Charles Merzian Oral History Interview

Armenian, Granite City, immigration, Lincoln Place, sports

Merzian, Charles, “Charles Merzian Oral History Interview,” Madison Historical, accessed April 27, 2024, https://madison-historical.siue.edu/archive/items/show/866.

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This oral history interview with Charles Merzian was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Mr. Charles Merzian is a second generation American. His father emigrated from Armenia in 1910, and his mother emigrated from Armenia shortly later. They were married in 1925 and became naturalized American citizens in 1945 and 1946 respectively. They had two children, Charles (born in 1928) and Nell (born in 1933). In this interview, Mr. Merzian describes life while growing up in Lincoln Place in two primary locations for socialization, the community center (the clubhouse) and Sim’s place (later honored as Sim’s college), and how they impacted the lives of virtually everyone living at Lincoln Place. Mr. Merzian stresses that the multi-ethnic relationships established when growing up were a definite asset in preparing him for his working career.

• Louisa H. Bowen University Archives and Special Collections

Fall 2001 Granite City Oral History Interviews

• Lincoln Place
• Granite City

Merzian, Charles

November 1, 2001

• Granite City
• Lincoln Place

English

• Oral History

• mp3
• pdf

• 01:16:48

Tedrick, John W.

Merzian, Charles

Lincoln Place, Granite City, Illinois

256 kbit/s
250 kbit/s

• Lincoln Place
• Granite City, Illinois

• Merzian_Charles-O-001