs (22 prints in all) and maps depicting the results of replanting on logged forest lands in Coos and Douglas Counties.
Article reprints, brochures, and reports relating to harvesting techniques, trends in yield management, and the overall outlook for North American forestry. These publications were primarily generated by forestry journals and various forestry associations.
3 folders. Mostly made up of reports by the U.S. Forest Service and various forestry associations relating to forestry topics in Oregon, including: forest land ownership, forest laws, second growth management, and the general outlook of the state's forest products industry.
Includes a map of Benton County logging railroad lines.
3 folders.
Includes a floor plan for the Willamette Valley Lumber Company (Dallas, Or.).
Includes 4 prints.
Includes 11 prints.
3 folders. Technical bulletins issued by the U.S. Forest Service describing slash disposal, timber cultivation, and logging methods by particular silvicultural region of the U.S. There are 14 bulletins in total.
Includes 7 prints.
Annual Reports of the Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station.
A handbook for the management of recreational facilities on National Forest lands. Includes drawings with design specifications for structures such as signage, bridges, and buildings.
4 folders. Includes 17 prints.
Series 12 pertains to the management of Starker Forests, Inc. the business Starker formed in 1937 to manage his forest lands. Made up of a combination of agreements, correspondence, maps, photographs, reports, and research data, this series documents company operations such as timber sales and studies of forest practice. There are a total of 5 photographic prints in this series.
Contract forms used to document the sale of timber on Starker forest properties. This folder also contains blank permit forms from the State of Oregon for new road construction, affidavit of timber removal, and the use of public water resources.
Announcements issued by Starker Forests Inc.
Hand drawn maps of Starker Forest properties.
Includes 3 prints.
Documentation relating to a partnership agreement drawn up for the management of Starker Forests Inc. Parties named in the agreement are: T.J. Starker, Bruce Starker, Elizabeth Bond Starker, Bruce Bond Starker, and Barte Starker.
A pruning and thinning research project on Starker Forest lands on Marys Peak. Includes data and a photocopy of a book chapter referencing this activity. Includes 2 prints.
Sturdevant Logging Company.
Series 13 is made up of photographic images taken and collected by T.J. Starker that document Starker in portrait shots, Starker family members, Starker's involvement in community events, friends of the Starkers, examples of different tree types, wood research, and forestry management activities. Among these images include postcards collected and received by Starker. About one-third of the postcards contain messages, many of which came from Bruce Starker during his service in the U.S. Coast Guard. There are a total of 1357 photographs (1132 prints, 189 negatives, and 36 slides) in this series.
Images of Bapst family members Jim, Margaret, Patrice, and Mark.
2 folders. Images taken and collected by Bruce Starker in Brazil during his service in the U.S. Coast Guard. Views include postcard prints of areas around Rio de Janeiro and shots of Bruce with shipmates and from the ocean.
Cannery Building, 9th Street, Corvallis.
Includes a letter to Starker about being in the Chinese port city of Nanking in the aftermath of a bombing raid by the Japanese.
Greeting cards featuring images of T.J. Starker, Bruce, Barte, Bond, the Roth children, and various friends.
Images of the Dunn Family- Joyce, Howard, Terry, and Ashley.
Two copies of a photographic print depicting Starker standing next to the ruins of a "fireproof" building that burned in 1932 somewhere in Pennsylvania. Images found in an envelope with a 1975 letter Starker sent to Val Gardner.
Starker was involved in the preservation of this church building, referred to as the "little brown church." Includes newspaper clippings.
2 folders.
Shots of a TV screen airing a news feature about Starker televised on KOIN TV's "Ray Summers at Large."
Aerial views of mill operations in the Corvallis/Philomath area, likely depicting the same general area during different years. Sites identified as: Peak Plywood, Larson Lumber Company, and Rex Clemens Mill. 5 prints.
Ray Strawn and Jimmy Lowe.
These views document Oregon State College, Cornell University, Yale University, Pennsylvania State College, the University of Washington, and the University of Michigan.
3 folders. Places represented in these views include: Alaska, New Orleans, Hawaii, New York City, California, and Minnesota.
2 folders. Places represented in these views include: Canada, England, Japan, Scotland, and Mexico.
Along with featuring T.J. and Margaret Starker, these images also depict the Starker children Jean Starker Roth and Bruce, and their families (Kim, Kathy, Kreg, Kenneth, Betty, Bond and Barte).
Group shots identified as the "men of Starker Forests." The seven featured in the image include T.J., Bruce, Barte, Bond, and Gary Blanchard.
Described as being a tree "race study".
Images of a large weeping willow and Starker with rounds of two cut trees. Photographs may have been featured in a story in the
These images document Starker's life in the U.S. Forest Service from 1912 to 1921 in Eastern Oregon.
Series 14 consists of course notes, a certificate of completion, and a thesis reflecting Starker's student work at Oregon Agricultural College (now OSU) and the University of Michigan. Starker graduated with a bachelor's degree in forestry in 1910 and a master of science in forestry in 1912. He was in the first graduating class of the OAC School of Forestry. There are a total of 16 photographic prints in this series.
A photocopy of a handwritten statement by Professor Filibert Roth certifying that T.J. Starker completed the two-year graduate course in forestry at the University of Michigan.
A large folio containing seven hand drawn renderings by Starker that illustrate different types of survey maps. Some of the maps depict locations on or close to the University of Michigan. One of the pages contains 16 photographic prints composed in an overlapping manner to reflect a landscape drawn graphically on the preceding page.
A photocopy of Starker's thesis for his bachelor's degree at Oregon Agricultural College: "A Thesis on the Methods and Cost of Logging as Carried on in the Northwest."
