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Henry E. Reed Papers, 1855-1943

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Reed, Henry E., 1866-1947
Title
Henry E. Reed Papers
Dates
1855-1943 (inclusive)
1893-1943 (bulk)
Quantity
4 cubic feet, (8 document cases), (1 v.), (1 oversize folder)
Collection Number
Mss 383
Summary
Papers of a journalist, public official, and realtor of Portland, Oregon. Includes correspondence relating to his work as publicist for the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition and for the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Also includes papers relating to taxation, real estate valuation, and the history of Portland.
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

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Henry E. Reed was born on September 14, 1866 in Brooklyn, New York, to Phillip and Catherine (Sexton) Reed. The Reed family left New York and, after a brief stay in San Francisco, settled in Portland, Oregon, on March 1, 1871. Henry Reed attended Portland public schools and in his final year of high school, he accepted work as a printer’s apprentice. This position served as a stepping stone into what would become a significant career in journalism. Reed was employed by the Northwest Daily News in 1883, and aggressively worked his way up through the ranks. In 1887, he brought attention to himself by scooping the Oregonian on a lead story. Subsequently, the Oregonian offered him a significant pay raise, and Reed accepted. He would stay with the paper until 1901.

After leaving journalism, Reed entered public service by becoming the Assistant Secretary of the Portland Chamber of Commerce (1901-1903). In 1903, he became Director of Exploitation (head of public relations) for the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition, and also served as Secretary of the fair corporation. This experience led to employment as director of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle, from which Reed eventually resigned over a pay dispute in 1909. In 1906, he was a founding member of the Portland Realty Board, and would remain a member for the duration of his life. Reed also served two terms as the Multnomah County Assessor (1912 and 1916), a position which ultimately qualified him as a nationally recognized expert on taxation and real estate value assessment.

Other positions held by Reed included: manager of the Red Cross and Liberty Loans campaigns (1917-1919), director of the Portland Chamber of Commerce (1915-1917), director of the 1919 Rose Festival, and Vice President of the Portland City Planning Commission (1923-1933). He was also a life long lover of history and was considered a valuable resource on the history of regional development and geography. In his later years, he served as Secretary of the Oregon Historical Society from 1938-1945. Reed died of prostate cancer on September 22, 1947, at the Physicians and Surgeons Hospital. He was 81 years old.

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Content Description

The collection primarily documents Henry Reed's involvement with the expositions in Portland and Seattle, as well as his lifelong interests in taxation, real estate valuation, and regional history. The papers represent, in all probability, only a small fraction of the files accumulated by Reed in his lifetime. It is possible that the surviving materials were selected by Reed himself as somehow significant.

The General Correspondence is the most important portion of the collection. The bulk of the materials relate to Reed's work for the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland and the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle. Of special interest is correspondence concerning Reed's dispute with the Seattle fair company and his eventual resignation. Also included are some materials relating to Reed's work at the Oregonian prior to 1902, and his position as Multnomah County Assessor. There is also an exchange regarding Reed's father's medical condition in the 1890s.

The series titled “Historical Notes” relates primarily to topics of Portland and Oregon history. Included are research notes and drafts of articles and speeches. The topics range from physical geography and natural disasters to transportation and municipal affairs. Of special note is a detailed report -- possibly by Reed -- on the methods used to change Portland house numbers between 1930 and 1933.

Two full-length works of Reed are contained in the collection. These are the manuscript to his historical novel Grinding the mill, a story of overland pioneers; and a typescript of his Official History of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, 1908, which provides a detailed look at all aspects of the fair's planning and production.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Henry E. Reed Papers, Mss 383, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Alternative Forms Available

Official History of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition also available on microfilm

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in seven series:

  • Series 1: General Correspondence
  • Series 2: Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition
  • Series 3: Multnomah County Assessor
  • Series 4: Land Transaction Files
  • Series 5: Taxation Files
  • Series 6: Historical Notes
  • Series 7: General Materials

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Henry E. Reed Estate, 1948 April 7 and July 1

Related Materials

Extensive correspondence files of Henry E. Reed as Secretary and Director of Exploitation of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition can be found in the Lewis and Clark Centennial and American Pacific Exposition and Oriental Fair Records, Mss 1609, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Additional papers of Henry E. Reed relating to his work with the Lewis and Clark Centennial Expostion can be found in the John Wilson Room, Multnomah County Central Library, Portland, Or.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Real property—Oregon—Portland—Valuation
  • Street addresses—Oregon—Portland
  • Taxation—Oregon—Portland—History.

Personal Names

  • Reed, Henry E., 1866-1947--Archives (creator)

Corporate Names

  • Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (1909 : Seattle, Wash.)
  • Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition (1905 : Portland, Or.)
  • Multnomah County (Or.) Assessor's Office
  • Oregonian (Firm)

Geographical Names

  • Oregon—History
  • Portland (Or.)—History

Form or Genre Terms

  • Notes
  • Typescripts

Titles within the Collection

  • Official History of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition

Finding aid prepared by Brandon Misok
2004

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