"All The Water for All the Land"
Remaking
Community:
McNary Dam
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Go To The Source and Questions to Consider:
Hermiston
Herald article, "Depot Brings
Dramatic Changes to Town," Tuesday, Dec. 1, 1998
How did building the munitions depot change the community
of Hermiston?
Donna
Fuzi, depot employee for 18 years, discusses the 1944 blast
In
what ways does this oral history add to the story of the 1944 accident?
Speech
of Walter M. Pierce in the House of Representatives, 1939
What
are the justifications for a dam at the Umatilla Rapids? What is the relationship
between McNary Dam and Bonneville Dam, according to Walter M. Pierce?
How does Mr. Pierce negate any objections to the dam?
Hermiston
Herald article,
March 5, 1953 - Group Seeks Full Utilization of McNary Features"
Why did the Umatilla Rapids Association form in the 1920s, according to
Elmer Dodd? Did they achieve their goals?
"McNary
Dam Past, Present and Future" In the Sage Hen, McNary Dam Newsletter,
circa 1951
Why
did the river closure at McNary Dam gain national attention?
"McNary
Lock Opens with Ceremony" in the Sage Hen, McNary
Dam Newsletter, circa 1951
In what ways was the opening of McNary Lock sensationalized?
"Progress
Motion Pictures at McNary Dam" in the Sage Hen, McNary Dam Newsletter,
circa 1951
What kinds of films did
the Army Corps of Engineers produce?
"High-Lights
And Gutter-Shots" in the Sage Hen, McNary Dam Newsletter, circa 1951
What does this article tell you about physical methods of dam construction?
What does it say about work and community?
"Control
of the River" - from a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Report
How did the Corps of Engineers manipulate the river during construction?
Do you think the river can be controlled?
"Construction"
in "The Sage Hen," McNary Dam Newsletter, circa 1951
What justifications for building McNary Dam are provided in this article?
What problems were faced by the contractor during construction? How were
they solved?
"Flood,"
in "The Sage Hen," McNary Dam Newsletter, circa 1951
What effect did the 1948
flood have on building McNary Dam?
"We
Map the Future or Panning Planning" in the Sage Hen, McNary Dam Newsletter,
circal 1951
What role does the planning department play in dam building? How does
it view itself in relation to other departments? To the river?
Oregon
Business Review article - "McNary
Power Needed for Supersonic Research"
How does this plan for
use of McNary power fit into other justifications for building the dam?
What groups oppose building the dam? Why?
Oregon
Business Review article - "Dams
Threaten West Coast Fisheries Industry," by Dr. P.R. Needham
What does Needham say
will happen if comprehensive Columbia River development is completed?
Are fish hatcheries a solution, according to Needham? Why or why not?
What are Needham's main arguments against further dam building?
Hermiston
Herald article,
Feb. 10, 1955 - "Effect of McNary Dam on Fingerlings Draws Study"
What does this article
reveal about the state of fisheries biology in 1955? What is the ultimate
aim of the testing?
"Janis
Paige" in the "Sage Hen," McNary Dam Newsletter, circa
1951
Why was Janis Paige present
at the dedication ceremony? What does this article tell you about women's
roles?
Ernabel
Mittelsdorf recalls Dedication Day
What does Ernabel Mittelsdorf
remember about dedication day?
"dedication
day" in the "Sage Hen," McNary Dam Newsletter, circa 1951
How did the community
participate in the dedication?
The
Story of Charles McNary
What does the story of
McNary's life reveal about why the Umatilla dam is named after him?
Umatilla
and neighboring Morrow County population data, 1900-1993
How do these population statistics
relate to economic and social changes in Umatilla County communities?
Hermiston
growth in the Elmer Dodd scrapbook
What does this image tell
you about regional growth?
Umatilla
High School History
How
does the Umatilla High School reveal changes in the community?
Spokane
Review article - "Paper Owls Give Pigeons the Bird"
How
does this article reflect unforeseen problems at McNary Dam?
Oral
History transcript of Ernabel Mittelsdorf and Gloria Lampkin, April 9,
1999 Interview
What
does Ernabel Mittelsdorf's story tell you about community involvement
in McNary Dam?
Oregonian article, "New City
of McNary Developed at Damsite to Take Care of Workers
How did the housing crunch at Bonneville Dam during
construction affect expectations at McNary? What was different about the
situtations at the two dams? What was similar?
"McNary Townsite" in "The
Sage Hen," McNary Dam Newsletter, circa 1951
What does this article tell you about federal housing?
How were homes moved from Vancouver to McNary City?
John
M. Allison discusses project towns in "The Sage Hen," McNary
Dam Newsletter, circa 1951
What
does Allison say is the real justification for development of the Columbia
River Basin?
Selections
from Co-En-Da Cookbook
What
does the Co-En-Da Cookbook tell you about women's community during the
dam building era? How do the images and text reflect women's roles during
the dam building era?
"Letter by Ernie Rosholt" outgoing
president of the McNary Recreation Association " in "The Sage
Hen," McNary Dam Newsletter, circa 1951
What activities did the Recreation Association organize?
McNary Dam Dedication Program
What benefits to the region are outlined in the program?
Documents from the Elmer Dodd Scrapbooks
What does Elmer Dodd's life story tell you about his
involvement in pushing for McNary Dam?
Recording
of President Eisenhower's Dedication speech
What does President Eisenhower consider the most critical issues in Columbia
River development? How do they compare to the concerns of local people?
"McNary
Dam" in a Report on a Proposed Highway Bridge Across the Columbia
River
What relationship does McNary Dam have to the proposed
Umatilla Bridge?
Ferry
and Traffic Statistics
What
type of vehicle had the second highest rate of crossing on the Umatilla
and Paterson ferries? What does this indicate about the local economy?
Hermiston
Herald articles planning the Umatilla Bridge
Who
was most active in pushing for a bridge at Umatilla? Why?
The McNary Dam Townsite brochure
What does this brochure demonstrate about the relationship
between the community of Umatilla and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation?
Public Law 85-186, An Act to stimulate
industrial development near Indian reservations
What are the principal provisions of Public Law 85-186?
Report No. 91-1293 To Release and Convey
the Reversionary Interest of the U.S in. . . McNary Dam Townsite
How did the McNary Townsite come under jurisdiction
of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation? What stipulation
did the tribes have for the lessees of the land?
Oregon
Business Review article - "Power
Shortage Critical in Pacific Northwest"
What forces led
to a "power shortage" in the Pacific Northwest? Based on comparisons
with other documents, do you think they are legitimate?
Hermiston
Herald article - "Effect
of McNary Dam on Fingerlings Draws Study"
To what
factors does the resident biologist attribute deaths of salmonids?
Hermiston
Herald article - "Group seeks
full utilization of McNary Features"
How do efforts to
"utilize" McNary's features compare to the original justifications
for the dam? Why was this an issue in 1953?
Report
to Hearing Conducted by Reclamation Bureau and Corps of Army Engineers,
May 20, 1955, by Elmer Dodd
What is Elmer Dodd's main
focus in 1955?
General Questions To Consider:
What forces changed the
justifications for McNary Dam during its construction and how did they
compare to earlier justifications?
What relationship did the
dam builders and community members have with the Columbia River?
What relationship did
the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation have to the
community of Umatilla and McNary Dam?
In what ways did this era of expansion benefit the community of Umatilla?
What were the drawbacks?
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