Oral history interview with Forrest T. Berg

Collection

Identifier: SR 9412

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Forrest T. Berg was conducted by Charles Digregorio on November 6, 1978, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library’s oral history program.

In this interview, Berg discusses his family background and early life in the San Francisco Bay Area, including his experiences working in department stores in San Francisco. He talks about moving to Portland, Oregon, in the 1920s to work for his father’s clothing store, the Charles F. Berg Company. He also briefly talks about the career of his half-sister, Caroline Berg. He describes building the Chumley clothing line for women, talks about marketing the Charles F. Berg clothing store, and discusses how the clothing retail industry changed over the 20th century. He talks about his involvement with several civic organizations, including the Portland Chamber of Commerce and the Boys Club of America. He closes the interview by discussing the construction of the Timberline Lodge.

Dates

1978 November 6

Creator

Berg, Forrest T. (Forrest Talbot), 1901-1997 (Interviewee, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the estate of Forrest T. Berg. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/

Biographical note

Forrest Talbot Berg was born in San Francisco, California, in 1901. In the 1920s, he moved to Portland, Oregon, and worked at the Charles F. Berg Company, his father's clothing store. He created the Chumley clothing line, served as director of the Portland Ad Club, and sat on the board of the Retail Trade Bureau of the Portland Chamber of Commerce. He was also a national director for the National Retail Association of America. During World War II, he was a lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol. He died in 1997.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (57 min., 40 sec.))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Forrest T. Berg conducted by Charles Digregorio on November 6, 1978. Berg discusses his work as a clothier, and particularly the Charles F. Berg Company, his father's clothing store in Portland, Oregon.

Existence and Location of Copies

Audio available online in OHS Digital Collections.

Related Materials

The Oregon Historical Society Research Library also holds the Charles Berg records, Mss 2512; a collection of Charles F. Berg Company advertisements, Coll 772; and the Charles F. Berg photographs collection, Org. Lot 103.