Oral history interview with Julia E. Johnson, 1987 July 20-November 11

Tape 1. In addition to Julia E. Johnson and interviewer Deborah Olson, a person identified as Jane Richardson was present during the first interview session, conducted on July 20, 1987. In this session, Johnson discusses her family background and early life in Jacksonville, Oregon. She describes the town in the early 20th century, and speaks at length about the operations of the Opp mine, which was owned and operated by her father, John Wesley Opp. She talks about the equipment used in the mine, and about the people who worked there. She discusses her early education, describes some of her childhood injuries, and shares the reasons her family moved to Portland, Oregon, in 1918. She also talks about her memories of World War I and the 1918 flu epidemic.

Tape 2, Side 1, to partway through Tape 3, Side 1. In the second interview session, conducted on July 24, 1987, Johnson discusses the origin of her name, Julia, and talks about the importance of education in her family. She talks about her love of the wilderness, and speaks further about her early life in Jacksonville. She discusses her experience studying French at Reed College in Portland, including living in the dorms, her recreational activities, and her social life. She talks about briefly attending the University of Oregon, and shares her reasons for returning to Reed to finish her degree. She discusses teaching high school in Bandon for a year, and at Woodrow Wilson High School in Eugene for the following two years, then shares her reasons for moving to Portland in 1926.

Partway through Tape 3, Side 1, to the end of Tape 4, Side 2. In the third interview session, conducted on July 27, 1987, Johnson discusses teaching at Grant High School in Portland from 1926 to 1944. She talks about her marriage to Clifford Johnson, and speaks at length about a trip they took to Europe and northern Africa in 1929. She describes houses the couple lived in, shares her reasons for retiring from teaching in 1944, and speaks about her involvement with the Girl Scouts of America. She shares her experience as a widow.

First half of Tape 5, Side 1. In the fourth interview session, conducted on November 4, 1987, Johnson discusses her involvement in the Republican Party, and talks about her work on campaigns for Oregon politician Mark Hatfield.

Partway through Tape 5, Side 1, to the end of Tape 5, Side 2. In the fifth and final interview session, conducted on November 11, 1987, Johnson further discusses her involvement in the Republican Party. She revisits the topics of her early life and the operations of the Opp Mine in Jacksonville.

Four color photographs, circa 1988, depicting Julia E. Johnson in Medford, Oregon; Marjorie Edens; Jacksonville, Oregon; and Samuel Wegner. One black and white photograph depicts the Opp family on the porch of their house at the Opp Mine in Jacksonville in the early 20th century.