Skip to main content

Dielman's Essays on Eastern Oregon History

A variety of essays on Oregon history and culture written by local historian Gary Dielman.

Oregon Trail and Trains

Eastern Oregon Before the Oregon Trail.pdf1864 Baker City Township Map.pdfLone Pine of the Oregon Trail.pdfSpeech to Baker County Historical Society About the Oregon Trail.pdfSpeech to National Oregon Trail Interpretive Center Siting Committee.pdfSlough House Stage Stop.pdf1866 Oregon Trail Diary of Delila Wait.pdfRobert Stuart Discovers the Future Route of the Oregon Trail.pdfEzra Meeker, Pioneer of 1852 and Later Promoter of Oregon Trail Monuments.pdf

Late 1800’s

William Henderson Packwood, Baker County’s Pioneering Entrepreneur.pdf1864 Diary of James W Virtue at Clarksville and Auburn.pdfDurkee, Virtue, and Dooley, 1878 Assault With a Deadly Weapon Case.pdf4th of July and Other Celebrations at Auburn in 1864.pdfReputed Dixie Creek Hanging Tree, Was Anyone Ever Hanged on the Tree.pdfTranscontinental Railroad Completed Near Huntington in November 1884.pdfBaker City Newsman Takes a Train Ride on New Transcontinental Railroad.pdfHigh Finance in New York City Nixes Narrow Gauge Railroad in Eastern Oregon.pdfMurder of E. D. Cohen (Seligmann Heilner) on Main Street in 1886.pdfFatal Shooting in Saloon in Bourne in 1888.pdfFrench Family Tragedy, All Seven Members Die When Goodrich Dam Bursts in 1888.pdf130 Years of Neuberger Merchants in Baker City, 1874-2004.pdfJohn Rand, Baker City Lawyer and Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice.pdfBaker County's McCarty Gang.pdf

Early 1900’s

Former Baker County Sheriff Alfred H. Huntington Charged With Embezzlement in 1902.pdf1904 Hanging of Pleasant Armstrong, Only Person Legally Hanged in Baker County.pdfMorning Democrat and Baker City Herald Rivalry Before Their Merger in 1929.pdfFormer Baker County Sheriff Harvey K Brown, Assassinated on September 30, 1907.pdfDan Kelly, Baker Boy’s 1906 World Record in 100-yard Dash Not Broken for 23 Years.pdfConstruction of Smith Ditch, 1905-1906.pdfLynching of Transient at Audrey in 1914.pdfThe Founding of Copperfield in 1907.pdfThe Reputed Lawless Town of Copperfield.pdfFern Hobbs, Former Baker City Woman Sent by Governor to Tame Copperfield in 1914.pdfKillamaque Reservior burst in 1917.pdf

Baker City

Four Founding Fathers of Baker City.pdfBaker's Japanese Community 1900-1942.pdfChinatown, Baker City’s Chinese Ghetto for Over 110 Years.pdfJuvenile Hose Company No. 3, Its Firefighting Club Journal from 1890 to 1898.pdfShort History of Old Post Office Square.pdf1700 Block of Main Street, Its Burning and Subsequent Rise from the Ashes.pdfJames Faull Mansion on 4th Street, Victim of Teenager’s Arson in 1908.pdfTenderloin District, Prostitution Was Illegal but Condoned Until 1906.pdfGeiser-Pollman Park, Baker City’s First Public Park was Established in 1908.pdfRand Building on NW Corner of 1st and Washington, Built in 1906, Burned down in 1985.pdfTense Race Relations in Baker City in 1908.pdfHelen M Stack, Pioneering Baker City Educator.pdfMacDowell Club, Sponsor of Music Programs in Baker City for Over 20 Years.pdf

Royal Cafe 1936-1990 (Article removed on 2/28/24 pending redaction of images per family request)

Library note (2/8/2024):  Mary Lou Eng has objections to various facts, characterizations, and attributions in Dielman's "Royal Cafe" article and alleges unauthorized use of certain images.  Family members who would prefer that specific images of themselves used in the article be redacted, are welcome to contact the Library Director to request removal.  Ms. Eng was invited to submit a personal statement about the "Royal Cafe" article.

Update (2/28/2024):  Ms. Eng's letter of objection to the Royal Cafe article was received by email on 2/27/2024 and is posted here to supplement the record.

Complaint_2024-02_Eng_Mary_Lou_Dielman_Royal_Cafe_Article.pdf

 

WWII

40th Anniversary of WWII, 13 Baker County Men’s Military Service Remembered.pdfCarl Kostol WWII Bomber Pilot in China.pdfPat Morrissey at Battle of the Bulge.pdfJohn William Studer, KIA during Marine Assault of South Pacific Island of Bougainville.pdfSinking of the Shinyo Maru.pdf

Recent History

Baker High School Fire, Valentine’s Day 1989.pdfBob Armstrong, Baker City’s Whistling Mailman.pdfVolunteers Program at Powder River Correctional Facility.pdfJames Reedy’s Abduction of Ann Ward, October 13, 1998.pdfMemoir, Growing up in the National Guard Armory.pdfMemoir, Lone Pine Above Baker City.pdfMemoir, Powder River Playground.pdfMemoir, Working at the Democrat-Herald Newspaper.pdf

Family History

Edna_Rogers_Harrell_Family_history.pdf

Photograph Collections

Baker County Library's Historic Photo Collection.pdfDiscovering Gold in Baker County Library’s Historic Photos.pdfHugh Denham Photo Collection.pdfBrinton Family Donates Photos and Negatives to Baker County Library.pdfJohn Croghan Photo Collection Donated to Baker County Library.pdf