Linfield has invited wine growers from across the state to donate historical materials for preservation in the school’s Oregon Wine History Archive.
In 2011, Linfield College established the state’s first wine history archive, which chronicles the Oregon wine industry and includes historical documents from early wine pioneers. The college is now expanding the scope of its archival collection with an open invitation to donors.
The eventual goal is to document all aspects and regions of the Oregon industry and to collect and preserve historical materials from winery owners, growers, researchers, marketers and sellers.
The Oregon Wine History Archive at Linfield is supported by the Oregon Cultural Trust, a Linfield endowment and a full-time archivist. Documents and oral histories from the collection informed an Oregon Experience documentary produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting, “Grapes of Place,” and a comprehensive feature in The Oregonian. The collection has received mention or feature stories in other news outlets as well, including The Huffington Post, Portland Monthly, Portland Tribune and News-Register, among others.
Additional wine industry research and oral history projects, along with a student-produced International Pinot Noir Celebration documentary, have been supported by the Erath Family Foundation.
Linfield College has hosted the annual International Pinot Noir Celebration since its inception in 1987. Located in McMinnville, Ore., the school is located near the birthplace of the earliest vineyards in the Willamette Valley.
Linfield College archivist Rachael Woody welcomes questions and may be contacted at rwoody@linfield.edu or (503) 883-2734.
