Early History of UO Research: A Glimmer of the Ocean
THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE OREGON INSTITUTE OF MARINE BIOLOGY (OIMB)
The Oregon institute of Marine Science has had a very interesting life. The University of Washington’s Friday Harbor was a likely inspiration several of the biology faculty. Whether or not is was an inspiration to Frederick Washburn, the University of Oregon’s first professor specifically hired to teach biology, is not known, but his main research interest was in establishing oyster colonies from the east coast to that of the west coast. Federal money was not available for research purposes at this time in the University’s history and the most important task that a researcher could do was to show that their research would benefit the citizens of Oregon. Oysters were a potential new crop and Professor Washburn identified the Yaquina Cove in Newport as the site for his research. He carefully tended his oysters wrapped in cloth, so carefully, that students suggested that they were his pets or children that he put to bed at night (Oregon Monthly). Given the extreme temperature difference between the two coasts, it seems not unexpected that that the project failed to flourish. Washburn’s time at the University was not long. He first came shortly after finishing his degree in 1895, taking over the teaching of biological subjects from Thomas Condon, the first person that taught biology on campus. Condon though, was hired more for his geology expertise. Washburn left to become the Oregon State Biologist and continued with his interests in more applied forms of biological research. Replacing Washburn was Professor Albert R. Sweetser, a botanist followed by second faculty member, John Freeman Bovard, a zoologist. (I have yet to find records linking Washburn’s interests to those of Sweetser and Bovard, but the allure of the coast continued). In 1908, in the University of Oregon President’s report to Regents of the University, President Prince Lucien Campbell (1907 presidents report p. 15) expounds upon a proposal sent forth by Sweetser and Bovard to establish a coastal facility. The report states that Sweetser and Bovard found “a section of the ocean beach just south of the entrance to Coos Bay, is particularly rich in material for biological research and is also very conveniently situated to serve as the location of a biological station.” Additionally, the report indicates that the site and the buildings could be acquired as a donation from the owner, Mr. L. J. Simpson, and that current expenses “would amount to a trifle.” President P. L. Campbell, acknowledging the significance of a research center open to scientists “from all parts of the Union” asked the Regents to consider the idea because it could be “immensely valuable to Oregon in the of practical commercial results.” [sic, check this quote- I think my bad!]
Although it would still be many years before the University opened a research center in this very area, Sweetser and Bovard continued with their biological interests in maritime areas. In 1912, Hal Bean a senior in the school wrote in the Oregon Monthly about a summer trip to Friday Harbor for a class and research experience and about the instigators: Sweetser and Bovard. Hal reflected on his experience with his 8 other student colleagues. The chance to meet other faculty and other students from around the country, that all came to study and research in the waters of Puget Sound was “one of the most pleasurable features of the summer.” And, conversations with a professor from Cambridge University made it all the better.
At the time, Physics and Biology were still in Deady Hall, where they had been from the very start of the University. However, things changed in the Biology Department with a new hire, Harry Beal Yocom, a zoologist in 1920. Yocom, like Sweetser, was fond of field work and was soon bringing students to the coast in the area near where Sweetser and Bovard had earlier proposed building a marine research station.
By 1924, Yocom, was working on the Biology Department’s coastal expansion. In that year, the marine science “program” was quite active doing field work in the Sunset Bay. That site had portable (tents) dormitories and indoor classrooms. In addition, Professor Harry Yocom and Elton Edge published the ecological distribution of the Pelecypoda in the Coos Bay Region of Oregon based on work at the UO Biological camp in Coos Bay 1925-27 (in the Northwest Science Association (Vol 5, pp. 65-71).
The classes that had been in the portable tents and more permanent classrooms and dorms of Sunset Bay were now moved to part of the Coos Head Military Reservation in 1928. Students camped in the tents over the summer during their research sessions along the coast. However, it wasn’t until the development of the south jetty that the area was developed into a campus like community. The Army Corps of Engineers was responsible for developing the Jetty and they built the initial buildings on the land there. Later, there was more development as a result of the Great Depression, the New Deal, and the Civilian Conservation Corps. The buildings were truly remodeled into a campus with kitchen and mess hall, dormitories (for men only then), and laboratories. The end result was a compound covering 100 acres with 23 buildings and with 27,000 square feet of building floor space. An initial segment of campus was acquired by the Board of Higher Education under a congressional act in 1931, a second segment was added in 1936 by another congressional act and then the remaining 15 acres in 1942. Unfortunately for the University, it was at this same time period that the science research programs were pulled away from the university and moved to control of the Oregon Agricultural College (OAC – later renamed to Oregon State University), the marine science station included. However, when the Board of Education once again allowed the University of Oregon to not only have science programs but also graduate programs in the sciences starting in the 1942-43 school year, the University staked its claim on Coos Bay and opened the Institute of Marine Science with Harry Barclay Yocom as its first Director! The first institute in the science had just been born.
