Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Photographs of aircraft damage in Portland, Oregon, after Columbus Day storm, 1962 October
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Photographs of aircraft damage in Portland, Oregon, after Columbus Day storm
- Dates
- 1962 October1962-101962-10
- Quantity
- 0.1 cubic feet, (1 folder in shared document case)
- Collection Number
- Org. Lot 1199
- Summary
- Photographs by an unknown photographer, depicting damage to small planes, cars, and buildings at Portland International Airport and vicinity following the Columbus Day storm in October 1962.
- 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
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Columbus Day storm struck the Pacific coast on October 12, 1962, extending from Northern California to British Columbia. Oregon received the brunt of the impact. With estimated winds of more than 170 mph it was the most destructive windstorm to hit the West Coast in recorded history, causing more than $200 million in damage and more than 50 fatalities.
Sources: "Columbus Day Storm, 1962," by Jeff LaLande, Oregon Encyclopedia, https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/columbus_day_storm_1962_/; "Columbus Day Storm of 1962," Wikipedia (accessed June 5, 2025), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Day_storm_of_1962
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of 67 black-and-white photographic prints depicting the aftermath of the Columbus Day windstorm at Portland International Airport and the surrounding area in October 1962. Most of the images show damage to individual small planes, buildings, and cars, and seven images are aerial views. The photographer is unknown.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Photographs of aircraft damage in Portland, Oregon, after the Columbus Day storm, Org. Lot 1199, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
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.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Airplanes--Oregon--Portland--Photographs
- Columbus Day Storm, 1962--Photographs
- Severe storms--Northwest, Pacific--Photographs
- Wind damage--Oregon--Portland--Photographs
- Windstorms--Northwest, Pacific--Photographs
Corporate Names
- Portland International Airport--Photographs
Form or Genre Terms
- photographs
