Harry B. Mitchell was a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) from Great Falls, Montana. In the fall of 1962, he became the co-chairman of the Legislative Committee for the Montana State Jaycees. He spent the next 2 years promoting the protection of the natural waterways of Montana, especially fishing habitat, from damage by road construction and hydraulic activities. The Jaycees created a Conservation Committee in 1963 and Mitchell served as its chair. He was honored for his work with a 1963 American Motors Company Non-professional Conservation Award.
The Mitchell papers have been divided into three series. Series one contains materials created or collected by Mitchell while serving as co-chair of the Jaycees Legislative Committee in 1962. Mitchell's work on the committee related to the development of Substitute Senate Bill 45, passed on March 11, 1963, a state bill protecting fishing waters from highway construction. Papers include correspondence, brochures, pamphlets, newspaper articles, government documents, working papers, legislative lists, a photo story showing results of stream bed alterations, a slide presentation and slides promoting the bill, draft bills and the final version of the bill. Series two contains materials created or collected by Mitchell while serving as the chair of the Conservation Committee of the Jaycees. These papers relate to the committee's efforts to introduce a similar Federal bill to protect fishing waters. Papers include correspondence, newspaper articles, broadsides, state reports and official interdepartmental correspondence between Federal departments involved. These papers relate to the Jaycees continuing advocacy of the Stream Preservation Act of 1963 (SSB #45), Clean Water campaign, and the controversies over Federal construction plans for Interstate Highway I-15 along the Missouri River near Wolf Point, Montana. Series three contains the program, congratulatory letters, recommendations, newspaper clippings, and correspondence related to the awarding of a 1963 American Motors Non-Professional Conservation Award to Harry B. Mitchell.
Series 1 Montana Junior Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee, 1953-1963
Series 2 Montana Junior Chamber of Commerce Conservation Committee, 1963-1964
Series 3 American Motors Conservation Award, 1963
This collection is open for research.
The Harry B. Mitchell papers were donated to Special Collections on April 29, 2002 by Tom Palmer of the Information Department of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department.
This collection was processed 2009 May 21
Papers created or collected by Harry Mitchell in his work as co-chair of the Jaycees Legislative Committee, especially pertaining to the campaign for Senate Substitute Bill #45. Materials that predate Mitchell's term on the committee represent research on the issue that he gathered.
Papers created or collected by Mitchell as chair of the Jaycees Conservation Committee, especially in advocating federal legislation to protect fishing waters during the construction of interstate highways.
Papers, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia for the 1963 American Motors conservation Award.