AHJ_ah10826 Inventory of the Edmund Converse papers, 1943-1970 Converse (Edmund) Papers Processed by John Hanks The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/
2006

University of Wyoming

 Finding aid encoded by Ann Mulfort July 2006 Finding aid is in English Edmund Converse papers, 1943-1970 Collection number: 10826 University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. Publication date: 2006 Contact Information American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/ February 2006

"©" 2006 University of Wyoming

 Collection Summary Converse, Edmund Edmund Converse Papers 1943-1970 10826 21 cubic ft. (21 record boxes) University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. English The collection contains the business and political papers of the founder of Bonanza and Air West airlines, who was also an aviation advocate and a leader in the Republican Party. The include correspondence and business agreements on airline formation, mergers and takeovers. There are reports on legal, personnel, financial, and publicity matters. There are also subject files on advocacy groups, airlines, aircraft, and locations. Files from Converse’s participation as a national leader in the Republican Party are also available. Biography of Edmund Converse

He was born in New York City in 1906. He grew up in California and earned a Bachelor or Arts in Economics and a law degree from Stanford University by 1934. He was on the staff of U. S. Senator Styles Bridges from 1937 to 1941 when he entered the Navy serving in the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Pacific Fleet, and the Office of Strategic Services. In 1945 he founded Bonanza Airlines out of Las Vegas. He was President and Chairman of the Board until Bonanza merged into Air West Airlines where he became a Vice Chairman of the Board.

During this period he was a ranking member of such aviation advocacy groups as the National Association Manufacturers, the Air Transport Association of America, and the Association of Local Transport Airlines. His active interest in Republican politics was mainly expressed at the local level in Arizona and Nevada. He worked in the Dewey, Eisenhower, Goldwater, and Nixon campaigns serving on various business committees and attending of state and national conventions. He was active in the Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce.

 Scope and Content

The Edmund Converse papers are a valuable resource for anyone who wishes to learn about the growth of regional airlines in the Western United States from the 1950s and into the 1970s. Bonanza Airlines material includes founding documents, merger documents, aircraft subject files, and correspondence. Air West Airlines material contains Bonanza merger materials, and Hughes Tool Company buyout materials. The extensive Republican Party and airline advocacy group materials are a resource for understanding how political influence may have impacted regional airline development. The non-profit files may have some relevancy to this as well.

 Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

 Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

 Related Materials

There are no other known archival collections created by Edmund Converse at the date of processing.

 Acquisition Information

Received in 1994 from Edmund Converse’s widow, Sherma Converse.

 Processing Information

The collection was processed by John Hanks in February 2006.

 Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Edmund Converse papers, 1943-1970, Collection Number 10826, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

 Access Terms Bonanza Airlines. Air West Airlines. Republican Party (Ariz.) Republican Party (Nev.) Republican Party (U.S. : 1854-). Association of Local Transport Airlines. Corporations--Political activity. Local service airlines--West (U.S.) Las Vegas (Nev.) Tucson (Ariz.) <?xm-replace_text {Title as Subject}?> Politics, Government, and Law Politics and Politicians Container List Series I. Personal

Contains resume, World War II officer’s manual, USN souvenir photo booklet, and notes for amphibious landings.

 1 Resume, W.W. II Officers Manual, Charts, Etc. 1943 Series II. Bonanza Airlines Inc.

Contains corporate founding and merger with Pacific Airlines files along with stockholder and Board meeting files. Correspondence, personnel, legal, financial, publicity, and speeches are also included. Subject files include aircraft, other airlines, states, and cities.

