Clair Engle Collection MSS 177 Special Collections• Meriam Library •California State University, Chico Contact Information Special Collections Meriam Library California State University, Chico Chico, CA 95929-0295 Phone: 530.898.6342 Email: [email protected] Special Collections website: http://www.csuchico.edu/special-collections/index.shtml Collection Summary Title Clair Engle Collection, 1933-1979 Call Number MSS 177 Catalog Record http://opac.csuchico.edu/record=b1801963~S13 Creator Clair Engle, 1911-1964 Language of Materials English Extent Items: 226 boxes Linear Feet: 116 Abstract This collection spans the political career of Clair Engle from 1933-1964 with additions through 1979, topics include: Legislative Files, Legislative Correspondence, General Files, Mining, Congressional Records, Speeches, Statements, Broadcasts, Guest Books, Press Releases, Invitations, Tapes, Campaign Materials, Voting Records, Newspaper Clippings, Photographs and Artifacts. 1 Clair Engle Collection, MSS 177 Information for Researchers Access Restrictions Collection is open for research without restriction. Usage Restrictions No restrictions. Publication Rights The library can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying any claimants of literary property. Alternate Form of Material No other forms of material. Acquisition Information Tehama County Library 1985 and California State Archives 1990 Processing Information Processed by: Mary Ellen Bailey, 1993 Finding aid updated by: Pamela Nett Kruger, Garret Root, Megan Spooner, 2009 Encoded by: Preferred Citation Clair Engle Collection, MSS 177, Special Collections, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico. Online Catalog Headings These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs. Engle, Clair, 1911-1964. Engle, Clair 1911-1964 -- Photographs. Engle, Clair, 1911-1964 -- Correspondence. Engle, Clair, 1911-1964 -- General Files. Engle, Clair, 1911-1964 -- Legislative Correspondence. Engle, Clair, 1911-1964 -- Legislative Files. Engle, Lucretia Hagen, Harlan, 1914-1990. McFall, John J. Moss, John E. (John Emerson), 1913- Sisk, Bernie Central Valley Water Project ( Calif.) Legislators -- United States -- Congresses. Political campaigns -- California.. Senators -- United States -- Biography. United States --Politics and government --20th century. Agriculture. Armed Forces -- Political activity -- Congresses. California -- Politics and government. California State Water Project Civil rights. Commerce -- Congresses. 2 Clair Engle Collection, MSS 177 Elections -- California. Electricity. Forests and forestry Gold mines and mining. Lumbering -- California. Mines and mineral resources Mining Navigation -- California -- History. Public lands -- United States -- Government policy -- Congresses. Reclamation of land -- California. Recreation. Roads -- California. Veterans -- California. Related Collections Clair Engle and the politics of California reclamation, 1943-1960 by Stephen Paul Sayles. Clair Engle campaign material, 1957-1958 at University of California Berkeley, Library. Biographical/Historical Note Clair Walter William Engle was born on September 21, 1911 in Bakersfield, California. He was the second of three sons to Fred J. Engle and Carita Alta Keeran Engle. He attended Chico State Teachers College at age 16, graduating in 1930 and went on to Hastings College of Law, University of California graduating in 1933. The following year he was elected District Attorney of Tehama County. Then in 1942 he was elected to the California State Senate, in 1943 elected to the United States House of Representatives, and in 1958 elected to the United States Senate. He lived in Red Bluff, California for 51 years. He married Hazel Burney Sheldon in 1933; they had one child Yvonne Lorraine on October 17, 1933. After divorcing Hazel in the late 1940s, he married Lucretia Caldwell in 1948. He held several posts and committees held while Congressman and Senator. As a Congressman: Assistant Democratic Whip in the House from the 80th-84th Congress, Member of Veterans Affairs Committee, Chairman of the Committee on War Claims, Chairman of the Public Lands Subcommittee, Chairman of the Irrigation and Reclamation Subcommittee, Chairman of the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee. As Senator: Democratic Legislative Review Committee; Armed Services Committee and its Military Construction Subcommittee and National Stockpile & Naval Petroleum Reserves Subcommittee; Commerce Committee and its Aviation Subcommittee and Merchant Maine & Fisheries Subcommittee; Select Committee on Small Business and its Monopoly Subcommittee and Financing Subcommittee; Special Committee on Aging. His major legislative contribution is the Central Valley Water project. He authored a two-volume publication entitled “Central Valley Project Documents.” He author or co-author of 104 bills that were signed into law. He served active duty on assignment in Korea in 1952, holding the rank of Air Force Reserve Colonel. He was a licensed pilot enabling him to cover his congressional district which spanned 53,000 miles stretching from Oregon to the Mojave Desert. After suffering from a brain tumor he died July 30, 1964 at the age of 52, and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Red Bluff, California. 