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About the FWOH Program
The volunteers of the Fort Worden Oral History Program have collected almost 300 interviews with the men and women who have served, lived, worked, or visited Fort Worden over its long history since the program’s inception in 2003. The interviews tell of the real life experiences of those who served at Fort Worden during the military era; who worked or lived here during the Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center days; or have visited, participated in activities, or worked at the fort since it became a state park conference center.
These interviews, which have been transcribed and cataloged, form a rich treasure trove of stories that should be mined for source material by historians, students, genealogists, and writers.
Interviews by Subject
- 369th EASR
- Army
- Army Families
- Army Wives
- Artillery Hill
- Atomic Bomb Tests
- Campgrounds
- Centrum
- Centrum Foundation
- Children's Games
- Closing of the Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center
- Coast Artillery-248th
- Coast Guard
- Commanding Officers
- Commanding Officers Quarters at Fort Worden
- Cottage Parents
- Cottages
- Death
- Discipline
- Enemy Fire
- Engineer Amphibious Support Regiment (EASR)-369th
- Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (EBSR)
- Ferries
- Festival of American Fiddle Tunes
- Fiddle tunes
- Fort Flagler
- Fort Lewis
- Fort Worden
- Fort Worden Parade Ground
- General James H. Cunningham
- Greenland
- Guns
- Hangar (Balloon)
- Harbor Entrance Control Post
- Housing
- Hydrophones
- Inchon Landing
- Isolation
- Japan
- Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center
- Korean War
- Korean War Era
- Living Conditions
- McCurdy Pavilion
- Meals
- Military Police
- Mines
- National Guard
- Navy
- Officers Row
- Park Rangers
- Point Wilson Lighthouse
- Port Townsend
- Prisoners of War
- Pusan
- Residents (Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center)
- Runaways
- Russians
- Seasickness
- Sergeants
- Shift Duty
- Ships
- Socialization
- Social Life
- Social Workers
- Staff (Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center)
- State Parks
- Strait of Juan de Fuca
- Submarines
- Target Practice
- Teachers
- Weather
- Weddings
- Wildlife
- World War II
Interviews by Category
- General (2)
- Juvenile Diagnostic & Treatment Center (47)
- Military (125)
- Washington State Parks (42)
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Recent Posts
Interview Archives
- March 2015 (6)
- February 2015 (1)
- January 2015 (1)
- December 2014 (2)
- November 2014 (3)
- October 2014 (4)
- September 2014 (1)
- July 2014 (6)
- June 2014 (7)
- May 2014 (5)
- April 2014 (1)
- January 2014 (1)
- December 2013 (1)
- November 2013 (1)
- October 2013 (1)
- September 2013 (2)
- August 2013 (3)
- July 2013 (2)
- June 2013 (6)
- May 2013 (2)
- April 2013 (1)
- March 2013 (4)
- February 2013 (5)
- January 2013 (4)
- December 2012 (7)
- November 2012 (8)
- October 2012 (2)
- September 2012 (2)
- August 2012 (8)
- July 2012 (4)
- June 2012 (4)
- May 2012 (7)
- April 2012 (6)
- March 2012 (39)
- February 2012 (49)
- January 2012 (4)
Category Archives: Washington State Parks
Interview with Ryan J. Thomson
From the interview with Ryan J. Thomson of Newmarket, NH conducted by Rae Tennyson at the Fort Worden History Center on July 6, 2002. Mr. Thomson described himself as “a full time folk musician” and here he tells how, in … Continue reading
Posted in Washington State Parks
Tagged Bertram Levy, Centrum, Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Fiddle tunes, Fiddles, Folk Musicians, Frank Ferrell, Music Festivals, Port Townsend
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Interview With Timothy Schmidt
From the interview with Timothy Schmidt of Easton, WA conducted by Patience Rogge on January 4, 2007 by phone from the Fort Worden History Center. Mr. Schmidt, who was born and grew up in Port Townsend, worked as a Park … Continue reading
Posted in Washington State Parks
Tagged Park Aides, Park Rangers, Shift Duty, State Parks
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Interview With Jean Dunbar
From the interview with Jean Dunbar of Port Townsend conducted by Sandra Lizut on December 7, 2004 at the Fort Worden History Center. Ms. Dunbar serves as the volunteer coordinator for Fort Worden State Park. She has volunteered at the … Continue reading
Posted in Washington State Parks
Tagged Elder Hostels, Historic Buildings--Restoration, Joe Benson, Kate Burke, Nora Porter Commons
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Interview With Todd Jensen
From the interview with Todd Jensen, head ranger at Fort Worden State Park, conducted on January 4, 2007 by Patience Rogge at the Fort Worden History Center. Here he discusses wildlife seen in the park: “There’s lots of it. Quite … Continue reading
Posted in Washington State Parks
Tagged Marine Science Center, Parks, Rangers, Wildlife
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Interview With Mel Wortman
From the interview with Mel Wortman on June 1, 2004 conducted by Patience Rogge by phone from the Fort Worden History Center. Mr. Wortman served as a member of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission from 1984 to 1996. Here he … Continue reading
Posted in Washington State Parks
Tagged Artillery Hill, Construction, Jan Tvetin, Memory's Vault, Washington Arts Commission, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
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Interview With William E. Matheson
From the interview with William E. Matheson of Port Hadlock, WA conducted by Henry West at the Fort Worden History Center on November 7, 2002. Mr. Matheson worked at Fort Worden from December 1, 1959 to July 1, 1985. He began … Continue reading
Posted in Juvenile Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Washington State Parks
Tagged Construction, Dinky Locomotive (Recovery of), Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Maintenance, Management of Parks, State Parks
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Interview With Rodney E. Kendall
From the interview with Rodney E. Kendall of Puyallup on October 18, 2003 by Wendy Los. Mr. Kendall worked for Kendall Construction, the firm that built the lower campground at Fort Worden in 1973. This story concerns an unusual find unearthed when the … Continue reading
Posted in Washington State Parks
Tagged Burial Sites, Campgrounds, Coast Guard, Construction, Hangar (Balloon), Lighthouses, Point Wilson Lighthouse
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Interview With Jack Hartt
From the interview with Jack Hartt on May 12, 2002 conducted by Mona Lou Stefflre for the Fort Worden Oral History Program. Mr. Hartt served as a Park Ranger at Fort Worden from 1989 to 1999. Here he describes his family’s life in … Continue reading
Posted in Washington State Parks
Tagged Campgrounds, Games-of Children, Housing, Rangers, State Parks
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Interview With Rex Derr
From the interview with Rex Derr conducted by Wendy Los by phone from the Fort Worden History Center on December 28, 2004. Mr. Derr was the Director of Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. He retired from his post on November 30, 2010. … Continue reading
Posted in Washington State Parks
Tagged Commission, Government-Role of Parks in, State Parks, Taxes, Washington State Parks and Recreation
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Fort Worden Oral History Program Blog 