Art Ayre & Tom Fuller

If you had searched the want-ads in 1859 Oregon, what kind of jobs would you have found? What sort of hours would you have worked, what work would you have done, and how much money would you have made?

Oregon At Work: 1859–2009 looks at three eras in Oregon’s history: the mid- to late 1800s, the early to mid-1900s, and the mid-1900s to the present. Using personal stories, historical data, and photos, the book shows what it was like to work and live in these very different periods of the state’s history.

This meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated book brings to life the stories of real Oregonians. A foreword by Governor Ted Kulongoski is included, as well as over 100 photographs and artifacts. This project has received support and endorsement from the Oregon Employment Department, Sons and Daughters of Oregon Pioneers, Oregon Small Woodlands Association, and others.

Section One: 1859–1909
This section details what was it like to live and work in Oregon’s beginning. The labor stories of teamsters, miners, bootleggers, business owners, farmers, and trappers are told alongside the stories of Native Americans, an ex-slave, and women in the workforce.

Section Two: 1909–1959
This section details what was it like to live and work in Oregon as farming wanes and other industries gain prominence.

Section Three: 1959–2009
This sections details labor in the post-WWII boom up to the current era. From timber workers to U.S. soldiers to telephone operators, the stories of Oregon’s workers continue.

For more information: ooliganmarketing@pdx.edu

ISBN13: 978-1-932010-27-5
8.5” x 11”, softcover
260 pages
$21.95
History/Pacific Northwest

About the Author

Art Ayre

Art Ayre is the State Labor Economist for the Oregon Employment Department. Art researches and writes reports for the Oregon Employment Department, and publishes articles in Oregon Labor Trends and Oregon Business Magazine. Local media frequently interview him for his perspective on Oregon’s economy.

Oregon Employment Department

About the Author

Tom Fuller

Tom Fuller, a published journalist, was a television reporter for KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon, from 1990–2001 and for KTVL-TV in Medford, Oregon from 1981–1993. Tom is currently the Communications Manager for the Oregon Employment Department. His awards include an Emmy and an Associated Press Award. He has a blog and is active on Facebook.