Back to Oregon Firsts page Ordering Information InfoQuest! home page

Description of the Cover of Oregon Firsts: Past and Present
By James Andrew Long

The cover is a composite photo of a number of photos significant in Oregon history.

The 23-foot Pioneer gilded in gold atop the Oregon Capitol faces north, looks west, reflects a blue sky, and is unique. Most states have capitols with domes, and only a few other state capitols have a statue on top. Oregon is the only state with a pioneer on its capitol. The gold-covered Pioneer, which represents the women, childre, and men who came to Oregon, holds a tent over his shoulder and a sledge-ax for construction. Thousands of Oregon schoolchildren donated nickels and dimes (about $40,000) to pay for regilding of the 8.5 ton statue and its base in 1984. The statue moved one-eight inch to the east during the earthquake on March 25, 1993.

Thirty members of the Harney County "Sagebrush Symphony" (in Burns) on the largest wooden violin before a musical trip to the Willamette Valley in 1915. Harney County is so big (10,288 suqare miles), that the states of Rhode Island, Delaware, and Connecticut combined could fit inside it.

Portland was chosen to host the Olympic basketball Tournament of the Americas. The cover photo shows the Venezuela team and the first USA "Dream Team," felt to be the best baskeball team ever assembled, and thousands of local fans before the tournament championship game on July 5, 1992, in the Memorial Colliseum, Portland.

Joseph Lafayette Meek was a mountain man and public official with many Oregon Country and Territorial "firsts."

Refundable can with non-detachable tab.

Description of the Cover of Marching Forward: Northwest Women's Firsts - 1,444 Role Models
By James Andrew Long

The cover of Marching Forwad contains the photos of many outstanding Oregon and Washington female role models. (Photo is not currently available.)

Background Photo: On July 19, 1894 mountain climbers from Oregon and Washington ascending Cooper Spur on Mount Hood. 38 women and 155 men made it to the summit of Mount Hood that day. The total background picture includes Della Watson, Ida Foss, Olive Hartley,M.D., Alice Mercer, Mrs. McClure, and Mrs. McIsaac.

Individual photos, from top, left to right: Abigail Scott Duniway voting, Mazamas Organizing Party, Bethenia Owens Adair, Kathryn Bogle, Gladys McCoy, Katy Steding, Caroline Gleason, Christine Gregoire, Dorothy McCullough Lee, Vera Katz, Sona Murphy, Carolyn Shelton, Sandra Rowe, Nanyc Ryles, Mother Joseph, Susan Helms, Rose Marie Scott, Beatrice Cannady, Sherry Sheng, Tonei Nathan, Chief Annette Sandberg, Sister John Mary Lane, Blanche Moore Hodge, Mercedes Deiz, Laurie Smith, Betty Roberts, Jean Lewis, Helen Frye, and Kathleen Nachtigal.

Women in the Washington State Sensate in 1995 (21):
Top row, left to right: Jeannette Wood, Rosa Franklin, Patricia Hales, Pam Roach, Ann Anderson, Harriet Spanel, Lorraine Wojahn, Jeanine Long, Mary Margaret Haugen, Darlene Fairley, Kathleen Drew.
Back row: Rosemary McAuliffe, Shrley Winsley, Betti Sheldon, Nita Rinehart, Valoria Loveland, Margarita Prentice, Karen Fraser, Marilyn Rasmussen, Jeanne Kohl, Pat Thibaudeau.

Women in the Washington State House of Representatives (44) (including some former members), in House Chambers, Olympia, on April 21, 1995.
Front row, left to right: Joanne Brekke, Mary Skinner, Mary Lux, Cathy Pearsall-Stipek, Cheryl Hymes, Sarah Casada, Peggy Johnson, Cathy Morris, Joyce Mulliken, Val Ogden, Betty Sue Morris, Barbara Cothern, Delores Teutsch, Lois McMahan, Nany Rust, Dawn Mason, Lynn Kessler, Helen Sommers, Jeralita Costa, Sandra Romero, Partricia Scott, Tracey Eide, Julia Patterson, Lisa Brown, Mary Lou Dickerson, Georgette Valle, Cathy Wolfe, Grace Cole, Pat Thibaudeau, Eileen Cody.
Back row, left to right: Lorraine Hine, Marion Kyle Sherman, Carol Monohan, Audrey Gruger, Gigi Talcott, Kathy Lambert, Val Stevens, Kathryn Epton, Jean Silver, Renee Radcliff, Karen Schmidt, Maryann Mitchell, Mary Skinner, Debbie Regala, Velma Veloria, Ruth Fisher.

Back cover photo
First licensed women jockeys in Oregon after first race: Marjorie Elliot, Gwen Baze, winner Doloris Thomas, Alice Todd, Alma Rossell, Irene Zollinger, and Eleanor Dean. The officials at race were Doris Hansen and Janet (Ellen) Wineberg.
Oregon's first doctor was Bethenia Owens Adair, who also practiced in Yakima, Washington.

Back to Oregon Firsts page Ordering Information InfoQuest! home page