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Scoggins Valley Dam Symposium Records

 Collection
Identifier: RG-5-12

Scope and Contents

This collection includes documents, images and recordings related to the Symposium, including: the grant application for the symposium, planning documents, programs, position papers, registration records, speeches, completed evaluations, news clippings and mailing lists. Printed copies of the Bureau of Reclamation's environmental impact reports that were prepared for the dam project are also present. These textual documents are arranged roughly by their chronological order of creation. Other media including audio recordings of the proceedings, slides and transparencies are placed at the end of the collection. Scans of the slides, which include about 60 images of Scoggins Valley and surrounding areas in Washington County, are available online at: http://washingtoncountyheritage.org/cdm/search/searchterm/(RG.5.12)

Dates

  • 1972-1977

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Pacific University owns the copyright to some, but not all, of the materials housed in its archives. Copyright for materials authored or otherwise produced as official business of Pacific University is retained by Pacific University and requires its permission for publication. Copyright status for other collection materials varies. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Historical Note

In 1973, Pacific University hosted a symposium on the impending creation of the Scoggins Valley Dam, which would flood a nearby rural valley in order to create a reservoir for Washington County, Oregon. This project came at a time when many area residents were concerned about the rapid development of the county at the expense of prime farm lands. Titled "Man and the Land: Humanistic Perspectives on the Uses of Land," the symposium was funded by a grant from the Joint Committee for the Humanities in Oregon and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dr. Walter Reif, a professor of philosophy and religion, was the director. The organizers of the symposium intended to bring together a variety of perspectives on the dam project, giving attention to local residents as well as business, development, agricultural, historical and recreational interests. As the grant proposal stated, it was held in order to "afford the citizenry of Washington County the opportunity to learn more about the implications of the dam project and to stimulate discussion around those values toward land found in the humanistic tradition." Approximately 130 people attended.

Contributors to the symposium included: Congressman Wendell Wyatt; the Forest Grove City Planner; the Wildlife Editor of the Oregonian; a biologist from the State Game Commission; representatives from the Oregon Student Public Interest Group (OSPIRG); a speaker from the Washington County Historical Society; an industrial forester; the director of the Oregon Recreation Trails System; numerous Pacific University faculty members; and others. They discussed the pros and cons of the plans to build the dam on Scoggins Creek. This plan, funded by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, was ultimately completed in 1975, displacing residents of Scoggins Valley and creating Henry Hagg Lake.

Extent

1.1 Cubic Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Summary

In 1973, Pacific University hosted a symposium on the impending creation of the Scoggins Valley Dam. This project would flood a nearby rural valley in order to create a reservoir for Washington County, Oregon. The collection includes planning documents, programs, speeches, evaluations from audience members, copies of the environmental impact reports, color slides, audio recordings and other material, forming a record of opinion on the creation of the dam from various interest groups.

Location

Oversized maps are stored in Oversize Drawer 6.

Accruals

No accruals are expected.

Title
Guide to the Scoggins Valley Dam Symposium Records
Status
Completed
Author
Eva Guggemos
Date
2013
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.
Sponsor
Sponsored by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission

Repository Details

Part of the Pacific University Archives Repository

Contact:
2043 College Way
Forest Grove OR 97116 United States