Then & now

West Linn resident Rachel Baker-Reinertsen poses with a Depression-era photograph of herself and her parents outside of her father’s church in Dead Ox Flat, Ore.

West Linn resident Rachel Baker-Reinertsen poses with a Depression-era photograph of herself and her parents outside of her father’s church in Dead Ox Flat, Ore.

The photograph—part of a series of Dorothea Lange photos taken in 1939 that opened for display in Portland State’s Littman Gallery on Oct. 1—is one of two Lange took of Reinertsen’s family during a two-month stint in the Pacific Northwest. 

Reinertsen, now 68, was honored with a print of her family standing in front of the church with its congregation at an exhibit event held last night by PSU Friends of History and the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission in the gallery.

She had not known about the existence of the photographs until about a month ago, Reinertsen said.
“I just think it’s really neat that they’re doing this,” Reinertsen said. “And I hope others step forward.”

So far, no other children in Lange’s photographs has come forward.