Theme: General Agriculture
The Extension Tradition in the Columbia River Gorge
Two life history interviews conducted by Chris Petersen.
August 9, 2016
The Extension and Experiment Station traditions in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge date
back well over one-hundred years to the founding of the Mid-Columbia Experiment Station
in 1913, and the first employment of agricultural agents in Wasco County in 1916 and
Sherman County in 1918. In August 2016, two interviews were conducted with individuals
closely associated with the more modern history of Extension and Experiment Station
efforts across the region. Billie Stevens (b. 1951) is a retired 4-H Extension agent
who served Hood River County from 1985 to 2009. Sandy Macnab (b. 1953) is an OSU alum
who has spent nearly his entire life in Sherman and Wasco Counties, playing a major
role in a wide variety of area Extension efforts since 1979.
Dennis Dimick Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
December 15, 2014
Dennis Dimick (b. 1951) graduated from OSU in 1973 with a degree in General Agriculture.
While at Oregon State, Dimick also pursued a growing interest in photojournalism and
eventually built a career as a photographer, reporter and editor at several newspapers.
From 1980 to 2015, Dimick was a staff member at National Geographic, retiring as the magazine's Executive Environment Editor. In 2013, Dimick received
the Joseph A. Sprague Memorial Award, which is the most prestigious honor granted
by the National Press Photographers Association. His interview focuses on his roots
in agriculture, the development of his skillset as a journalist, his memories of National Geographic, and his influential work documenting and reporting on contemporary environmental
issues.