Alderman Farms Films, 1943-2001

Title: Alderman Farms Films, 1943-2001

Predominant Dates: 1943-1955

ID: FV 214

Primary Creator: Alderman Farms

Extent: 1.0 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The collection consists of three series: I. Films, 1943-1950; II. Videotapes, 1996-2001; and III. Paper Records, 1952-1996.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

Scope and Content Notes

The Alderman Farm Films were made by Urie S. Alderman. The films are 16 mm, silent, Kodachrome color. Aspects of the farming operation filmed include planting, harvesting, and processing of corn, beans, strawberries, peaches, and potatoes; irrigation; barbecues and other social activities; logging and sawmill operations; political campaigning; and general farm views. Of special note is footage of Mexican migrant farm laborers. Duplicate videotapes in VHS and Betacam SP formats are part of the collection. Digitized versions of the films have also been made available online. (Part 1; Part 2)

The manuscript materials include copies of newspaper clippings pertaining to farming operations, Urie S. Alderman, and L. S. Alderman, 1952-1965; a film list; and a copy of Last Harvest: The Story of Alderman Farms, published by Carlton Plants in 1996.

Digital video duplication masters and DVD use copies are available for all the films.

Biographical / Historical Notes

Alderman Farms had its beginning in 1847, when Albert Alderman settled, cleared and began farming a tract of land in Yamhill County. In 1893 one of Albert's sons, Ennis (1870-1939), began farming a small piece of land given to him by his father. In the 1920s, Ennis and his son, Urie (1898-1964), began expanding the farming operation. Urie, who attended Oregon Agricultural College from 1919-1921, experimented with new crops, constructed an on-farm frozen food plant and sawmill, and maintained his own airborne spraying operation. Alderman Farms peaked in the late 1950s, with at least 3100 acres under cultivation, as one of the largest row crop farms in Oregon. In addition to the primary farm in Yamhill County, Alderman Farms cultivated land in Benton, Linn, Marion, and Klamath Counties. After Urie's death in 1964, much of the Yamhill County farm was sold to the Carlton Nursery Company in 1971.

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 13 films and 11 videotapes; 1 box

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: The films were donated to the Archives in 1996 by Peggy Childs, Jack Shelburne, and Mary Ann Wiser (nieces and nephews of U.S. Alderman.)

Related Materials:

Other films and videotapes pertaining to agriculture are located in the Agricultural Experiment Station Motion Picture Films (FV 029), Agricultural Engineering Department Motion Picture Films (FV 106), Experiment Station Communications Films (FV 132), and Extension and Experiment Station Communications Moving Images (FV 120).

The memoirs of Lewis R. Alderman, a long-time 4-H program extension agent and brother of Ennis Alderman, are located in the Extension Service Records (RG 111), Subgroup 4.

Preferred Citation: Alderman Farms Films (FV 214), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Creators

People, Places, and Topics

Agriculture--Oregon.
Alderman Farms
Farm life--Oregon.
Field crops--Oregon.
Fruit--Harvesting--Oregon.
Last harvest.
Logging--Oregon.
Migrant agricultural laborers--Oregon.
Natural Resources
Oregon Multicultural Archives