Japan’s entry in World War II provided another twist in the history of Marine Science Station. With a threat of the Oregon Coast, the Department of defense once again took possession of the Coos Bay site but returned it back to the state when the war was over. And, even though, the University of Oregon had been granted permission by the Board of Higher education to revive its graduate science programs, the Marine Science Center was still in the hand of the OAC. This was a perilous period for the Coos Bay campus, given that the OAC now had its marine science center at Yaquina Bay in Newport Oregon, and the potential for the Board of Higher Ed to dump the property was present. This did not occur and by 1956, fifty years after Sweetser and Bovard, first formally proposed the research center there at Coos Bay, the University of Oregon’s Institute of Marine Biology came to fruition. Classes were not held on the campus during the first year as the center had suffered neglect (Register Guard, by R. Frazier). The university under the eyes of President Meredith Wilson supported $12,000 in quick repair work and the Board of Higher education came through with another $3,000 for repairs (Register Guard, 1954). This was on top of another $9,000 that the University budgeted for laboratory work.
Dick Castenholz, newly hired and coming from Washington State University with his Ph.D. in 1957 (B.S. Botany 1954 U. Michigan) who was still teaching on campus until just a few years ago, was the longest serving member of any science researcher at 55+ years of service, was the first to teach classes at the new facility. Later in the early 60s he was selected as the temporary head of the Institute, and then was head again from 1989-1990.
In 1972 (Register Guard), the institute gained another 22 acres of land valued at $18,000. Director Paul Rudy reported that the acquisition was important because it provided access to a set of mudflats that the researchers could not access in prior years. The property was donated to the university by the Metcalf family and the newly acquired area was designated the Henry A. Metcalf Estuarine Research Area in honor of the donor (Register Guard).
Over the years the researchers have conducted their own research and responded to several whale stranding including ones in the area , 1987 (Register Guard) and 1990 (Register Guard)
By the mid-1960s the facility being much more remote than the OAC center at Newport hadn’t grown to the same extent and some criticism was focused on the University. The university’s response was to secure a $455,000 federal grant for new facilities, but requiring a $210,000 matching grant from the state… (did it get it?-dpw). The other significant change that occurred during this time, was that with the new funds for reconditioning the site, the OIMB shifted from being a summer research institute to a year-round research lab. Further modifications to the campus occurred in 1985.
Sources:
Northwest Science Association (Vol 5, p65-71)
OIMB: https://oimb.uoregon.edu/traveling-to-oimb/oimb-history/
Oregon Daily Emerald – 5/25/1966, 9/21/1972, 10/01/1968
Oregon Monthly
Papers of UO Presidents and Regents – SCUA
President Prince Lucien Campbell (1907 presidents report p15)
Register Guard 1954, 1987, 1990 Robert Frazier
March 24, 1971 Estuary study Funded
August 3rd, 1965 A Waiting Game in Charleston
February 25th, 1965 Marine Biology Institute Again to be at Coos Bay
OIMB Directors:
Harry Yocom: Director 1942-
Bob Morris (spelling)
Richard Castenholz
Paul Rudy
Richard Castenholz
Craig Young,
Support:
Barbara Butler
Trish Mace
Researchers:
Harry Yocom
Richard Castenholz, Ph.D.
Michelle Wood, Ph.D.
Nora Terwilliger Ph.D.
Richard Emlet Ph.D.
Svetlana Maslakova Ph.D.
Jan Hodder Ph.D.
Steve Rumrill, Adjunct, Ph.D.
George von Dassow R.A.
Cynthia Trowbridge, R.A.
Craig Young, Ph.D.
Bayard McConnaughey
Aaron Galloway, Ph.D.
