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Congressman Wayne N. Aspinall
Aspinall receiving an honorary degree from University of Denver
Chancellor Chester Alter
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Collection
Overview
Creator: Aspinall, Wayne N.
Title: Wayne N. Aspinall Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1960-1976
Size: 183 linear ft.
Processed By: Marcia
Kehl, December, 2001; revised July 2003
Wayne N. Aspinall spent 24 years in the United States House of
Representatives, 14 of them as chairman of the Interior Committee,
where he managed legislation on natural resources crucial to his
Colorado constituency. He authored the Colorado River Basin Project
Act of 1968 and played a key role in the 1964 Wilderness Act. His
influence on water policy in the West is still seen today in many
water conservation projects.
Aspinall was born in Middleburg, Ohio on April 3, 1896. He was
eight years old when his family moved to Palisade, Colorado, where
his father became a fruit grower. He earned Bachelors of Arts and
Law degrees from the University of Denver. He practiced law in Palisade,
was involved in the family orchards, and served as a member of the
Board of Trustees for the Town of Palisade. He was elected to the
Colorado House of Representatives in 1931 and the Colorado Senate
in 1939. In 1948 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives.
Scope and Content
The Aspinall papers cover Wayne Aspinall's career as a lawyer,
Colorado State Legislator and U.S. Representative in Congress. The
strength of the collection is in congressional records and correspondence
during Aspinall's years in Congress. There is considerable information,
in the form of correspondence and reports, on all the water projects
and other legislation in which Aspinall was involved. The collection
has not been fully processed; however, the filing system used by
Aspinall's congressional office has been generally preserved and
allows access to the papers. |
