Guide to the Vernon Bruckerhoff Papers 1963-1982 1998.038 7.5 linear feet

Abstract Personal and political papers of Vernon Bruckerhoff, a graduate of Southeast State College, who served as a representative in the Missouri state legislature from 1970-1983. Materials date from Bruckerhoff’s time as a student at Southeast, his teaching career, and his time as a state legislator.

Revised by: Anna Powell

Spring 2009

Special Collections and Archives Kent Library One University Plaza, MS 4600 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 Phone: (573) 651-2245; Fax: (573) 651-2666; Email: [email protected] Descriptive Overview

Provenance: The Vernon Bruckerhoff Papers were donated in two sections; the first set (papers dating from 1963-1976) in 1981, and a second set (papers dating from 1971-1982) in 1983.

Citation: Vernon Bruckerhoff Collection, Special Collections and Archives, Southeast Missouri State University.

Restrictions: None

Separated Materials: Four items were removed due to the personal information printed on the material, in accordance with the privacy act.

Biographical Note

Vernon Bruckerhoff was born on July 31, 1944 in St. Marys, Missouri. He graduated from Southeast Missouri State College with a degree in History Secondary Education. During his time at Southeast, he was active with the Young Republicans, serving as state chairman of the Young Republicans. He went on to spend several years as a teacher and ran a small strawberry and vegetable farm. Bruckerhoff would continue to farm for the remainder of his career.

Bruckerhoff was elected to serve as a representative in the Missouri State Legislature from 1970 until 1982. He was elected by a special election after the death of Martin Degenhardt and he was defeated in 1982 by Democrat Herb Fallert. Shortly after this Bruckerhoff was forced to declare bankruptcy and lost many of assets.

In 1981, Bruckerhoff donated many of his personal papers to Southeast Missouri State University, and in 1983 he donated the remainder of his papers. Mr. Bruckerhoff retired from public service in the early 1980s and has spent the years since as a farmer.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of six series, ranging in date from the 1960s to the 1980s. The first series relates to Bruckerhoff’s education and time as a teacher. The second series consists of legislative correspondence sent and received during Bruckerhoff’s political career. The third series is subject files complied by Bruckerhoff consisting of specialized materials, such as research materials and other documentation relating to issues supported or opposed by Bruckerhoff, legislative documents, etc. The series is arranged alphabetically by subject. The fourth series is materials relating to the building of the City of Chester toll bridge. The material is arranged according to subject. The fifth series consists of press releases written by Vernon Bruckerhoff entitled “The People Want to Know.” The last series consists of photographs that were unrelated to other subjects within the collection. The photograph series is arranged into two subseries: personal photographs of Bruckerhoff and regional photographs of troubled landscapes during Bruckerhoff’s legislative years.

Archivist Note: Some abbreviations are used in Series III: Legislative Subject Files. They are: House Bill (HB), Senate Bill (SB) and House Joint Resolution (HJR).

Page 2 of 11 Series Description

Series I: Pre-Legislature Career Materials relating to the period before Vernon Bruckerhoff became a politician. Materials include newspaper clippings, programs, and other promotional material relating to the activities of the Young Republicans at Southeast Missouri State University, correspondence, exams, teaching materials, evaluations by students, teaching contracts and personal writing relating to Bruckerhoff’s years as a high school history/civics teacher; and material relating to Bruckerhoff’s work with the National Boy Scouts.

Series II: Legislative Correspondence Correspondence Bruckerhoff received during his years as a Missouri representative. It is arranged chronologically. The material is solely correspondence but does include newspaper clippings that were sent in the correspondence.

Series III: Legislative Subject Files Materials relating to Bruckerhoffs time as a state legislator. The files are arranged by subject and encompass bills, promotional material, research material, publications, news clippings, correspondence, and other materials related to each subject. The subjects are arranged alphabetically and then chronologically. Those relating to House Bills (HB), House Joint Resolution (HJR), or Senate Bills (SB) are marked with the bill number on the outside of the folder.

Series IV: Chester Bridge Files The Chester Bridge is a truss bridge connecting Missouri's Route 51 with Illinois Route 150 across the between Perryville, Missouri and Chester, Illinois. The Chester Bridge Files consist of correspondences, press releases, official documentation and other materials relating to approval of the bridge and the construction of the bridge. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order, according to subject matter and type.

