Matthews Guide to the Oliver Matthews Collection 1905-1969 Matthews (Oliver) Collection Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Oregon State University Archives 1993
121 The Valley Library Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-4501 Phone: 541-737-2165 Email: archives@oregonstate.edu Web: http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives
Encoded by ArchProteus and Erin Whitesel-Jones 2004 Finding aid written in English. Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections & Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-4501 Phone: 541-737-2165 Email: archives@oregonstate.edu Web: http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives
Consult repository. Matthews, Oliver Vincent, 1892-1979 Oliver Matthews Collection 1905-1969 16 cubic feet The Matthews Collection consists of scrapbooks and trip logs pertaining to Oregon trees, logging methods, and wood products. Materials in English Biographical Note:

Oliver Matthews (1892-1979), dendrologist and self-described "botanical tramp," traveled all parts of Oregon for more than 40 years in pursuit of trees, particularly the biggest of each species. Matthews graduated from Willamette University in 1913 and later received teacher training as a post-graduate at Oregon College of Education, but had no formal training as a botanist.

He served in Europe during World War I and worked as a carpenter and an extra in the silent film industry in Hollywood after the war. He returned to Oregon in 1928 and except for seasonal work as a carpenter and in a Salem cannery, devoted the rest of his life to the study of Oregon's trees. He corresponded extensively with herbariums, state and national forest services, newspapers, and individuals; collected hundreds of wood specimens; discovered a new cypress that bears his name; extended the known geographical range of several trees; contributed extensive botanical specimens to many herbariums; and located, measured, and documented the largest specimens of many trees, including Douglas Fir and Weeping Spruce.

This collection consists of scrapbooks and logs pertaining to Oregon trees, logging methods, and wood products. The scrapbooks, arranged by species or other subject, include correspondence, clippings, photographs, and postcards. The logs contain day-by-day and mile-by-mile information on trips taken by Matthews in his search for botanical specimens, wood samples, and rare or large trees. The logs include maps, photographs, correspondence, trip narratives, and receipts.

Organized in three series: 1. Scrapbooks; 2. Logs; and 3. Publications.

Oliver Matthews Collection, Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.

Other materials relating to this collection can be found in the Oliver Matthews Photographic Collection (P 118) and in the Memorabilia Collection.

 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition (1905: Portland, Or.) Coos Bay (Or.) Salem (Or.) Forests and forestry--Oregon. Douglas fir--Oregon. Trees--Oregon--Identification. Wood--Identification. Logging--Oregon. Forest products--Oregon. Cypress. Logging railroads. Logging--Machinery. Forest fires--Oregon. Christmas tree growing. Tillamook Burn, Or., 1933. Scrapbooks. Oregon Photographs Scrapbooks Forestry and Forest Products Logging Series I Scrapbooks 1 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 1 1 apx 12x17 in. Narrow Leaf Cottonwood 1 apx 12x17 in. Willows and Birches

World's largest Northwest Paper Birch

Discovery of extension of Northwest Paper Birch growth to area other than the Minam River

 1 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 2 1 apx 12x17 in. Sumac

Oregon's largest Scarlet Sumac

 1 apx 12x17 in. Driftwood

Wood collecting on Oregon's beaches

Gifts of wood samples to State Forestry Department and to OSU Forestry School

 2 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 3 2 apx 12x17 in. Johnson Fir 2 apx 12x17 in. "Sport" trees 2 apx 12x17 in. Noble Fir 3 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 4 3 apx 12x17 in. Incense Cedar

Uses

 4 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 5 4 apx 12x17 in. Oregon Ash

Salem historical photos, newspaper clippings.

 4 apx 12x17 in. Elderberries

"Detective Work" (letters, gathering of Herbarium materials, etc.) in trying to establish a new elderberry.

 5 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 6 5 apx 12x17 in. Largest tree ever cut in Oregon 5 apx 12x17 in. Early logging methods

Ox teams, skid roads, donkey engines, trestles, railroads, yard engines.

 6 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 7 6 apx 12x17 in. Mountain Alder 6 apx 12x17 in. Red Alder 6 apx 12x17 in. Cut-leaf Alder 6 apx 12x17 in. Sitka Alder

Growth on Saddle Mountain.

 6 apx 12x17 in. White Alder 7 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 8 7 apx 12x17 in. Blue Blossom (Blue Myrtle) 7 apx 12x17 in. Buffalo Berry

Growth in Harney County

Alvord County

 7 apx 12x17 in. Dogwood 7 apx 12x17 in. Tasseltree, Silktassel 7 apx 12x17 in. Madrone 7 apx 12x17 in. Kinnikinik, Heather, Manzanita, Huckleberry 7 apx 12x17 in. Rhododendron 7 apx 12x17 in. Azalea 8 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 9 8 apx 12x17 in. Syringa 8 apx 12x17 in. Rose 8 apx 12x17 in. Evergreen Blackberry 8 apx 12x17 in. Birchleaf Mountain Mahogany 8 apx 12x17 in. Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany 8 apx 12x17 in. Oregon Crabapple 8 apx 12x17 in. Western Serviceberry 8 apx 12x17 in. Black Haw (Hawthorn) 8 apx 12x17 in. Columbia Haw 8 apx 12x17 in. Bitter cherry 8 apx 12x17 in. Chokeberry 8 apx 12x17 in. Wild Plum 9 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 10 9 apx 12x17 in. Douglas Maple 9 apx 12x17 in. Bigleaf Maple or Broadleaf Maple

