SCARC Collection Strengths
Keywords and Starting Points
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Charter Heslep Papers, 1932-1963 
The Charter Heslep Papers are primarily comprised of materials dating from Heslep's time as an employee of the Atomic Energy Commission. The collection includes correspondence, speeches, ephemera, photographs, and sound recordings relating to Charter Heslep's work with the AEC, with emphasis on his efforts to televise U.S. nuclear tests on behalf of the Commission. Series 1: Correspondence is composed predominantly of letters to and from Charter's wife, Margaret, including extensive correspondence dating from Heslep's observation of nuclear tests in Nevada (1952 and 1953) and the Marshall Islands (1956). Series 3: Ephemera, contains articles written by Heslep on the televising of nuclear tests, several certificates of participation from Oak Ridge Laboratories, Operation Teapot, and Operation Redwing, and a news sheet printed on board the USS Mount McKinley. Series 4: Photographs contains photographs of nuclear test preparations and explosions, as well as photographs of test dummies and buildings, portions of the Nevada Test Site including "News Nob" and Camp Mercury, and photos of work aboard the USS Mount McKinley, an observer ship in the Pacific Proving Grounds during the Redwing tests.
Barton C. Hacker Papers, 1955-1995
The Barton C. Hacker Papers contain reports of and files on radiation exposure by members of the Armed Forces witnessing nuclear weapons tests in the years following World War II, stemming from Hacker's research for projects on dosimetry. Hacker's papers document his career as a historian of radiation safety, and primarily consist of materials related to his service as historian to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Dosimetry Research Project, beginning in 1979. The collection also contains general research materials, committee documents, and conference proceedings and papers. Series 1: Department of Energy Dosimetry Research Project Research Files, contains indexes, document lists, and records surveys of archival documents related to human radiation testing and exposure that Hacker located at various U. S. institutions and organizations, including the Defense Nuclear Agency, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company. It also contains calendars and chronologies of events in radiation history prepared by Hacker to assist in his task of locating and compiling records related to those events. Though the majority of the series are compilations of or lists of records and archival sources, there are some photocopies of archival documents related to Hacker’s work.
Donald Everhart Field Notebooks, 1949-1986
The twenty-seven notebooks that comprise this collection document Everhart's 30-plus year career as a geologist, including his work as Geologic Advisor to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, and subsequent work on Operation Plowshare; field work and site visits done during his years with the International Mineral and Chemical Corporation; and conference attendance. Of special interest is Everhart's 1959 field notebook (Box 2, Folder 2), in which he discusses his work on Operation Plowshare - a project to develop techniques to use nuclear explosives for peaceful construction purposes - including a visit to the Gnome test site near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Everhart visited the Gnome shot site two years in advance of detonation; his notebook documents the types of ore present (langbeinite and sylvinite), the level at which the ores are found, and extraction methods used. He also lays out the general schedule for testing at not only the Gnome site, but also the Oilshale (location not determined) and Oilsands (Athabasca, Canada) project sites.
Robert Dalton Harris, Jr. Collection of Atomic Age Ephemera, 1897-2017
This rich collection of ephemera includes a huge range of materials related to nuclear weapons tests and fallout. These include photographs of tests, speeches, press coverage, publications, commemorative envelopes and letters mailed from test sites, petitions, and certificates of participation in tests.
History of Atomic Energy Collection, 1897-2014
Series 2: Ephemera and Series 4: Artifacts in this collection include rare photographs of Operation Crossroads, as well as commemorative items including a tray and a spoon created for viewers of nuclear tests.
Eugene Starr Papers, 1911-1988
A distinguished scientists and electrical engineer, Starr was selected to be one of twenty scientific observers at Operation Crossroads in 1946, and his papers include a folder of correspondence, ephemera, and other papers related to his attendance at and impressions of that event.
Gilbert Zigler Papers, 1962-2014
Series 4: Ephemera includes six certificates from participating in weapons tests, including Pre-Direct Course, Diamond Beech, Mission Ghost, Misty Rain, and Minor Scale.
At Oregon State and in Oregon 
University Housing and Dining Services Records*
The records of University Housing and Dining Services document the administration of campus housing residence halls and dormitories. In addition to the management of housing, these records also depict student life and culture on campus. Reel 2 Folder 10 has material on OSU's civil defense activities from 1967-1969.
Oregon State University Memorabilia Collection, 1860-present
The Memorabilia Collection is an artificial collection containing items of interest about Oregon State University. Boxes 6, 37, 172 have material about civil defense activities at OSU.
Library Records, 1908-2002*
The Library Records were generated by and pertain to the development and administration of the Library at Oregon State University. In addition to the documentation of policy formulation, compilation of departmental information, committee activity, and other day-to-day administrative tasks these records reflect the Library's interaction with other institutions of higher education, libraries, and professional organizations. Box 50 Folder 37 has materials on the Civil Defense Agency of Benton County from 1967-1969.
College of Engineering Records, 1930-2002
These records were generated and assembled by the College of Engineering and document the administration of the College and the instructional, research, and professional activities of engineering faculty at Oregon State University. Series 1: Dean's Office includes material in Box-Folder 4.4 on the Office of Civil Defense and Mobilization Project.
Chemistry Department Records, 1937-1997
The Chemistry Department Records document the research and graduate programs in chemistry at Oregon State University, primarily in the post-war period of the late 1940s to early 1960s, as well as building renovations and construction in the 1970s. Reel 2.16 contains material on the department's interactions with the Oregon State Civil Defense Agency.
KOAC Records, 1923-2000*
Reel 18, Folder 27-29 has materials on civil defense programming on KOAC during 1964-1965.
Extension Service Records, 1903-2011*
The Extension Service Records pertain to the administration and programmatic activities of the Oregon State University Extension Service. The records document policies and procedures, research activities, special events, and services provided to Oregonians at the state and county levels. They also document the service's relationship with the federal government and extension services in other states. Box 73 has materials on rural civil defense from 1961-1976.
Corvallis and Benton County Maps, 1859-1991
Folder-Item 4.5 includes a map of the community shelter program for 1968, including instructions for response to a nuclear emergency and a map with locations of shelters in Corvallis.
History of Atomic Energy Collection, 1897-2014 
The largest book collection contains hundreds of materials on nuclear weapons testing and fallout that span decades and represent a range of different perspectives and agencies. Highlights include a field handbook for test participants at the Nevada Test Site, early accounts of radioactive fallout and contamination at test sites including the Marshall Islands, government documents from the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy's hearings on radioactive fallout in 1957, and many civil defense publications and guides for citizens explaining protection from fallout in the event of a nuclear war.
Oregon Digital
Coverage for fallout and civil defense in the OSU Barometer, photographs of fallout shelters on campus, and transcripts of interviews with nuclear scientists. OSU President's Office Records detail civil defense activities at OSU.
MediaSpace
Results for civil defense or fallout include oral history interviews, Resident Scholar presentations, and a film of Oregon civil defense activities from 1966.
ScholarsArchive
Results for civil defense or fallout include scanned primary source publications and a wealth of OSU scholarship published on nuclear issues.