Series V: Press Releases Press releases issued by Bruckerhoff and his office. Also includes many of Bruckerhoff’s articles “The People Want to Know.” Material is arranged by title in alphabetical order, and then chronologically.

Series VI: Photographs Subseries a: Personal Photographs Photographs of Vernon Bruckerhoff during his college through legislative career years. Also includes photos of various legislators, sometimes autographed, collected by Bruckerhoff. The photographs are arranged by size and approximate date.

Subseries b: Regional Photographs Materials relating to Bruckerhoff’s legislative career and includes dams, dam failures, timberlines, flooded regions and landscapes of Bruckerhoff’s legislative area. The photographs are arranged by size and date.

Page 3 of 11 Table of Contents Series I ...... 5 Series II ...... 5 Series III ...... 6 Series IV ...... 8 Series V ...... 9 Series VI ...... 9 Subseries 1 ...... 9 Subseries 2 ...... 11

Page 4 of 11 Container Listing Series I Pre-Legislative Career Materials Box 1099 Folder 001 Boy Scouts 1966-1970 Folder 002 Correspondence 1960-1967 Folder 003 Insurance 1968 Folder 004 Legislative Materials related to Missouri 1966-1968 Folder 005 Miscellaneous Materials Undated Folder 006 Newspaper Clippings c.1969-1971 Folder 007 Teaching 1967 Folder 008 Writings 1963-1969

Box 1100 Folder 001 Young Republicans 1963-1967 Folder 002 Young Republicans 1963-1967

Series II Legislative Correspondence Box 1100 Folder 003 Correspondence 1970 Jan-May Folder 004 Correspondence 1970 Jun- Aug Folder 005 Correspondence 1970 Sep- Oct Folder 006 Correspondence 1970 Nov- Dec

Box 1101 Folder 001 Correspondence 1971 Jan Folder 002 Correspondence 1971 Feb Folder 003 Correspondence 1971 Mar Folder 004 Correspondence 1971 Apr Folder 005 Correspondence 1971 May

Box 1102 Folder 001 Correspondence 1971 Jun- Sep Folder 002 Correspondence 1971 Oct- Dec Folder 003 Correspondence 1972 Jan Folder 004 Correspondence 1972 Feb Folder 005 Correspondence 1972 Mar Folder 006 Correspondence 1972 Apr Folder 007 Correspondence 1972 May- Dec Folder 008 Correspondence 1973 Jan- Mar Folder 009 Correspondence 1973 Apr

Box 1103 Folder 001 Correspondence 1973 May Folder 002 Correspondence 1973 Jun- Nov Folder 003 Correspondence 1973 Dec Folder 004 Correspondence 1974 Jan Folder 005 Correspondence 1974 Feb Folder 006 Correspondence 1974 Mar

Page 5 of 11 Series II Legislative Correspondence Box 1104 Folder 001 Correspondence 1974 Apr Folder 002 Correspondence 1974 May- Jun Folder 003 Correspondence 1974 Jul Folder 004 Correspondence 1974 Aug Folder 005 Correspondence 1974 Sep- Oct Folder 006 Correspondence 1974 Nov-Dec

Box 1105 Folder 001 Correspondence 1975 Jan Folder 002 Correspondence 1975 Feb Folder 003 Correspondence 1975 Feb Folder 003 Correspondence 1975 Mar Folder 004 Correspondence 1975 Apr

Box 1106 Folder 001 Correspondence 1975 May- Jun Folder 002 Correspondence 1975 Jul- Aug Folder 003 Correspondence 1975 Sep- Oct Folder 004 Correspondence 1975 Nov- Dec

Box 1107 Folder 001 Correspondence 1976 Jan Folder 002 Correspondence 1976 Feb Folder 003 Correspondence 1976 Mar Folder 004 Correspondence 1976 Apr- Jun Folder 005 Correspondence 1976 Jul- Oct Folder 006 Correspondence 1976 Nov- Dec

Box 1108 Folder 001 Correspondence 1977 Jan- Jun Folder 002 Correspondence 1977 Jul- Dec Folder 003 Correspondence 1978 Folder 004 Correspondence 1979 Jan- Mar Folder 005 Correspondence 1979 Apr- Dec Folder 006 Correspondence 1980

