Issaquah History Museums

Read: An Open Letter to Our Community



Visit Donate Events

Happening Now

Virtual Exhibit: “‘Poetry in Motion: 'Remembering the Issaquah Skyport'

Visit

Gilman Town Hall

Issaquah Depot Museum

Explore

Store
Search the Collections
Issaquah Oral History
History Program Videos
Self-Guided Walking Tour

Learn

Blog
Research & Resources
Virtual Exhibit
The Issaquah Press Archives
Teaching Resources

About

About Us
Board Members & Staff
Contact Us
Commitment to Our Community

Support

Volunteer
Donate
Sponsor
Artifact Donation
Story Submission

Oral Histories

In 2006, we launched a project to record and transcribe oral histories with more than twenty-five community members. At the end of the project, after staff members had an opportunity to review the transcripts, we realized the value of the information we’d gathered. We’re thrilled to begin sharing the contents of our oral history collection! There is a wealth of interesting stories and memories within the oral history collection – each oral history transcript contains dozens of pages of memories about a variety of people and topics.

Vern “Babe” Anderson

Vern “Babe” Anderson

Dec 16, 2015 | ,

Vernon “Babe” Anderson was born in 1927 in Renton, WA to Albert A. Anderson and Ruth Johns Anderson. Babe was interviewed in 2008 by Maria McLeod as part of IHM’s oral history project. His extensive oral history covers his grandparent’s immigration to the United States and Issaquah, through his life growing up and remaining in Issaquah. Subjects covered include working at Issaquah Creamery, being drafted for both WWII and the Korean War, and his father’s various building projects including two houses that still remain as part of Gilman Village. The City of Issaquah acquired Vernon’s family’s land and buildings for part of the Confluence Park Project. Vernon requested recognition of his grandfather, Tolle Anderson, in the park project.