Scope and Content Note
Organized into 8 series: 1. General Correspondence; 2. Personal Correspondence,
Helen Gilkey; 3. Exchange Lists; 4. Miscellaneous Correspondence; 5. Miscellaneous
Information Files; 6. Drawings; 7. Gifts Received; and 8. Gifts Sent. Most series
arranged chronologically.
Series 1 primarily consists of inquiries received from other institutions. Series
2 contains personal correspondence of Helen Gilkey. Series 3 consists of lists
of exchange specimens sent to and received from other institutions and individuals.
Series 7 & 8 consist of correspondence regarding plant specimens sent or received
by the Herbarium.
Historical Note
The collecting of plant specimens by the university dates back to at least 1882,
when professor B. J. Hawthorne reported that the USDA had donated a number of
plant specimens to the college, and that he had collected around 500 specimens
from around the region. The Herbarium grew from 2601 specimens in 1891 to 153,000
in 1967. In 1993, the herbarium of the University of Oregon was added to the
OSU Herbarium, bringing the total number of specimens to more than 336,000.
In the 1910s, the first special quarters for the herbarium were developed in
Agriculture (now Strand) Hall. Since 1957 the Herbarium has been located in
Cordley Hall. Herbarium curators have included E. R. Lake, 1886-1891 & 1899-1910;
Helen M. Gilkey, 1918-1951; and Kenton L. Chambers, 1960- 1990.
Related Materials
Botany & Plant Pathology Dept. (RG 54); Herbarium Photograph Collection (P 93);
Helen M. Gilkey Papers; MC - Herbarium.
Shelf Locations:
6/3/8/40 & 6/4/9/61
microfilm cabinet
Inventory (microfilm)
(reels 1-3)
I. General Correspondence, 1915-1959
(reels 3-4)
II. Personal Correspondence, Dr. Helen M. Gilkey, 1918-1948
(reel 4)
III. Exchange Lists, 1916-1953
IV. Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1916-1959:
1 Bellinger Memorial, 1957-1959
2 Dr. Carlson, 1946-1948
3 Dahle, 1937-1939
4 Elder, 1916, no date
5 Sister Gemma, 1939-1940
6 Herbs, (Gunderson, etc.), 1939-1940
7 Meola, 1939
8 Parsell, 1936-1941
9 Powell, G.M. - Letters, 1940
10 USDA, 1918-1919, 1936-1939
11 Zivney, 1937-1940
V. Miscellaneous, 1915-1959:
1 Old files, 1916-1939
2 Pollens and hay fever, 1920-1925
3 Herbarium reports, 1915-1946
4 Special papers by former students, 1940, no date
5 Correspondence course, 1944
6 Identification lists, 1928, 1935-1940
(reel 5)
7 Herbarium type lists, 1915-1941
8 Applications - instructorship, 1947-1952
9 Applications - research, 1953-1959
10 Herbarium information, 1957-1958
11 Herbarium budgets, 1939-1959
12 Botany (general and miscellaneous), 1918-1922
13 Herbarium miscellaneous, 1917-1957
Addition 1
(reel 6)
I. Correspondence, 1953-1973:
Herbarium Information:
1 October - December, 1973
2 July - September, 1973
3 April - June, 1973
4 January - March, 1973
5 October - December, 1972
6 July - September, 1972
7 April - June, 1972
8 January - March, 1972
9 October - December, 1971
10 July - September, 1971
11 April - June, 1971
12 January - March, 1971
13 October - December, 1970
14 July - September, 1970
15 April - June, 1970
16 January - March, 1970
17 October - December, 1969
18 July - September, 1969
19 April - June, 1969
20 January - March, 1969
21 October - December, 1968
22 July - September, 1968
23 April - June, 1968
24 January - March, 1968
25 September - December, 1967
26 May - August, 1967
27 January - April, 1967
28 September - November, 1966
29 May - August, 1966
30 January - April, 1966
31 November - December, 1965
32 August - October, 1965
33 May - July, 1965
34 January - April, 1965
35 July - December, 1964
36 January - June, 1964
37 July - December, 1963
38 April - June, 1963
39 January - March, 1963
40 January - June, 1962
41 January - December, 1962
42 July - December, 1962
43 January - December, 1961
44 January - December, 1961
45 July - December, 1960
46 January - June, 1960
47 January - December, 1957
48 July - December, 1956
49 January - June, 1956
50 July - December, 1955
51 January - June, 1955
52 August - December, 1954
53 January - July, 1954
54 June - Decmeber, 1953
Addition 2
(reel 7)
I. Correspondence, 1974-1984:
Herbarium Information:
1 November - December, 1984
2 September - October, 1984
3 July - August, 1984
4 May - June, 1984
5 March - April, 1984
6 January - February, 1984
7 November - December, 1983
8 September - October, 1983
9 July - August 1983
10 May - June, 1983
11 March - April, 1983
12 January - February, 1983
13 November - December, 1982
14 September - October, 1982
15 July - August, 1982
16 May - June, 1982
17 March - April, 1982
18 January - February, 1981
19 October - December, 1981
20 August - September, 1981
21 June - July, 1981
22 May, 1981
23 March - April, 1981
24 January - February, 1981
25 December, 1980
26 November, 1980
27 September - October, 1980
28 July - August, 1980
29 January - June, 1980
30 July - December, 1979
31 January - June, 1979
(reel 8)
32 July - December, 1978
33 July, 1977 - June, 1978
34 July, 1976 - March, 1977
35 April - June, 1977
36 July, 1975 - June, 1976
37 April - June, 1975
38 January - March, 1975
39 October - December, 1974
40 July - September, 1974
41 April - June, 1974
42 January - March, 1974
Inventory (paper records)
(6/3/8/40)
I. Correspondence, 1985-1991
Herbarium Information, 1985-1991 [14 folders]
VII. Gifts Received, 1940-1990 [6 folders]
VIII. Gifts Sent, 1940-1990:
1940-1968 (Jun)
(6/4/9/61)
1968 (Jul) - 1991 [5 folders]
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