Drugs in the valley: Fifty years of Merck and Co. oral histories
Scope and Content
Drugs in the Valley: Fifty Years of Merck and Co. Oral Histories, 1990, is comprised of audio interviews, transcripts, and a background paper, documenting the history of Merck Company from 1941-1991. The collection includes a background paper, written by undergraduate intern, Laura Oakes, that gives a brief chronological history of the growth and development of the pharmaceutical corporation, Merck and Co., Inc. and in particular, one of its manufacturing plants, the Stonewall Plant at Elkton, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley. The collection contains recordings and transcripts of three interviews with former Merck employees: George Elliot Reeke, Olin Norman Leake, and Barry Jay Ream.
Dates
- 1990
Access Restrictions
Access to the Oral Histories is governed by agreements with the narrators. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Use Restrictions
The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).
Bio/Historical Note
Oral histories were created by Laura Oakes, an undergraduate at JMU, who completed the project as an intern in Special Collections during the summer of 1990.
Extent
0.25 cubic feet (4 folders, 4 audiocassettes, 5 cds)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Drugs in the Valley: Fifty Years of Merck and Co. Oral Histories, 1990, is comprised of audio interviews, transcripts, and a background paper, documenting the history of Merck Company from 1941-1990, particularly the Stonewall Plant at Elkton, Virginia.
Acquisition Information
Collection was donated in 1990 by Laura Oakes.
Processing Information
Collection was cataloged at the item level in 1998; the descriptive metadata was compiled into a Finding Aid format in 2019. Cassette tapes were transferred to MAMA-R 700MB gold cd-r using Tascam cc-222 mkII; 618mb. Audio recordings were digitized by Kirsten Mlodynia, Digital Project Specialist at JMU Libraries in July 2018.
- Industrial relations -- Virginia -- Elkton
- Industries -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Sources
- Industries -- Virginia -- Rockingham County -- Sources
- Oral histories (literary works)
- Pharmaceutical industry -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History
- Pharmaceutical industry employees
- Rockingham County (Va.) -- Economic conditions
- Rockingham County (Va.) -- History -- Sources
- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Economic conditions -- Sources
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Virginia -- Rockingham County
Source
- Oakes, Laura (Donor, Person)
- Title
- A Guide to the Drugs in the Valley: Fifty Years of Merck and Co. Oral Histories, 1990
- Author
- JMU Libraries cataloging staff
- Date
- 1990
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the James Madison University Libraries Special Collections Repository
880 Madison Drive
MSC 1704
Harrisonburg Virginia 22807
(540) 568-3612
library-special@jmu.edu