Personal papers of Santa Clara County Supervisor Edgar R. Levin and wife Ruby, primarily comprising material related to Levin's terms as Santa Clara County Supervisor, Third District, but also including personal material from his travels and expeditions in Alaska, family mementos, and Ruby Levin's teaching career.

Edgar Ross Levin was born in Leadville, Colorado, on July 17, 1908 to Edward James and Margaret Ross Levin. He attended St. Joseph’s High School in San Jose, followed by a BA from San Jose State College, where he was a member of the football and boxing teams, and Master’s and PhD studies at Stanford University. He also conducted graduate work in anthropology through the University of Alaska. Alaska remained an important part of Levin’s life. He made over 30 trips to Alaska with Father Bernard Hubbard, working as his field manager of expeditions, photographer and geologist, and lecturing on the expeditions back in Santa Clara County. In June 1945, Levin married Ruby Carmen McNeill, who worked as a teacher and educational consultant. They were both active in the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Catholic church. Levin worked as a Southern Pacific yardmaster in San Jose, but is better known for his work as Santa Clara County 3rd District Supervisor from the early 1950s until his death in 1965. Levin was instrumental in groundwork for the South Bay Aqueduct, and fought for preservation of open space, education, a strong library system, and better jails and jail conditions. Levin was president of the County Supervisors Association from 1963-64, and a former president of the Central Coast County Supervisors Association and the Feather River Association. Governor Edmund G. Brown named Levin to a new Urban Policy Committee just weeks before his death. Levin died of heart attack on March 12, 1965 while inspecting a future park site near Stevens Creek Dam. In late November 1965, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors named the 558-acre Airpoint parksite east of Milpitas after Levin -- a strong advocate of the proposed park -- and authorized $105,000 for planning and engineering to get the park ready for public use.

8.5 linear feet

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