Oral history interview with Mervyn Stephenson, 1982 July 7
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Stephenson, Mervyn (Philip Mervyn), 1898-1983
- Title
- Oral history interview with Mervyn Stephenson
- Dates
- 1982 July 71982-07-071982-07-07
- Quantity
- 0.1 cubic feet, (2 audiocassettes (59 min., 37 sec.))
- Collection Number
- SR 9674
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Mervyn Stephenson conducted by Linda S. Dodds on July 7, 1982. Stephenson discusses building roads and bridges while working for the Oregon State Highway Department from 1919 to 1957.
- 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
- Sponsor
- Digitization funded by the James F. Miller Endowment.
Biographical Note
Philip Mervyn Stephenson was born in Condon, Oregon, in 1898. In 1919, he earned a bachelor's degree from the Oregon Agricultural College, now Oregon State University. That same year, Stephenson began working as a civil engineer for the Oregon State Highway Department. His career at the department was briefly interrupted during World War II, when he was recruited to serve on a committee tasked with planning a possible invasion of Japan. After the war, he worked for the U.S. Army to build and repair roads and bridges in the Philippines, then returned to the highway department, where he worked until 1957. After his retirement, he was appointed to the State Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. He served on that committee for 12 years.
Stephenson married Marie Eva Prevost in 1927. He died in 1983.
Sources: Vital records on Ancestry.com; blog post on Mervyn Stephenson by the Oregon State University Special Collections & Archives Research Center, https://paulingblog.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/mervyn-stephenson-builder-of-bridges/; information provided by Stephenson in his interview.
Other Descriptive Information
An incomplete transcript (27 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Content Description
This oral history interview with Mervyn Stephenson was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at Stephenson's home in Salem, Oregon, on July 7, 1982, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody. Stephenson's wife, Marie Eva Stephenson, was also present.
In this interview, Stephenson discusses his family background and early life in Condon, Oregon. He speaks at length about building roads and bridges while working for the Oregon State Highway Department from 1919 to 1957. He talks about working on the Columbia River Scenic Highway and on covered bridges. He discusses funding sources for road and bridge construction, and talks about acquiring land near freeways for state parks. He shares his experiences working with his cousin Linus Pauling in a shipyard in Tillamook during World War I. He closes the interview by talking about how the Depression affected the work of the highway department.
Use of the Collection
Alternative Forms Available
Audio available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Mervyn Stephenson, by Linda S. Dodds, SR 9674, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: Creative Commons - BY-NC-SA, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Administrative Information
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Bridges--Oregon--Design and construction
- Civil engineering--Oregon
- Roads--Oregon--Design and construction
Personal Names
- Pauling, Linus, 1901-1994
- Stephenson, Mervyn (Philip Mervyn), 1898-1983
Corporate Names
- Oregon. State Highway Department
Geographical Names
- Columbia River Highway (Or.)--Design and construction
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
- oral histories (literary genre)
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Dodds, Linda S. (interviewer)
