Oral history interview with Charles Digregorio

Collection

Identifier: SR 2527

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Charles Digregorio was conducted by Jim Strassmaier in Portland, Oregon, on April 4, 2001, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library’s oral history program. A transcript is available.

In this interview, Digregorio describes how he became the first oral historian at the Oregon Historical Society and talks about his experience studying oral history at Columbia University in New York, New York. He talks about oral history interviews he conducted for the historical society, particularly a series of interviews regarding Willamette Industries; shares his interviewing process; and discusses how the oral history program was funded. He shares his reasons for leaving the Oregon Historical Society. He closes the interview by talking about the people he worked with at the society’s research library.

Dates

2001 April 4

Creator

Digregorio, Charles (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, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Biographical note

Charles Dominic Chester Digregorio was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1950. In 1972, he earned a bachelor’s degree in French literature from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. In 1974, he briefly worked at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. The next year, he studied oral history at Columbia University in New York City, then returned to Portland and became the first oral historian at the Oregon Historical Society. During that time, he was also an adjunct professor at Portland State University. In 1979, Digregorio became the customer service manager for Pendleton Woolen Mills, and later became the company’s marketing manager. In 1990, he began working for Coldwell Banker Commercial, which later became C.B. Richard Ellis. In 2013, he joined the investment and real estate firm Norris & Stevens, Inc., and later became a vice president for the company.

Digregorio married Hilde Muerth in 1983, and they had two children.

Sources: Information provided by Digregorio in his interview and in a 2023 telephone conversation.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (2 audiocassettes (1 hr., 9 min., 55 sec.) + transcript (26 pages))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Charles Digregorio conducted by Jim Strassmaier on April 4, 2001. Digregorio discusses his career as the first oral historian at the Oregon Historical Society from 1975 to 1979.

Existence and Location of Copies

Audio and transcript are available online in OHS Digital Collections.

Related Materials

Approximately 160 oral histories conducted by Digregorio for the Oregon Historical Society, including ones discussed in this interview, are also held by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.