View XML QR Code

Montana Department of Transportation, Directors' Office records, 1956-2001

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana. Department of Transportation
Title
Montana Department of Transportation, Directors' Office records
Dates
1956-2001 (inclusive)
Quantity
29.2 linear feet
Collection Number
RS 492 (Formerly RS 411)
Summary
This collection is a subgroup (Division) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Transportation records. These records of the Director's Office of the Department of Transportation consist of correspondence, subject files, reports, meeting minutes, and organizational charts kept by directors of the Montana Department of Highways and Montana Department of Transportation.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)
Return to Top

Historical Note

The Montana State Highway Commission was created in 1913 by the state Legislative Assembly. The original Commission was composed of three members. In 1917 new legislation altered the organization of the Commission by authorizing the appointment of twelve members according to geographic highway districts. Membership was changed again in 1921 to three members appointed by the Governor and in 1941 to five members, also appointed by the Governor. In 1971 the Commission was renamed the Montana Department of Highways, created by Chapter 7 of the Executive Reorganization Act of 1971 and implemented by executive order of the Governor on December 16, 1971. The Department of Highways took over all but the advisory functions of the State Highway Commission.

By 1972, the Department consisted of seven divisions: the Legal Division, Personnel Division, Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division. Each division is headed by an administrator. The Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division are furthered sub-divided into bureaus, headed by Chiefs. In 1991, the Department of Highways became the Department of Transportation. This was primarily a name change. However, there were some structural and administrative changes.

The position of the Director of the Department of Highways, and later the Department of Transportation, was created in 1971 when the Department of Highways was created. The Director acts as the Department head, directing and advising the Department, communicating with Federal Agencies and Legislators, interpreting Federal guidelines and advising the administration of federal-aid, communicating with State and Local Congressional leaders and State Governors, as well as directing and advising the implementation of divisional programs and funding. The Director’s position was maintained during the Departmental reorganization in 1991.

Return to Top

Content Description

The records of the Director’s Office of the Department of Transportation consist of the files of the Directors of the Highways Department (until 1991) and the Department of Transportation (1991 onward). The files include correspondence, subject files, reports and some minutes. The Department of Highways Director's Office records (1970-1991) includes the administration of six directors: H.J. Anderson, Ron Richards, Gary Wicks, Jesse Munro (an Interim Director), Larry Larson, and John Rothwell. The Department of Transportation Director’s files include the files of John Rothwell (his administration bridged the departmental reorganization), Marvin Dye, and David Galt. The Director’s files predominately include correspondence with State Governors, other State Agencies and Departments, Federal Agencies, including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), correspondence with state Congressional leaders, as well as correspondence with the general public, and other Highway or Transportation divisions and district offices.Topics covered among the files include federal funding, and gas tax revenue, various long-term highways projects, program planning, and various departmental audits.

Included in DOT Director’s files (Larry Larson, John Rothwell, and Marvin Dye) are feasibility studies for, and other general files related to, the creation of a Department of Transportation. The files also include some records of the Internal Audit Unit such as subject files, audit reports, strategic plans, and records of the Environmental Services Bureau. Other topics reflected within the files include: the 1970s energy crisis; public employee unions and labor management; contracted researchers who worked on specific projects for the department; Federal Highway Administrators correspondence; as well as Western State Highway Officials and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (WASHO and AASHTO) meetings and correspondence.

Also included, as a separate series, are the records of the Organizational Development Bureau, which was under the umbrella of the Director’s Office in 1994.

Return to Top

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

Return to Top

Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collection is organized into two subgroups: Directors’ Office and Organizational Development Bureau. The Directors subgroup is organized into eight series, arranged by each directors’ administration. Each director had a unique organizational structure, and occasionally these were maintained. Arrangement is based upon each director’s particular structure—organized alphabetically into subseries: Correspondence, Subject Files, Reports, and Meeting Minutes. Correspondence was further organized alphabetically by subject. Some Director’s maintained an inventory--or guide--to their Congressional, Governor’s, and Director’s Correspondence. Inventories are indicated in the folder headings, and included to assist the researcher. A number of the Directors’ Correspondence files overlapped, and some folders will contain multiple directors’ correspondence. These are indicated on the folder title, as well.

Location of Collection

40:5-5

Processing Note

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Transportation were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 492, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from Montana Department of Transportation's various Divisions and Bureaus that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 492. Rather than reprocessing over 280 linear feet of Transportation materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Return to Top

Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Highway engineering--Montana.
  • Interstates (Express Highways)--Montana
  • Roads--Design and construction--Montana.
  • Transportation--Administration--Montana

Geographical Names

  • Helena (Mont.)--Politics and government

Finding aid prepared by Ellie Letterman; Updated by Lindsey Mick
2012; 2024

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West

Loading...
Loading...