Series 15 is made up of two address books maintained by Starker that contain information on family members, friends, colleagues in forestry, and other contacts. In addition to street address information, the entries also contain details of the birth dates, spouse names, and anniversary dates of those listed.
Series 16 is made up of six scrapbooks containing items collected by T.J. Starker that document his childhood, college years, family life, U.S. Forest Service employment, work as a forestry professor, involvement in community events, management of his forest properties, and honors received by him. Primarily consisting of photographs, these scrapbooks also contain game programs, dance cards, letters, receipts, and newspaper clippings. Loose materials found inside the scrapbooks have been placed in folders that are stored in the same box as the scrapbooks. Among the six scrapbooks there are a total of 1685 photographs.
3 folders. Scrapbook 1 contains photographs depicting various members of the Starker family in portrait shots and in groups involved in family gatherings. The earliest images portray Otto and Molly Starker as well as T.J. and Caroline as children. Bruce Starker, Jean Starker Roth, and their families are also represented among the images. There are also views of the Ostrander family that include Margaret's sister Dorothy, her husband Leonard, and their children. Other photographs depict T.J. engaged in a variety of public activities such as awards ceremonies, parades, and the dedication of the Oregon 4-H Center swimming pool. Loose photographs and birth announcements (Barte Starker and Ken Roth) found in this scrapbook have been placed into a separate folder. There are a total of 367 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
2 folders. Scrapbook 2 contains photographs, dance cards, game programs, ticket stubs, messages from classmates, newspaper clippings, certificates, grade reports, and receipts documenting Starker's student experience at Oregon Agricultural College and the University of Michigan. These materials reflect Starker's attendance of college athletic and stage events, as well as his involvement in the Rocky Mountain Club at Michigan. There are also views of the two campuses, Starker's own dormitory room at OAC, and field trips taken for forestry classes. This scrapbook also contains images and letters pertaining to Starker's employment with the United States Forest Service in Eastern Oregon. There are a total of 307 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
This guide contains descriptive caption information corresponding to the number and position of the photographs in Scrapbook 2, page by page. It also contains photocopied information from the back of postcards and photographs that are adhered to the pages.
2 folders. Scrapbook 3 consists of photographs primarily reflecting Starker's work for the United States Forest Service in Eastern Oregon. The images depict logging operations, railroad construction, brush burning, and views of the towns of Sumpter and White Pine. Some of the photographs show Starker with Forest Service colleagues, local friends, and Margaret Starker. There are also views of Starker's residence in Sumpter and a group shot of the members of the OAC Forest Club. There are a total of 295 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
This guide contains descriptive caption information corresponding to the number and position of the photographs in Scrapbook 3 page by page. It also contains photocopied information from the back of postcards and photographs that are adhered to the pages.
3 folders. Scrapbook 4 is made up of photographs relating to Starker's employment for the United States Forest Service in Eastern Oregon, his work as a forestry professor, and his student years at Oregon Agricultural College and the University of Michigan. About half of the photographs in this scrapbook relate to Starker's instruction and research work for Oregon State College and include shots of class field trips to logging sites, mills, and tree nurseries throughout Oregon. Other OSC related shots depict trees on research plots and seedling specimens. A series of views of a 1925 logging operation at Huckleberry Mountain (near Baker, Oregon) are attributed to Bruce Moreland. The only non-photographic item in the scrapbook is a piece of wooden veneer prepared for use in 1934 as currency for the town of Tenino, Washington. There are a total of 466 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
2 folders. Scrapbook 5 contains photographs and newspaper clippings relating to forestry management that include views of mill operations, the use of trees as shatterbelts for agriculture, and tree nurseries/plantations. Some of the images were taken and collected by Starker in Pennsylvania during his sabbatical at Pennsylania State College in 1932. Photographs of Oregon forestry primarily reflect activity on Starker Forest' lands and depict research plots, logging operations, slash burning, tours led by Starker, and examples of animal damaged trees. Lumber mills referenced among these images include the Marys Peak Veneer Mill, the Rex Clemens Sawmill and Pond, and Peak Plywood. There are also shots of the development of Avery Park in Corvallis. Some of images in the scrapbook feature Bruce, Bond, and Barte Starker. There are a total of 246 photographic prints in this scrapbook.
Scrapbook 6 contains photographs, newspaper clippings, event programs, and a citation statement. Entitled "A Citation for Pop," this scrapbook documents Starker's receipt of a Distinguished Service Award by OSU at the 1971 commencement ceremony. The images depict T.J. and Jean Starker Roth during the day of the ceremony. There are four prints in total.
Series 17 is made up of three sets of hand drawn renderings in pen and pencil that were collected by T.J. Starker.
A caricature portrait of T.J. Starker drawn by one of his students. This image was turned into a stamp and an impression from it on a piece of mail is also included in this file.
Series 18 is made up of artifacts and paper ephemera that document honors received by T.J. Starker, membership in various organizations, and signage for displays about tree growth. In addition to plaques, this series includes business cards, decals, display captions/signage, and ribbons.
Two ribbons presented to T.J. Starker at Triad Club events. Starker was one of the charter members of the club.
A cardboard sign listing "Apartment Rules" for tenants. Date and creator unknown.
Presented by the Portland Chamber of Commerce and the Oregon Small Woodlands Association.
Presented by the Modern Woodmen of America, Camp 6029.
Presented by the Modern Woodmen of America, Camp 6029.
Presented by Philomath Area Business and Civic Organizations.
Presented by the Oregon 4-H Foundation.