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Arnold Olsen Papers, 1956-1972

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Olsen, Arnold, 1916-1990
Title
Arnold Olsen Papers
Dates
1956-1972 (inclusive)
Quantity
116 linear feet and 1 oversize box, (205 boxes)
Collection Number
Mss 201
Summary
This collection contains the papers Arnold Olsen generated and collected while serving as U.S. Representative for the western Montana Congressional District, along with a few other materials unrelated to his congressional service. Materials include incoming and outgoing correspondence, legislative documents, official news releases, campaign materials, speeches, awards, certificates, gifts, and photographs.
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and the University of Montana--Missoula.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.
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Biographical Note

The son of Anna and Albert Olsen, Arnold Olsen was born December 17, 1916 in Butte, Montana. After attending Butte public schools and the Montana School of Mines, he received a law degree from Montana State University (now the University of Montana) Law School and began his Butte law practice in 1940. Following four years of overseas duty in the Navy during the Second World War, Olsen married Margaret Williams, also of Butte, and together they had three children - Margaret Rae, Anna, and Karen. He was Attorney General for the State of Montana from 1949 to 1957. Choosing not to run for re-election as Attorney General, Olsen campaigned as the Democratic nominee for Montana Governor in 1956; however, he lost the general election to Republican J. Hugo Aronson. After an unsuccessful campaign for the Montana Supreme Court in 1958, Olsen was elected to represent Montana's western District in the U.S. House of Representatives on November 8, 1960. During his ten-year career in the House of Representatives Olsen served on the Public Works Committee, the Post Office and Civil Service Committee, and was the Chairman of the Postal Rates Subcommittee. Olsen returned to Montana in 1971 following his loss to Republican Richard Shoup and made an unsuccessful bid to recapture his former Congressional seat in 1972.

Olsen also belonged to such organizations as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Veterans of World War II, Silver Bow Lodge AF & AM, Scottish Rite, Baghdad Temple of the Shrine, and the Scandinavian Fraternity of America. Governor Tom Judge appointed Olsen to the State District Court at Butte in 1975. Arnold Olsen continued to serve on the state bench until his death, October 9, 1990. He is buried in Butte, Montana.

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Content Description

This collection contains the papers Arnold Olsen generated and collected while serving as U.S. Representative for the western Montana Congressional District. Materials include incoming and outgoing correspondence, legislative documents, official news releases, campaign materials, speeches, awards, certificates, gifts, and photographs. Additionally, this collection includes one file of documents he collected as a consultant to the "Committee for the Paradise Dam" prior to his Congressional service. These collection materials document Arnold Olsen's efforts on behalf of his constituents, activities in Congress, and election strategies. Correspondence and legislation documents are particularly insightful regarding Congressman Olsen's efforts during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations as well as the early years of the Nixon Administration. The years Olsen served in Congress were dominated by civil rights legislation, debates regarding Congressional and Presidential powers during wartime, and establishment of public land and resource management laws. These topics are well represented in the Arnold Olsen Papers; however, materials also extensively cover management of the U.S. Postal Service, Federal civil service reform, surveillance of "un-American" organizations, and national education policy.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright transferred to the University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], Arnold Olsen Papers, Archives and Special Collections, The University of Montana-Missoula.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is divided into eight series:

Series I: Correspondence, 1960-1970, 89 linear feet

Series II: Legislation, 1961-1970, 23.25 linear feet

Series III: Speeches and Press Releases, 1956-1970, 3.75 linear feet

Series IV: Awards and Certificates, circa 1960-1972, 1 oversize box (44 items)

Series V: Biographical, 1960-1969, 1 folder

Series VI: Photographs, 1960-1968, 7 items

Series VII: Clippings and Memorabilia, 1961-1966, 2 folders

Series VIII: Committee for the Paradise Dam, 1957-1959, 1 folder

Custodial History

The collection was in the possession of Olsen's office until its donation to the Archives.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Arnold Olsen, 1965 and 1975.

Processing Note

File arrangement for series I, II, and III follow the organizational structure created by Congressman Olsen's office staff. The actions of the original processors are largely unknown. Reprocessing in 2003-2004 consisted of augementing biographical information, collection description, and adding series notes. Photographs, which had been separated to the Archive's photograph collection, were intellectually re-united with their original source.

Separated Materials

During original processing, numerous volumes of the Congressional Record were separated from the collection.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Civil rights--United States
  • Civil service reform -- United States
  • Dams--Montana
  • Education and state -- United States
  • Elections -- Montana
  • Executive power--United States
  • Legislative power--United States
  • National security--United States
  • Natural resources--Law and legislation--United States
  • Postal service--United States
  • Public lands--United States
  • Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975--United States
  • War and emergency powers -- United States

Corporate Names

  • United States. Congress. House
  • Committee for the Paradise Dam (Mont.)
  • United States Postal Service
  • United States. Congress. House--Elections
  • University of Montana--Missoula--Alumni and alumnae

Geographical Names

  • Montana--Politics and government--20th century
  • Paradise Dam (Mont.)
  • United States--Poltics and government--1945-1989

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographs

Occupations

  • Legislators--United States

Finding aid prepared by Robert Applegate and Dave Robertson (1996) and Jodi Allison-Bunnell and Jack Rowan (2004)
2003

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

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