*** A searchable collection of these stories is now available at the Arizona Memory Project ***
As a part of this project, our community has begun collecting oral histories in both audio and video format. Below are some of what we’ve collected so far. These include both full interviews (in their entirety) and shorter excerpts addressing common topics. There are also videos of Community Events here.
If you would like to be interviewed for this project or have a suggestion for someone we should interview (or an event we should record), let us know.
Full Interviews
Alice and Jack Newton – March 16, 2022
Frank Keim – December 29, 2019
Carol Simon – March 19, 2019
Barbara Roth – March 13, 2019
Jill Cavaliere – February 24, 2019
Izzy Escobar – February 2, 2019
Ted Awtrey – February 1, 2019
Ted Awtrey – January 30, 2019
Ted Troller – December 12, 2018
Ted Troller – November 27, 2018
Jim Cox – December 7, 2018
Jim Cox – December 3, 2018
Barbara Miller – October 13, 2018
Jeanne Williams – Part 1 – April 4, 2018
Jeanne Williams – Part 2 – April 4, 2018
Junior Gomez – Part 1 – March 30, 2018
Junior Gomez – Part 2 – April 3, 2018
Junior Gomez – My Old Home Town – March 30, 2018
Junior Gomez – Wood carvings – March 30, 2018
Noel Snyder – Part 1 (Portal Mining Action Coalition) – March 23, 2018
Noel Snyder – Part 2 (thick-billed parrots) – March 23, 2018
Sally Richards – January 25, 2018
Zola Stoltz – January 2, 2018
Mary Winkler – April 12, 2017 (audio only)
Bob Addison – Part 1 – March 26, 2017
Bob Addison – Part 2 – April 2, 2017
Mary Willy – March 28, 2017
Delane Blondeau – Part 1 – March 21, 2017
Delane Blondeau – Part 2 – March 23, 2017
Excerpts
What brought you to this area?
Mary Winkler
What makes this area special?
Portal and Rodeo
Portal Rescue
Soup Kitchen fundraiser
Sew What
St. Patricks Day Parade
July 4 parade
Hiking Club
Mary Winkler
Holiday programs
Portal Library
“Downtown” Portal (store, school, etc.)
Mary Winkler
Southwest Research Station
Building houses
Mary Winkler
Douglas
In 1940s – Mary Winkler
Advice to others
Delane Blondeau – “Portal’s Past – The Sew What Club’s 100th Anniversary” – Heritage Days, 2019
Mike Anderson – “The El Paso and Southwestern Railroad: Tracking Our History” – Heritage Days, 2019
Izzy Escobar – “Roots of Rodeo – Stories from the Past” – Heritage Days, 2019
Jeanne Williams and Delane Blondeau Birthday Party – April 6, 2019
Ted Troller – Heritage Days – September 8, 2018