Box 1109 Folder 001 Correspondence 1981 Jan- Mar Folder 002 Correspondence 1981 Apr- May Folder 003 Correspondence 1981 Jun- Dec Folder 004 Correspondence 1982 Folder 005 Correspondence Undated

Series III Legislative Subject Files Box 1110 Folder 001 Agriculture 1970-1975 Folder 002 Agriculture 1970-1975 Folder 003 Boy Scouts 1966-1978 Folder 004 Ballots 1975 Page 6 of 11 Series III Legislative Subject Files Box 1110 Folder 005 Bike Safety Undated Folder 006 Committee Appointment 1979-1980 Folder 007 Dam Safety 1972-1978 Folder 008 Dam Safety 1972-1980 Folder 009 Department of Revenue 1970 Folder 010 Education 1970-1971

Box 1111 Folder 001 Education 1970-1974 Folder 002 Election and Election Committee 1972 Folder 003 Environmental Issues 1971 Folder 004 Environmental Issues 1971 Folder 005 Fire Safety Undated Folder 006 High School Athletics 1974-1975 Folder 007 Kaskaskia Project 1975 Folder 008 Labor 1971 Folder 009 Legislative Materials 1970-1975

Box 1112 Folder 001 Legislative Materials 1970-1975 Folder 002 Legislative Materials 1970-1975 Folder 003 Legislative Material 1977-1982 Folder 004 Levees Undated Folder 005 Meramac Park Lake 1976-1982 Folder 006 Midwest Youth Association 1975 Folder 007 Miscellaneous Material 1970-1978 Folder 008 Mississippi Lime Company 1971 Folder 009 Mississippi River Parkway Commission 1975-1977 Folder 010 Missouri College Republicans 1966-1967

Box 1113 Folder 001 Missouri Election Debate 1975 Folder 002 Missouri State Highways 1970-1971 Folder 003 Newsletter 1970-1975 Folder 004 Newspaper Clippings 1964-1982 Folder 005 Newspaper Clippings 1970-1971 Folder 006 News Releases 1970-1972 Folder 007 News Releases 1970-1972 Folder 008 News Releases 1974-1976

Box 1114 Folder 001 Nursing Homes (HB 17) 1970-1971 Folder 002 Occupational Safety and Health Act (HB 460) 1975 Folder 003 Orben’s Current Comedy 1973-1974 Folder 004 PA-HAT-SI 1972 Folder 005 Parker Campaign 1970-1972 Folder 006 Payroll Requisition 1970 Folder 007 Pecans c. 1969 Folder 008 Perry County Grand Jury 1974 Page 7 of 11 Series III Legislative Subject Files Box 1114 Folder 009 Perry County Hospital Law Undated Folder 010 Perryville 1970-1972 Folder 011 Perryville Public Schools 1970-1975 Folder 012 Personal Material Folder 013 Pesticides 1970-1971 Folder 014 Press Releases 1971 Folder 015 Pride Bus (SB 875) 1976 Folder 016 Primary Elections (HB 1452) 1972 Folder 017 Publicity Manual 1975 Folder 018 Purchases of Service (HB 30, HB 26) 1970-1971 Jan Folder 019 Purchases of Service (HB 30, HB 26) 1971 Feb Folder 020 Purchases of Service (HB 30, HB 26) 1971 Mar- Apr

Box 1115 Folder 001 Re-Election Material 1982 Folder 002 Reports 1964 Folder 003 Republican National Committee 1970-1971 Folder 004 Retarded Children 1972 Folder 005 Samples, Francis- Civil Defense 1968-1970 Folder 006 School Foundation Program 1971-1975 Folder 007 School Foundation Program Additional Information (HB 350, SB 175) 1974-1975 Folder 008 School of Optometry (HB 16.380) 1975 Folder 009 Seldom Rest Farm 1974-1982 Folder 010 Social Issues 1971-1974 Folder 011 Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission 1971

