True Stories from the 20th Century at Pacificorp
Stories of Pacific Powerland
By J. Charles Cheek[1]
© September 2007
Nelson Olmsted (1914 – 1992) narrated over 1,000 three minute stories under the series title of Stories of Pacific Powerland. The stories were broadcast regularly over seventeen years on radio stations covering the six-state service area of Pacific Power & Light Company. The November 1977 PP&L company “Bulletin” has a lead article announcing retirement of the series. I thought the stories were engaging and Olmsted’s story telling talent was exceptional. I looked forward to hearing each of them on the radio. The only criticism I ever heard of the program was in the middle1970s when a man made a remark at a public hearing claiming that PP&L was arrogant, “as proved by their reference to Pacific Powerland, as if they owned all the country in which they furnished electricity.”
Glen Gillispie, a fellow 1990 retiree, worked with Olmsted on the production of many of his stories. Indeed, Gillispie wrote a few of the tales narrated by Olmsted.
“He was a master story teller,” said Gillispie.
We can each relive some of the Stories of Pacific Powerland via a DVD that contains 157 of the episodes.
http://www.otrtoday.com/programlistother.htm This website also has many DVDs of other old-time radio programs (No, I don’t get a commission on the sales).
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[1] Mr. Cheek has written dozens short stories under the general headings of True Stores from the 20th Century at Pacificorp and Digressions of J. Charles. He is also the author of the novel Stay Safe, Buddy – A Story of Humor and Horror during the Korean War,300 pages, Publish America ISBN # 159286631X