3 Clair Engle Collection, MSS 177 Scope and Content/Collection Overview The collection consists of the legislative and subject files from Clair Engle's office when he was a Congressman and United States Senator from California. Also included in the collection are campaign material, press releases, photographs, films, tapes, and awards. Clair Engle, as representative and senator from a district in northern California that included the Sacramento Valley, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, was deeply concerned with the water problems of the area. His correspondence, studies, and legislation deal with conservation and utilization of water resources including, flood protection, irrigation, electric power, desalination of salt water, river and harbor development, and reclamation projects. He was the author of the legislation that created the Central Valley Project, the Saline Water Act of 1952 and the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. Other topics covered in the collection include mining resources and development, timber industry, Indian land, and federal land management. Subjects of national interest include statehood for Alaska and Hawaii, the Air Force, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. 4 Clair Engle Collection, MSS 177 Arrangement: 1. Legislative Files 5. Mining 8. Speeches, Statements, Broadcasts, Box: 1 Year: 1950-1952 Box: 42 Year: 1943-1944 Guest Books, Press Releases, Box: 2 Year: 1952-1953 Box: 43 Year: 1945-1946 Invitations and Tapes Box: 3 & 4 Year: 1953 Box: 44 Year: 1946-1947 Box: 186 Year: 1958-1962 Box: 5 Year: 1954 Box: 45 Year: 1947-1948 Box: 187 Year: 1959-1964 Box: 6 &7 Year 1955-1956 Box: 46 Year: 1949-1950 Box: 188 Year: 1963-1964 Box: 8-12 Year: 1957-1958 Box: 47 Year: 1951 Box: 189 Year: 1959-1964 Box 13-14 Year: 1958-1959 Box: 48 Year: 1951-1952 Box: 194 Year: 1944-1964 Box 15-21 Year: 1959-1960 Box: 49 Year: 1952-1953 Box: 195 Year: 1964-1965 Box: 22-25 Year: 1961-1962 Box: 50 Year: 1953-1955 Box: 198 Year: 1945-1964 Box 26-29 Year: 1963 Box: 51 Year: 1955-1956 Box: 199 Year: 1943-1960 Box: 30 Year: 1964 Box: 52 Year: 1956-1958 Box: 200 Year: 1961-1964 Box: 31 Year: 1963-1964 Box: 56 Year: 1955-1957 Box: 201 Year: 1959 Box: 57 Year: 1957-1960 Gold Mining Box: 202 Year: 1960 Box: 58-64 Year: 1959-1960 Box: 53 Year: 1943-1948 Box: 203 Year: 1961-1963 66-67 Box: 54 Year: 1951-1953 Box: 222 Year: 1963-1964 Box: 81 Year: 1961-1963 Box: 55 Year: 1954-1956 Box: 223 Year: 1940,51,61,62 Box: 82 Year: 1961-1963 Box: 224 Year: 1957 Box: 84 Year: 1961-1963 6. Subject Headings Box: 86 Year 1961-1963 Box: 105-110 Agriculture 9. Campaign Materials and Voting Box: 92-93 Year: 1963 Box: 87A/B, California Records Box: 96A Year: 1963-1964 111-114 Box: 190-192 Year: 1958 Box: 218 Year: 1933-1964 Box: 115-119 Electricity Box: 104, 193 Year: 1960-1964 Box: 120-120A Fish Box: 196 Year: 1943-1958 2. Legislative Correspondence Box: 121-121A Forestry Box: 197 Year: 1959-1964 Box: 32-34 Year: 1957 Box: 122 Governments Oversized drawers Box: 35 Year: 1957-1958 Box: 123 Highways Box: 41 Year: 1955-1956 Box: 124 Indian Affairs 10. Newspaper Clippings, Box: 65-65A Year: 1959-1960 Box: 125 Land Management Photographs and Artifacts Box: 73-77 Year: 1959-1960 Box: 126 Lumber Box: 204 Year: 1943-1948 Box: 79-80 Year: 1960 Box: 127 Mineral Resources Box: 205 Year: 1948-1955 Box: 97-99A Year: 1963-1964 Box: 128-130 Navigation Box: 206 Year: 1957-1958 Box: 131 Navy Box: 207 Year: 1959 3. General Files Box: 132 Pollution & Waste Box: 208 Year: 1960 Box: 36-37 Year: 1952-1959 Box: 133-135 Recreation Box: 209 Year: 1960-1961 Box: 38-39 Year: 1952-1958 Box: 136-178 Water Box: 209A Year: 1961-1962 Box: 40 Year: 1956-1958 Box: 210 Year: 1962-1963 Box: 68-72 Year: 1959 7. Congressional Records Box: 211 Year: 1963 Box: 78 Year: 1960 Box: 179 Year: 1943-1952 Box: 212 Year: 1964 Box: 83 Year: 1961-1963 Box: 180 Year: 1952-1956 Box: 214 Year: 1945-1956 Box: 85 Year: 1961-1963 Box: 181 Year: 1957-1960 Box: 215 Year: 1957-1961 Box: 87-91 Year: 1962 Box: 182 Year: 1961-1962 Box: 216 Year: 1962-1963 Box: 94-96 Year: 1963 Box: 183 Year: 1959-1962 Box: 217 oversize photos Box: 100-104 Year: 1964 Box: 184 Year: 1959-1960 Box: 185 Year: 1961-1962 11. Artifacts 4. Lucretia Engle