 1 Administrative Files 1965-1966 1 Annual Reports 1959-1967 1 Corporation Files 1950-1952 1 Pacific Airlines Acquisition 1966-1967 2 Civil Aeronautics Board Renewals 1952-1958 2 Correspondence – Administrative 1950-1954 2 Board of Directors Meetings 1954-1966 2 Bonanza Airlines Directors 1959-1968 2 Stockholders Meetings 1953-1967 2 Stockholder Correspondence, Business, and Awards 1952-1967 3 Correspondence - Chronological, General Publicity, Passes, Civil Aeronautics Board 1952-1966 4 Correspondence - Companies, Union Oil Texaco, Etc. 1949-1968 4 Correspondence - Maintenance, Dispatch, Hostesses, Etc. 1955-1968 4 Legal - Civil Aeronautics Board Service Cases, Routes, Etc. 1955-1962 4 Personnel - Applications, Policies, Suggestions, Resignations, Benefits, Etc. 1959-1967 5 Publicity - Flight Periodicals, Press Releases, Inaugural Flights, Los Angeles Angels, Gold Strike Club 1960-1968 5 Reports – Daily Summaries, Bolivia, Origin and Destination, Etc. 1962-1968 6 Reports – Excursions and Passenger Revenue 1956-1959 6 Reports – Financial Stanford Case Study, Purchasing, Banks 1956-1968 6 Speeches – Research for, Examples of, by Converse 1962 6 Subjects – Mexican Traffic Study, Research and Development, Airline Strike 1952-1967 7 Subjects (One Day Events), Airline/Hotel Seminar to Yuma International Airport Dedication 1955-1970 8 Subjects (Aircraft), DC-9, Bac-111, Convair-540, Fairchild-27, Etc. 1956-1969 9 Subjects (Locations), Albuquerque, New Mexico to Yuma, Arizona 1952-1968 Series III. Air West Airlines Inc.

Contains Bonanza merger into Air West files and Hughes Tool Co. takeover files.

 10 Formative Documents, Mergers 1967-1969 10 Administrative Files 1967-1968 10 Annual Reports 1967-1968 10 Air West Airlines buy out Hughes Tool Co. 1968-1969 10 Correspondence – Chronological 1967-1968 11 Financial 1968-1969 11 Legal, Civil Aeronautics Board 1968-1969 11 Marketing 1968-1969 11 Personnel, Applications, Etc. 1967-1969 11 Public Relations – In-Flight Publications, Publicity, Contests, Complaints, Passes, Comments 1967-1969 12 Public Relations – Inauguration of Route to Mexico 1968 12 Reports – Maintenance, Training Research and Development, Traffic Consultants, Schedules, Special Projects 1967-1969 Series IV. Government Agencies

Federal Aviation Administration, Civil Aeronautics Board, Arizona Planning and Development, and other government-related materials.

 13 Arizona Planning and Development Commission, Reports 1968-1972 13 Civil Aeronautics Board and Commission, Cases 1955-1969 13 Federal Airport Act, F.A.A., Nevada Public Service Commission, Etc. 1955-1968 Series V. Aviation and Business Advocacy Groups

Chamber of Commerce, The National Association of Manufacturers, the Air Transport Association of America, and the Association of Local Transport Airlines, etc.

 14 Aero Club of Washington 1962 14 Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement, Transportation and Communications Committee 1955-1965 14 Business Industry Political Action Committee 1964 14 Conference of Local Airlines 1953-1956 15 Association of Local and Territorial Airlines (A.L.T.A.) 1958-1962 16 Association of Local and Territorial Airlines 1963-1970 17 American Transportation Association (A.T.A.) 1954-1967 18 American Transportation Association 1967-1969 18 Defense Orientation Conference Association (D.O.C.A.) 1955-1969 18 National Association of Manufacturers (N.A.M.) 1962-1963 19 National Association of Manufacturers (N.A.M.) 1963-1964 19 National Aviation Club 1962 19 National Industrial Conference Board 19 North American Gas Tax Conference (N.A.G.T.C.) 1951-1957 19 Southern Nevada Conference 1965 19 Transportation Association of America (T.A.A.) 1959-1966 Series VI. Non-Profits

Beta Gamma Sigma Fraternity, Better Business Bureau, COMPAS Arts, Ducks Unlimited, Hard Core Employment, Nevada Southern Foundation, Nevada State Museum (DC-3 Aircraft Presentation), etc.

 19 Beta Gamma Sigma Fraternity, Better Business Bureau, COMPAS Arts, Ducks Unlimited, Hard Core Employment, Nevada Southern Foundation, Nevada State Museum (DC-3 Aircraft Presentation), Etc. 1949-1968 Series VII. Republican Party Politics

Political, National Committeeman, campaign, and patronage, files.

 20 1952 Campaign, Republican National Committeeman, Republican National Convention 1952-1962 21 Republican National Committee (R.N.C.) 1961, Senator Dirksen Dinner, Senate-House Majority Dinner 1970, Political Articles, Speeches and Souvenirs 1958-1970 Additional Container Lists

The American Heritage Center is in the process of converting its older container lists to a more accessible format. This link is to an older version of a container list.

 Link to Accessioning Worksheet (PDF)