PHOTO: Hewlett-Packard's plans to build a calculator plant and research facility in Corvallis is described in a newspaper article by John Atkins, "H-P executive predicts 700 new jobs," Gazette-Times Aug. 8, 1974, p. 2. (See previous post HP and Corvallis newspaper history (3/11/09) about the move of the Hewlett-Packard calculator division to Corvallis in 1975 and see the the front page in previous post Obama flubs AIDS prevention by recommending "contraception" (1/22/09))
PHOTO: Gazette-Times newspapers, August 8, 1974 President Nixon resigns and Jan. 21, 2009 Obama, "A new era." (See previous post Obama flubs AIDS prevention by recommending "contraception" (1/22/09))
My latest letter:
It is ironic that that only a fifth of voters opposed the recent McFadden Annexation, given how 38 years ago Corvallis citizens vigorously fought annexing portions of the same farm to build the first Hewlett-Packard calculator and handheld computer factory.
The Aug. 8, 1974, news headline announcing President Nixon's resignation pushed to page two a Gazette-Times story by John Atkins, "HP executive predicts 700 new jobs." Despite this impressive promise of good jobs, citizens were angered because they were still suffering from the consequences of an unplanned post-World War II building boom in Corvallis.
Anti-growth sentiments in the 1970s were expressed by a popular Oregon bumper sticker that said, "Don't Cali-fornicate Oregon," which humorously referred to California's hyper growth problems. This and the unpopular HP annexation caused Corvallis voters to demand a right to vote on all annexations.
Republicans unjustly blamed voters for scaring off new businesses in Corvallis during the Reagan recession. In fact, HP actually created thousands of jobs and Corvallis has remained a wonderful place to live, thanks to smart voters and good city planning. Hopefully, future citizens will not become complacent and permit unplanned growth to "Cali-fornicate" Corvallis again as it did 50 years ago.
(Quoted from Thomas Kraemer, "Letter: Oh, how the times have changed toward new development," Gazette-Times, posted Jun. 14, 2012)
Some previous posts and links:
- See Californication (word) wikipedia.org accessed Aug. 13, 2012 -- The banner "Don't Californicate Oregon" became the symbol of James Cloutier's line of "Oregon Ungreeting Cards"
- HP-35 (Wikipedia)
- HP-41C (Wikipedia)
- HP-85 see HP series 80 (Wikipedia)
- Thomas Kraemer, "Hewlett-Packard Journal historical favorites," thomaskraemer.blogspot.com posted July. 16, 2011
- The old calculator factory to inkjet to MEMS (3/17/10)
- HP 41C calculator was iPhone of 30 years ago (12/8/10)
- HP and Corvallis newspaper history (3/11/09) about the move of the Hewlett-Packard calculator division to Corvallis in 1975.
- IEEE Milestones HP 35 calculator (5/2/09) to see a video created by some of the original HP engineers who designed the first handheld scientific calculator in 1972. The HP-35 was as amazing technology as is the Apple iPhone today.
- HP Inkjet printer history article links (9/3/07) and HP Integral PC 1985 video demo (4/14/09) to see one of the first inkjet printers designed and built in the Corvallis, Oregon Hewlett-Packard facility.
- Corvallis, Oregon business history and gay book sales (3/16/10) for a photo of Frank Cloutier, project manager of the first inkjet printer research project at the Hewlett-Packard Corvallis Division in 1981.
- HP 110, Apple, Steve Sakoman book (12/18/08) about another early laptop portable computer product designed at Hewlett-Packard in Corvallis.
