EUGENE "DEBBS" POTTS
(1908 - 2003)
FOUNDER OF POTTSVILLE - HOME OF OREGON MEMORIES
"I want to perpetuate a place where a poor man or rich can go
to look at things for free, and maybe learn a little about Oregon
history. People need to understand our past."
~
Debbs Potts, 1998
"Things I have done and belonged
to as of November 16, 2003"
Mayor of
Grants Pass 1958 to 1960
Oregon
State Senator for Josephine County 1961 - 1984 (24 yrs.)
As
Senate President from 1968 - 1972, Debbs served as acting governor
whenever Governor Tom McCall traveled outside Oregon. During his
tenure as Senate president, Potts served as Oregon's governor a
total of 196 days.
Chairman
of the Oregon Lottery Commission 1985 - 2003
Co-founder
of Rogue Community College
Co-founder
of Southern Oregon Historical Society
Occupations
Airborne
Photographer U.S. Forest Service 1935 - 36, Surveying So. Oregon/
Northern California
Ran
sawmills for 3 years at O'Dell Lake, OR for the railroad
Owned/
operated sawmills in Klamath Falls, Lake of the Woods, Bonanza,
Keno, Upper Klamath Lake near Pelican City
Owned/
operated a sawmill and planing mill at Pottsville
Military
Spent 3
years during WWII with the U.S. Navy
20 years
active Naval Reserve
50 years
U.S. Fleet Reserve
50 years
member American Legion
50 years
member Veterans of Foreign Wars
Honorary
member of U.S. Young Marines
Honorary
member of U.S. 186th Infantry
Organizations
Chief
Bighorn Oregon Cavemen 1955
Goodwill
Ambassador for Golden Gate Association
20 years
member Merlin Business Association
40 years
member Grants Pass Rotary Club
40 years
member Tri-State Association (California, Oregon, Washington)
45 years
member Redwood Empire Association
60 years
member Elks #1584, played Santa Claus for 55 years
60 years
member North Pacific Grange near Pottsville
Debbs as Chief Big Horn
The Oregon Cavemen began in 1922 when a group of businessmen in Grants Pass came up with a novel way of promoting tourism in Josephine County. They did this by dressing up as cavemen, pretending to be descendants of the Neanderthals. Dressed in furs, with horsehair wigs, and buck teeth, the Cavemen were known for their zany antics like capturing people from the crowd during parades, abducting visiting celebrities or playing a prank or joke under the direction of a mysterious Chief Bighorn. Debbs Potts held the position of Chief Big Horn in 1955. In an initiation that included eating raw meat and drinking
"the blood of the saber-toothed tiger" ( Snappy Tom, served in a Coke bottle wrapped in a skunk skin ), the Cavemen welcomed governors, senators and state attorney generals to their ranks. Honorary members included Babe Ruth, Henry Ford, James Stewart, Shirley Temple, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan.
Oregon is one of five states that does not have a Lieutenant
Governor's position. Until 1972, whenever a governor would travel
out of state or be incapacitated in any way, the Senate President
would become "Acting Governor". As Senate President between 1968
and 1972, Debbs Potts served a total of 196 days as "Acting
Governor".
This picture of Debbs in front of the Blacksmith Shop was taken by
Paul Fattig of the Medford Mail Tribune in 1998. Debbs was 89 years
old.
After Oregon voters approved a state-run lottery in 1984, Gov.
Victor Atiyeh asked Debbs Potts to become the first chairman of the
Oregon Lottery Commission. Debbs served as the commission's
chairman for 19 years from 1985 until 2003, helping the lottery
become the state's second largest source of general fund revenue.
Debbs passed away two weeks after retiring from the lottery
commission at the age of 94. In 2005, the Oregon legislature
directed that the Oregon Lottery Commission building in Salem be
officially named the Debbs Potts Oregon State Lottery Commission
Building.