Maple burls and veneers

PowWow tree

 9 apx 12x17 in. Kimball Maple 9 apx 12x17 in. Vine Maple

Phantom Bridge

Silver Creek Falls

 9 apx 12x17 in. Cascara Buckhorn or Chittim 10 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 11 10 apx 12x17 in. Chinquapin 10 apx 12x17 in. Western Hackberry 10 apx 12x17 in. Oregon Grape 10 apx 12x17 in. Oregon Myrtle (California Laurel) 10 apx 12x17 in. Avocado 11 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 12 11 apx 12x17 in. Aspen 11 apx 12x17 in. Black Cottonwood 12 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 13 12 apx 12x17 in. Redwood

Fossils

Redwood Highway (photos from 1926)

Metasequoia

 13 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 14 13 apx 12x17 in. Old Forestry Building, Portland

Lewis and Clark Exposition, 1905

 13 apx 12x17 in. Old logging photos and postcards 13 apx 12x17 in. Cordwood, wood-burning stoves, furnaces 13 apx 12x17 in. Virgin Douglas fir photos, postcards 13 apx 12x17 in. Southeast corner of Oregon 14 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 15 14 apx 12x17 in. Forest Fires

Tillamook Burn, 1933, 1945.

 14 apx 12x17 in. Photos, wood samples 14 apx 12x17 in. Witchbroom on Douglas fir 14 apx 12x17 in. Mistletoe 15 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 16 15 apx 12x17 in. California Juniper 15 apx 12x17 in. Dwarf Juniper 15 apx 12x17 in. Rocky Mountain Juniper 15 apx 12x17 in. Western Juniper 15 apx 12x17 in. Robinson Juniper

Matthew's part in naming new specimen.

 16 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 17 apx 12x17 in. 16 Early Roads in Oregon 16 apx 12x17 in. "Life Zones" in Oregon 17 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 18 17 apx 12x17 in. Determinants of Vegetation

Rainfall

Soil

Latitude

 17 apx 12x17 in. Fire 17 apx 12x17 in. Logging 18 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 19 18 apx 12x17 in. Alpine Larch 18 apx 12x17 in. Western Larch 18 apx 12x17 in. Tamaracks 18 apx 12x17 in. Mountain Hemlock

Crater Lake

Buried forests

 19 apx 12x17 in. Scrapbook 20 19 apx 12x17 in. Western Hemlock 19 apx 12x17 in. Paper Industry 20 Scrapbook 21 20 Tanoak 20 Oregon White Oak

Pioneer cemeteries

Various large or historic oaks in Oregon

 20 Scrapbook 22 20 California Black Oak 20 Canyon Live Oak 20 Dwarf Oak 20 Oracle Oak 20 Scrapbook 23 20 Western Red Cedar

Shingle cutting

 20 Hogan Cedar 21 Scrapbook 24 21 Alaska Cedar (Alaska Yellow Cedar) 21 Port Orford Cedar 21 Scrapbook 25 21 Sitka Spruce

"Wart" trees

Weeping form

Oregon Coast - photographs

 21 Scrapbook 26 21 Weeping Spruce

Siskiyou National Forest - Miller Lake area

"Great trees"

 21 Scrapbook 27 21 Engelmann Spruce 21 Steamboats, beach scenes 22 Scrapbook 28 22 Ponderosa Pine

Early logging photos

 22 Scrapbook 29 22 Sugar Pine 22 Western White Pine 22 Whitebark Pine

Bonsai trees

 22 Scrapbook 30 22 Pacific Yew

Bows and arrows

 22 Florida Yew 22 Coast (or Beach) Pine 22 Digger Pine 22 Jeffrey Pine 22 Knobcone Pine 22 Scrapbook 31 22 Limber Pine 22 Spiral grain in trees 22 Bristlecone Pine 22 Lodgepole Pine 23 Scrapbook 32 23 Douglas fir -- big trees 23 Early surveying in Oregon 23 Coos Bay, lumber port 23 Scrapbook 33 23 Uses of Douglas fir

Chips, Christmas trees, cooperage, ship's decking, doors, drugs, javelins, piling, sawdust, plywood, tanning, veneer, etc.

 23 Enemies of Douglas fir 23 Scrapbook 34 23 Origin of Christmas Tree 23 Alpine Fir 23 Silver Fir 23 Lowland White Fir 23 Scrapbook 35 23 Red Fir 23 Shasta Fir 23 White Fir 24 Scrapbook 36 24 Douglas fir

Shipping

Big trees

Log rafts

Pole business

 24 Scrapbook 37 24 Discovery of Matthew's Cypress, Cupressis Bakeri subsp. Matthewsii 24 Monterey Cypress 24 Miller Lake area, Southwest Oregon 24 Scrapbook 38 24 Matthews Cypress 24 McNab Cypress 24 Baker Cypress 24 (Botanical Notes, many from specimens gathered by Matthews) 24 Scrapbook 39 24 Matthews Cypress 25 Scrapbook 40 25 apx 12x17 in. Matthews Cypress 25 Scrapbook 41 25 apx 12x17 in. Matthews Cypress, arranged by area of growth Unnumbered Scrapbooks 24 National Forest Maps 25 apx 12x17 in. Big trees, vol. I and II Series II Logs 1928-1967 26 1932-1939 27 1940-1946, 1928, 1931 28 1947-1955 29 1956-1967 Series III Publications 1948 25 "The New World Cypresses" by Carl B. Wolf and Willis E. Wagener 1948