Dorothy Knittel letter about windstorm in Portland

Collection

Identifier: Coll857

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of a three-page letter from Dorothy Knittel of Portland, Oregon, to Robert W. Jorg, a private in the Army Air Corps stationed at Sheppard Field, Texas. In the letter, dated December 5, 1945, Knittel describes walking to downtown Portland with her friends after school the previous day, when a windstorm came. She notes having witnessed the windows of the second story of the Portland Outdoor Store being blown out, and writes that the power lines in her neighborhood were felled.

Dates

1945 December 5

Creator

Knittel, Dorothy (Person)

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

On December 4, 1945, a "sou'wester" windstorm blew from Washington State to the San Francisco Bay Area. This storm reached gusts of 60 to 70 miles per hour in the Puget Lowlands, over 70 miles per hour in the Willamette Valley, and over 80 miles per hour along the Washington and Oregon coasts. The storm damaged property and felled trees and power lines. The storm killed three people, including one person at the Vancouver Army Barracks.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder in shared box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Letter from Dorothy Knittel to Robert W. Jorg, in which she describes her experiences in a windstorm the previous day. The windstorm blew from Washington State to the San Francisco Bay Area, reaching gusts over 70 miles per hour in the Willamette Valley and causing property damage and power outages in the Portland area.