This oral history interview with Walter H. Evans, III, was conducted by Jim Strassmaier in three sessions from June 6 to June 9, 1988, in Washington, D.C., as part of the Senator Mark O. Hatfield Oral History Project. The audio is incomplete; Tape 3 was discovered to be blank in 2020. That portion of the interview is reflected in a transcript included with the interview.

In this interview session, Evans discusses his family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, including the legal career of his father. He speaks briefly about attending the University of Oregon and the Willamette University College of Law. He also talks about his friendship with Gerry Frank and about becoming part of U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield’s staff. He describes his duties as a legislative aide, then a press aide, and as legal counsel to Hatfield. He talks about other members of Hatfield’s staff; Hatfield’s relationship with other senators; and Hatfield’s opposition to the Vietnam War. He speaks at length about Hatfield’s personality and ethics, and about legislation that Hatfield worked on. Evans speaks extensively about Hatfield’s 1972 re-election campaign. He discusses Hatfield’s relationship to the national Republican Party. He talks about communicating with the press as part of his job, and about Hatfield’s handling of the Watergate scandal. Evans closes the interview by discussing Hatfield’s home and family life.