Five life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen and Geoff Somnitz.
July 2015 - March 2016Location: Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center, Klamath Falls, Oregon; and the Valley Library, Oregon State University.
The Klamath Basin has been home to OSU Extension and Experiment Station activities for more than one-hundred years. In July 2015, four interviews conducted at the Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center traced this history, with particular emphasis placed on the work of legendary Extension Agent Charlie Henderson (1892-1969), as well as that of Extension Veterinarian Guy Reynolds (1920-1995). Each of these sessions, as well as a fifth interview conducted in March 2016, touches upon the impact that Extension and Experiment Station work has made on the region and provides perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the Klamath Basin today. Of particular interest are the interviewees' thoughts on the water crisis that crippled the area in 2001, making national headlines in the process. Interviewees include Linda Weider, Sen. Doug Whitsett, Rodney Todd, Jean Pinniger, and Ron Hathaway.