Oral history interview with Charles H. Heltzel

Collection

Identifier: SR 9447

Staff Only

Oral history interview with Charles H. Heltzel

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Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Charles H. Heltzel was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on March 2, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society’s research library. A transcript is available.

In this interview, Heltzel discusses his family background, particularly the legal and political career of his father, James Garfield Heltzel. He talks about his early life in Salem, Oregon, including his experiences during the Depression. He then speaks about his career as a lawyer in Salem, and about the civic organizations he was involved with, including the Salem Symphony and Salem Memorial Hospital. He talks about practicing law in Washington, D.C., during the late 1950s, and compares his experiences there with his experiences in Salem. He then discusses his work as public utilities commissioner of Oregon in the 1950s. He shares his thoughts on the future of energy, and talks about his accomplishments while serving on the Salem City Council. He closes the interview by talking about his wife, Muriel Heltzel, about her family background, and about her involvement in civic organizations.

Dates

Creation: 1977 March 2

Creator

Heltzel, Charles H. (Charles Holmstrom), 1914-1997 (Interviewee, Person)
Digregorio, Charles (Interviewer, 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 Charles H. Heltzel. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/

Biographical note

Charles Holmstrom Heltzel was born in Salem, Oregon, in 1914. In 1931, he and Muriel Gabriel were married; they later had four children. In 1938, he earned a law degree from Willamette University. He was a lawyer in Salem, and also practiced with the firm of Smith Grey Hill and Rogers in Washington, D.C., for a short time in the late 1950s. He also served as the public utilities commissioner of Oregon in the 1950s. He died in 1997.

Sources: Vital records on Ancestry.com; information provided by Heltzel during his interview.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (1 hr., 2 min., 23 sec.) + transcript (30 pages))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Charles H. Heltzel conducted by Charles Digregorio on March 2, 1977. Heltzel discusses his career as a lawyer in Salem, Oregon, and in Washington, D.C., as well as his work as the public utilities commissioner of Oregon in the 1950s.