Box 1116 Folder 001 Speeches 1970 Folder 002 State of Missouri Division of Insurance 1970 Folder 003 Ste. Genevieve Landmarks Commission 1976 Folder 004 St. Louis- Cape Bus Lines 1975-1976 Folder 005 St. Mary’s Police Court Conduct 1971 Folder 006 Taxes- Property 1974-1975 Folder 007 Telephone Poll 1982 Folder 008 “This Week in Washington” 1971-1972 Folder 009 Transportation 1971-1972 Folder 010 Tower Rock 1968-1973 Folder 011 Traffic Violation 1970 Folder 012 Training School for Boys 1973 Folder 013 Travel Regulations 1974 Folder 014 Veterans 1970-1971 Folder 015 Voting and Majority Age 1974 Folder 016 Water Pollution Board 1968-1971 Folder 017 Water Supply System and Waste Water Treatment Plants (HB 1190) 1971-1972 Folder 018 Workmen’s Compensation for County Employees (HB 1973) 1973

Series IV Chester Bridge Papers Box 1117 Folder 001 Correspondence 1969 Page 8 of 11 Series IV Chester Bridge Papers Box 1117 Folder 002 Correspondence 1970 Folder 003 Correspondence 1971-1976 Folder 004 Examination Reports 1975 Folder 005 Exhibits “A”- “J” Undated Folder 006 Financial Record Correspondence (HB 11861) 1953-1959 Folder 007 Financial Records 1960-1965 Folder 008 Financial Records 1966-1969 Folder 009 Financial Records 1970 Folder 010 Invoices 1965-1968 Folder 011 Invoices 1969-1970

Box 1118 Folder 001 Legal Documents 1970-1971 Folder 002 Monthly Traffic Summaries 1966 Jul-1970 Jul Folder 003 News Releases 1970-1971 Folder 004 Newspaper Articles on Exhibit “B”- “H” 1963 Folder 005 Newspaper Clippings 1970-1971 Folder 006 Notes c. 1970-1971 Folder 007 Procedure- Hearings on Chester Bridge Part 1 1971 Jun 15 Folder 008 Procedure- Hearings on Chester Bridge Part 2 1971 Jun 16

Series V Press Releases Box 1119 Folder 001 People Want to Know Press Releases 1972-1973 Folder 002 People Want to Know Press Releases 1974 Folder 003 People Want to Know Press Releases 1975 Folder 004 People Want to Know Press Releases 1976 Folder 005 People Want to Know Press Releases 1977 Folder 006 People Want to Know Press Releases 1978 Folder 007 People Want to Know Press Releases 1979 Folder 008 Press Releases 1971, 1973 Folder 009 Press Releases 1974-1977 Folder 010 Press Releases 1980 Folder 011 Press Releases 1981 Folder 012 Press Releases 1982

