| OREGON DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM |
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| Overview |
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The Highway Division started an authentic "historical repository" about 1980. This effort turned into a "museum". This museum has been compiled to preserve the heritage of the Oregon Department of Transportation. We hope you enjoy this walk through the past showing growth progression of Transportation.
The existing Museum is in disrepair and is unsafe for the public to visit. However, there are many interesting transportation related artifacts that deserve to be shared and viewed (if only on the web). The purpose of this web page is certainly not just to display junk, but rather to document some of the history of the Oregon State Highway (Department) Division by collecting representative artifacts of that history.
Some of the items on hand: retired rolling stock (equipment), old signs, a limited number of old engineering inspection/survey equipment, old mileposts (both wood and concrete), and other hardware of the memorabilia classification. This site displays some of those historical artifacts with accompanying details and will be updated on an ongoing basis.
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| Communication |
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Drafting Machine
Metal, black wrinkle finish on arms, protractor head graduated aluminum disk, with scale attachment arms. Vemco AKA V & R Manufacturing.
Attaches to the top edge of drafting table board. A movable arm containing a parallel motion mechanism permits a protractor head with integral venier scale and interchangeable measure scales to be moved to any point on the board to draw lines of a desired length and at the desired angle. Scales are available in metal or plastic in either 12" or 18" lengths with a variety of scale markings. Eleven scales included with this artifact.
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Beam Compass
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Beam Compass
Set consists of 4 pieces in a fabric covered felt lined wood case. Pieces are needle point attachment with a fine adjustment screw, about 3" long X 1½" high, black fabric covering on outside, lined with blue felt. Case stamped "Made in Germany" on bottom indicates manufactured before World War II.
Used with a wood, metal or plastic straight edge to create a compass for drawing arcs of radii larger than are possible with the compasses contained in the standard drafting instrument set. (Usually larger than 6 inches).
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80N Sign
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80N Sign
Sign made of aluminum, with silver background, 80N on blue background, interstate on red background. Replaced when I-80N became I-84N.
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Rail Road Crossing Sign
R X R Sign, 30" round, substrate - steel. Black lettering on plain yellow background with glass button reflectors.
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| Distribution |
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Distribution & Transportation
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Fire Hose Cart
Wheeled Fire Hose Cart, wood & steel, red. 53" tall, 54" wide & 100" long.
This hose cart was hand propelled by volunteer fireman and success was measured on quick reaction by all concerned.
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Steel Wheelbarrow
Utility or concrete wheelbarrow with iron wheel
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Mine Cars Before Restoration
Oregon State Highway Department used these mine cars in the 1920's to construct drainage tunnels in hillsides where subterranean water could create potential slide problems. They were also used into the 1950's to maintain existing tunnels. These tunnels, nearly all located on western Oregon highways (examples: Barbur Blvd. in Portland (99W), Sunset, Columbia River, Wilson River and Coos Bay-Roseburg Highways) were excavated and shored entirely by hand, hence the little narrow gauge railroad track and the hand-dumped mine cars. In more recent years with improvements in perforated drainpipe and mechanized horizontal drilling and drain installations, most of these tunnels have been closed.
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Mine Cars After Restoration
Mine cars are currently on display in front of the Fleet Services Building, 885 Airport Road, Salem, OR.
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| Equipment |
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Equipment used to keep Oregon Highways open througout the years
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1937 rotary snow plow, equipment #37-736. |
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1928 Snow-Go rotary snowplow donated back to the Highway Division after spending the last 30 years in private ownership. Purchased new in 1928 for $11,000 |
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| Building Furnishings |
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Captain's Chair
Wood, possible walnut, conference room chairs, slat back, arm rests. Inventory numbers: HWY 26452, 26025, 28512, 28514, 28513, 26023, 28516, 26452 and H-C 1315.
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Stenographer's Chair
Oak frame and back, leather seat, adjustable with rollers. Paper tag on bottom of seat identifying the Sikes Company, type of work & finish.
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Wooden Bookcase
Wooden units with glass fronts that slide up and into each individual unit. Each unit is approximately 13" X 34½" X 11½.
