Photographs of aircraft damage in Portland, Oregon, after Columbus Day storm
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of 67 black-and-white photographic prints depicting the aftermath of the Columbus Day windstorm at Portland International Airport and the surrounding area in October 1962. Most of the images show damage to individual small planes, buildings, and cars, and seven images are aerial views. The photographer is unknown.
Dates
- Creation: 1962 October
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Historical Note
The Columbus Day storm struck the Pacific coast on October 12, 1962, extending from Northern California to British Columbia. Oregon received the brunt of the impact. With estimated winds of more than 170 mph it was the most destructive windstorm to hit the West Coast in recorded history, causing more than $200 million in damage and more than 50 fatalities.
Sources: "Columbus Day Storm, 1962," by Jeff LaLande, Oregon Encyclopedia, https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/columbus_day_storm_1962_/; "Columbus Day Storm of 1962," Wikipedia (accessed June 5, 2025), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Day_storm_of_1962
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder in shared document case)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Photographs by an unknown photographer, depicting damage to small planes, cars, and buildings at Portland International Airport and vicinity following the Columbus Day storm in October 1962.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of an anonymous donor, May 2012 (Lib. Acc. 27633).
Existence and Location of Copies
Photographs in this collection are viewable online in OHS Digital Collections.
Subject
- Portland International Airport -- Photographs (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to photographs of aircraft damage in Portland, Oregon, after the Columbus Day storm
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jane Monson
- Date
- 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org