Series VI Photographs Box 1120 Subseries 1: Personal Photographs Item 001 Bruckerhoff and unidentified male Undated Item 002 Bruckerhoff at the Berlin Wall Undated Item 003 Bruckerhoff at work desk Undated Item 004 Bruckerhoff and three unidentified males at Young Republican Oberle Undated Sausage Booth Item 005 Bruckerhoff at the Berlin Wall Undated Item 006 Bruckerhoff , Bob Eads, Ethan Campbell, John Forbis at the Young Undated Republicans Item 007 Picture of unidentified persons at a parade Undated Item 008 Bruckerhoff and Ron and Sylvia Von Pickle [?] at National CYB Undated Conference Page 9 of 11 Series VI Photographs Box 1120 Subseries 1: Personal Photographs Item 009 Young Republicans (individuals unidentified) Undated Item 010 Bruckerhoff and five unidentified individuals at a Young Republican Undated Booth Item 011 House and car in driveway, Columbia MO 1968 Mar 20 Item 012 House and basketball goal, Columbia MO 1968 Mar 20 Item 013 Bruckerhoff and unidentified group of six individuals Undated Item 014 Two unidentified adult males 1971 Mar Item 015 Unidentified adult male exiting the Army National Guard Bus 1971 Mar Item 016 Bruckerhoff at a large gathering of unidentified males 1971 Mar Item 017 Bruckerhoff at a gathering of unidentified military males Undated Item 018 Bruckerhoff at a large gathering of unidentified males 1971 Mar Item 019 Bruckerhoff in field with unidentified male youth Undated Item 020 Bruckerhoff truck for “Seldom Rest Farm” Undated Item 021 Bruckerhoff in field with unidentified male youth Undated Item 022 Bruckerhoff and three unidentified males in the Missouri State House Undated Item 023 Bruckerhoff and the State Goals Committee 1972 Jun 27 Item 024 Bruckerhoff addressing the Missouri Legislature Undated Item 025 Bruckerhoff inside the Missouri House Undated Item 026 Bruckerhoff receiving a certificate from two unidentified males Undated Item 027 Bruckerhoff at a large unidentified body of water with two unidentified Undated young males Item 028 Bruckerhoff outside Wimpy’s IGA Food Grocery Store Undated Item 029 Group shot of thirty nine unidentified persons; Bruckerhoff 3rd person Undated in the bottom row from the left Item 030 Bruckerhoff outside a large unidentified plant Undated Item 031 Bruckerhoff outside unidentified factory Undated Item 032 Bruckerhoff outside unidentified factory Undated Item 033 Bruckerhoff posing with 2 unidentified males and farm machinery Undated Item 034 Bruckerhoff posing with 2 unidentified males and farm machinery Item 035- Publicity shot of Bruckerhoff outside Missouri House Undated Item 037 Item 038 Bruckerhoff and two unidentified males Undated Item 039- Bruckerhoff receiving certificates of appreciation from various 1980 Jul 14 Item 043 unidentified males Item 043 Bruckerhoff in same named vehicle at a demolition derby Undated Item 044 Bruckerhoff with unidentified Congressman Undated Item 045 Congressional Photo: Peter Dominick (autographed) Undated Item 046 Congressional Photo: W. Vanderfuller (sp?) (autographed) Undated Item 047 Congressional Photo: George Murphy (autographed) Undated Item 048 Congressional Photo: Sen. Margaret Chase Smith Undated Item 049 Congressional Photo: Bill Brush (autographed) Undated Item 050 Congressional Photo: Hubert Humphry Undated Item 051 Congressional Photo: John Tower (autographed) Undated Item 052 Congressional Photo: Tom R. Van Sickle (autographed) Undated Item 053 Congressional Photo: Unidentified, autograph undecipherable Undated Item 054 Congressional Photo: Two unidentified males (possibly from Undated Michigan) Item 055- Flooding of U.S. Highway 71- Western Missouri Inadequate Spillway 1967 Nov Item 090 Page 10 of 11 Series VI Photographs Box 1120 Subseries 2: Regional Photographs Item 091- St. Francis County Timberline 1968 Feb 26 Item 099 Item 100- St. Francis County Timberline 1968 Apr Item 113 Item 114- St. Genevieve Co., Pinkston 1968 May 24 Item 123 Item 124 St. Charles Co. largest Dam 1968 Mar Item 125 St. Francis County Timberline 1967 Jun 29 Item 126 St. Charles Co. largest Dam 1968 Mar Item 127 Unidentified aerial view, possibly of a lagoon 1968 Mar Item 128 Unidentified male in canyon 1969 Aug Item 129 Unidentified male in canyon 1969 Aug Item 130 Unidentified canyon 1969 Aug Item 131 Unidentified canyon 1969 Aug Item 132- Unidentified aerial view 1970 Mar; Item 135 Undated Item 136 Crowley’s Ridge Resort Earthen Dam Undated Item 137- Status of Lakes in Missouri Presentation 1966 Item 144 Item 145 Drowning Victim 1957 Jun 29 Item 146 Drowning Victim 1957 Jun 29 Item 147- Hulen Lake, Columbia Missouri 1968 Mar 20 Item 149 Item 150 Post Dispatch at Hulen Lake, Columbia Missouri 1968 Mar 20 Item 151 Post Dispatch at Hulen Lake, Columbia Missouri 1968 Mar 20 Item 152 Hulen Lake, Columbia Missouri 1968 Mar 20 Item 153 Lake on Highway 30 Undated Item 154 Lake on Highway 30 Undated Item 155 Timberline Dam at St. Francis County 1968 Mar 20 Item 156 Timberline Dam at St. Francis County 1968 Mar 20 Item 157- Ball Creek Missouri 1973 Apr 23 Item 182 Item 183 St. Francis Terre duLau 1966 Item 184 Camp Lohe 1968 Mar 7 Item 185 Camp Lohe 1968 Mar 7 Item 186- Dam Slope and Slipway failures 1968 Mar 26 Item 196 Item 197- Mississippi River six miles east of St. Clair, MO 1975 Mar 4 Item 202 Item 203 Bruckerhoff surveying a site by an unidentified River. undated

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