Collection is open for research.
Gift of an anonymous donor, May 2012 (Lib. Acc. 27633).
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,
Photographs of aircraft damage in Portland, Oregon, area after Columbus Day storm, Org. Lot 1199, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Two additional collections of material related to the Columbus Day storm, designated Mss 1058 and Coll 295, are also held at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
The collection consists of 67 black-and-white photographic prints, most depicting the aftermath of the Columbus Day windstorm at airports in the Portland-Vancouver area in October 1962. The images primarily show Portland International Airport, Hillsboro Airport, Troutdale Airport, and Pearson Field in Vancouver, Washington. Most images depict damage to individual small planes, buildings, and cars. Seven images are aerial views and three were taken prior to the storm and developed in June 1962. The photographer is unknown.
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.