Edwin C. Johnson papers
Scope and Contents
The Edwin Carl Johnson Collection consists of miscellaneous reports, hearings, correspondence, publications, and speeches, mostly pertaining to his work on the Colorado River Basin with various water resource institutions.
The Edwin Carl Johnson Collection contains I. COLORADO BASIN MATERIAL, II. COLORADO RIVER MATERIAL 1962-1968, III. GOVERNMENT REPORTS AND LEGISLATION, 1933-1961, IV. GOVERNMENT REPORTS AND LEGISLATION, MISCELLANEOUS CLIPPINGS, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, and V. LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING AND OTHER MATERIAL.
Dates
- Creation: 1960 - 1970
Biographical Note
Edwin Carl Johnson was born near Scandia in Republic County, Kansas, on January 1, 1884. As a youth he worked as a ranch hand, a section hand for the Burlington Railroad, and a telegrapher. He received his high school diploma at the age of 19. In 1909 he contracted tuberculosis and moved (with his wife, the former Ferne Armitage, whom he married on February 17, 1907) to Colorado hoping to benefit from its climate. From 1910 to 1921 he homesteaded on land near Craig, Colorado, the city which he has ever since regarded as his home.
In 1922 Johnson was selected as a Democratic representative to the Colorado state legislature, where he served four consecutive terms (1923-1931). During this period he also operated the Farmer’s Cooperative Milling Elevator. In 1930 he was elected Colorado’s Lieutenant Governor (1931-1933), and in 1932 he was elected Governor. He filled this post for two terms (1933-1937), after which he served as a U.S. Senator from Colorado from January 3, 1937 to January 3, 1955. During his term in the Senate he was known for his isolationist sentiments. He did not run for re-election in the Senatorial contest of 1954. He was again elected Governor of Colorado, this time for a two year term ending January 1957.
Johnson retired from professional politics in 1957, but continued to serve on various State commissions and committees including the Upper Colorado River Basin Commission and the Colorado Commission on the Aged. Johnson is generally regarded as the most noteworthy politician to come from Colorado in this century. His services to his home state were perhaps most valuable in the areas of internal improvements (especially roads) and water resources.
Johnson died in Denver on May 30, 1970.
Extent
6 linear feet (13 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Edwin Johnson was a politician who moved to Colorado with his wife upon contracting tuberculosis at the age of 25. At various times between 1922 and 1957, he held the positions of Democratic representative to the Colorado state legislature (1923-1931), Colorado’s Lieutenant Governor (1931-1933), Governor (1933-1937), U.S. Senator (1937-1955), and Governor again (1955-1957), at which point he retired. This collection contains correspondence, reports, hearings, and many other materials pertaining to, among other things, Johnson’s work with the Colorado River Basin.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into the following series:
I. COLORADO RIVER BASIN MATERIAL
II. COLORADO RIVER MATERIAL 1962-1968
III. GOVERNMENT REPORTS AND LEGISLATION, 1933-1961
IV. REPORTS AND LEGISLATION, CLIPPINGS, CORRESPONDENCE
V. LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING AND OTHER MATERIAL
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Unknown Re-Organized by: Kyle Shurtz, April 6, 2011
- Date
- Unknown
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries, Rare and Distinctive Collections Repository