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Filing Cabinet
Oak unit that comes in 3 pieces; base with feet, drawer with brass handle & label holder and top. Top is removable. Manufactured by Brown-Morse, Muskegon, Michigan.
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Table
Two drawers, oak, black linoleum top. Some dents and scratches in top, brass caps around bottom of legs. Measures 34" X 60".
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| Materials |
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Tools & Equipment for Materials
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Sprayer
used by highway crews for spraying diesel on paving tools while paving highway or herbicides on state right-of-ways from 1950 - 1960.
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| Personal |
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Official uniform of toll takers on Astoria Bridge. Included Hat, coat, shirt, tie, pants & badge. Dark & light blues, used in 1980's. |
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| Structures |
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Historic Structures
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This brick structure was built about 1923 and initially utilized for four distinct purposes and divided into four specific areas for these activities. Use of the 'rooms' in the building from left to right:
1) Large rolling door. This is the tire repair/oil-lube fuel dispensing room. A hard tire, pneumatic tire and tube repair, and limited oil/lube facility occupied this room. This area also was responsible for furnishing gasoline dispensing activities.
2) High glass windows above brick siding and one personnel door. This is the employees rest and wash room. A complete men's restroom and storage locker area for most of the personnel in the two equipment shop repair/manufacturing buildings occupied this room.
3) Two large swing doors hinged on side and opening in the center. This is the Wash/Steam Rack room. The equipment and parts/components wash rack room was utilized for hot and cold water wash and steaming under pressure.
4) Two large swing doors hinged on each side and opening in the center and a single personnel door. This is the Boiler Room area. It contain an oil fired boiler that operated on PS300 heavy oil. The room also contained the large single piston air compressor and a large overhead tank that held the hot water provided by the boiler in addition to the steam heat that was initially furnished to five other equipment and supply buildings on the site and later, to a new larger shop structure that still stands. At one time the boiler also provided steam heat to the single story office and supply/storeroom building that is still utilized for a variety of purposes and most recently as an archive storage facility and offices. The boiler was deactivated in the early 1970's upon construction of what is now the Salem Repair Shop. Near that time the original supply/storeroom/office building was facilitated with installation of an electric fired boiler within the building.
When the steam boiler was operational in the 'brick' building, a full time employee was responsible for its operation and other related service duties.
The building was made of bricks from the Prison brick manufacturing facility and yard that occupied the site prior to being acquired by the Highway Department.
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The restoration of the Salem Railroad Station was a three-phase construction process that took about two years to complete. Construction started on July 17, 1998, and site work continued into April, 2000.
Phase 1 was the Hazardous Materials Abatement project. This work involved removing all lead based paint and asbestos material from the building. Phase 2, the Building Restoration project, consisted of demolition of much of the interior of the building, while protecting the "historic fabric". Then the building was restored with new roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, terrazzo floor, and electrical service. All interior marble was restored, a new marble and brass ticket counter was built, and a canopy attached to the East entry of the biding. Amtrak funds paid for the Phase 3 Sitework project. This work involved stabilizing the rails at the station, installing a new passenger asphalt/concrete platform, constructing a concrete plaza around the building, paving the northern parking lot, landscaping and area illumination.
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| Technology |
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Tools & Equipment for Science & Technology
Numerous unique and interesting science - technology artifacts are located at the ODOT Museum. The articles posted on this page represent a small sampling.
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6000 series Dietzgen transit manufactured in the United States. Comes with wood tripod. Transit has been used by Geology crews for nearly 30 years. |
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Steel Weathervane, 96" high, 52" wide. This weathervane was retrieved from the Old Siskiyou Highway atop the Airport Cafe, which was originally an old Siskiyou shed until the roof was repaired. |
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Plastic and brass, some damage to right side due to cracking & warping. Model No. E013-000. Made in Thomaston, Conn., USA. "4706" stamped on bottom. Considered fair condition due to cracking on right side. Felt pads have been added to the bottom. |
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Fifty foot cloth tape in a leather-bound case. 'Made in England' embossed on leather case as well as stamped on tape. Chesterman Sheffield also embossed on case & stamped on tape. Tape is in 1/10 of a foot increments. |
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