Witten, Lee OH20_014

Title Witten, Lee OH20_014
Creator RootsBridge, LLC
Contributors Witten, Lee, Interviewee; Kammerman, Alyssa, Interviewer
Collection Name The Union Station Oral History Project
Description The Union Station Centennial oral history project is a companion to the Museums at Union Station's "Heart of Ogden" exhibit, which commemorates the 100-year anniversary of the opening of the current Union Station building on November 22, 1924. In honor of the centennial anniversary, Ogden City contracted with oral historian Alyssa Kammerman of RootsBridge LLC to collect fifteen oral histories from community members who shared memories associated with the Union Station in Ogden. The interviews encompass the 1930s to the present day, thus documenting the period when Union Station was actively functioning as a train station and its subsequent transformation into a museum and cultural center. Community members interviewed included former railroad employees, Union Station employees, residents of Ogden, city employees, and museum volunteers. The diverse range of interviewees reflects the diversity of Ogden and provides a comprehensive view of Union Station's impact on the community as a cultural hub and a place of shared history.
Abstract This is an oral history interview with Lee Witten, conducted December 22, 2023, for the 100 year anniversary of the Ogden Union Station. This interview was conducted at the Ogden Union Station by oral historian Alyssa Kammerman of RootsBridge LLC. During this interview, Lee shares his memories of his father's career as a brakeman then conductor for the Union Pacific Railroad. He also mentions his mother's work in the Union Station coffee shop. Lee discusses working in the Union Station Museum as the Archivist for 20 years. A video clip is available.
Image Captions Lee Witten during his oral history interview, Ogden Union Station Browning Theater Annex, 11 September 2023; In front of the Big Boy 4020: Lee Witten's father, Conductor Joseph Witten, pictured handing orders to his engineer in front of the Big Boy 4020. Featured in The Union Pacific Railroad's newsletter featurette, "The Day in the Life of an Engineer," 1945; On the Caboose: Conductor Joseph Witten with his brakeman on the back of a caboose, headed East to Wyoming via Riverdale. Featured in The Union Pacific Railroad's newsletter featurette, "The Day in the Life of an Engineer," 1945.
Subject Union Station (Ogden, Utah); Railroad trains; Railroads; Union Pacific Railroad; Railroad companies; McKay Dee Hospital; Weber State University; Railroads--Employees; Employment; Railroads--Models; Utah Transit Authority; Porters and Waiters Club; Weakley, Anna Belle (1922-2008); Segregation; Discrimination - United States; Central business districts; Utah Transit Authority
Digital Publisher Special Collections & University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University.
Date 2023
Temporal Coverage 1930; 1931; 1932; 1933; 1934; 1935; 1936; 1937; 1938; 1939; 1940; 1941; 1942; 1943; 1944; 1945; 1946; 1947; 1948; 1949; 1950; 1951; 1952; 1953; 1954; 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959; 1960; 1961; 1962; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966; 1967; 1968; 1969; 1970; 1971; 1972; 1973; 1974; 1975; 1976; 1977; 1978; 1979; 1980; 1981; 1982; 1983; 1984; 1985; 1986; 1987; 1988; 1989; 1990; 1991; 1992; 1993; 1994; 1995; 1996; 1997; 1998; 1999; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2004; 2005; 2006; 2007; 2008; 2009; 2010; 2011; 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015; 2016; 2017; 2018; 2019; 2020; 2021; 2022; 2023
Medium oral histories (literary genre)
Spatial Coverage Ogden, Weber County, Utah, United States; South Ogden, Weber County, Utah, United States; Roy, Weber County, Utah, United States
Type Image/StillImage; Text
Access Extent PDF is 31 pages
Conversion Specifications Filmed using an Apple iPhone 13 Pro. Sound was recorded with a RODE Wireless Me microphone. Transcribed using Trint transcription software (trint.com) by Ky Jackson.
Language eng
Rights Materials may be used for non-profit and educational purposes; please credit RootsBridge LLC, Museums at Union Station, and Special Collections & University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University. For further information:
Source Witten, Lee OH20_014 Oral Histories; Special Collections & University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University.
OCR Text Show
Format application/pdf
ARK ark:/87278/s6922wx6
Setname wsu_webda_oh
ID 142829
Reference URL https://digital.weber.edu/ark:/87278/s6922wx6
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