Oral history interview with Eldon E. Bevens

Collection

Identifier: SR 9298

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Eldon E. Bevens was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at the Muir & McDonald Company leather tannery in Dallas, Oregon, on June 20, 1980, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library’s oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds’ name was Linda S. Brody. Bevens’ father, Homer Bevens, was also present and contributed to part of the interview.

In this interview, Bevens gives a tour of the Muir & McDonald Company tannery in Dallas, and discusses the tannery business. He describes the machinery in the tannery, talks about the company's natural tanning process, and discusses the history of the tannery. He also talks about some of the ways the tannery's customers use its leather. He shares his memories of living near and working in the tannery during his early life, and of the tannery’s previous owners. He closes the interview by talking about his plans for the tannery’s future.

The recording ends with a brief interview with Homer Bevens at his home in Dallas. He discusses his experiences working at the Muir & McDonald Company tannery from 1922 to 1977.

Dates

1980 June 20

Creator

Bevens, Eldon E. (Eldon Earl), 1925-2011 (Interviewee, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: Creative Commons - BY-NC-SA, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Biographical note

Eldon Earl Bevens was born in Dallas, Oregon, in 1925. In 1948, he and Lois Eileen Miller were married; they later had two children. At age 13, he began working in the Muir & McDonald Company leather tannery in Dallas, and he later purchased the tannery from Walter Muir. The tannery closed in 2007. Bevens died in 2011.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (1 hr., 3 min., 5 sec.))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Eldon E. Bevens conducted by Linda S. Dodds on June 20, 1980. Bevens owned and operated the Muir & McDonald Company leather tannery in Dallas, Oregon.