Oral history interview with Margaret Biddle Parker, 1974 December 31-1975 January 15

This oral history interview with Margaret Biddle Parker was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, in two sessions, on December 31, 1974, and January 15, 1975, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library. In addition to the audio recording, a transcript of the interview is available.

In the first interview session, conducted on December 31, 1974, Parker discusses her family background, particularly the life of her mother, Margaret Burrell Biddle. She talks about her early life in Portland, including her education at Catlin Gabel School. She also talks about spending formative years in Berlin, Germany. She discusses her college experience at the University of California in Berkeley, then talks about her marriage to Portland architect Jamieson Parker. She shares her experiences during the Depression.

In the second interview session, conducted on January 15, 1975, Parker discusses the life and career of Jamieson Parker, describes buildings he designed in the 1920s, and talks about his work for the Historic American Buildings Survey in the 1930s. She speaks about their marriage and family life, revisits the topic of the life of her mother, Margaret Burrell Biddle, and talks about her own social life and recreational activities. She closes the interview by discussing working and raising her children after Jamieson Parker's death in 1939, and by talking about her volunteer work after her retirement.