Hutchinson (William H.) Local History & Politics Collection, 1934 – 1989, 1934-1989

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Summary

Title:
W. H. Hutchinson Local History & Politics Collection
Dates:
1934-1989
Creators:
W. H. Hutchinson, 1910--1990
Abstract:
Extent:
Items: 13 boxes Linear Feet: 4.5
Language:
Preferred citation:

W. H. Hutchinson Local History & Politics Collection. California State University, Chico

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains personal correspondence, a large sample of Chico and Butte County civic and political activities (1965-1989), Chico and Butte County history, Butte County Republican party material (1965-1970), material on faculty issues at California State University, Chico (CSUC), and papers relating to various CSUC student protests, primarily Vietnam War related.

Biographical / historical:

William Henry (“Old Hutch”) Hutchinson was born on August 13, 1911, in Denver, Colorado. He attended school in Oxford, Mississippi; Newark, New Jersey; Denver, Colorado, and Redondo Beach, California. He earned his master’s degree from Chico State College in 1961. He worked at various times as a horse wrangler, a cowboy, a boiler fireman, and a mucker in mines. During the Depression, Hutchinson worked as Chief Purser on passenger vessels. During World War II, he served as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Maritime Service where he saw duty in the South Pacific, North Atlantic, and Mediterranean. After the war, Hutchinson moved to Butte County and became a freelance writer. He sold more than 150 fact and fiction articles to a variety of popular magazines. He also wrote, narrated, and produced several historical pageants on California, and had his own weekly radio and television shows. Hutchinson authored 15 books, one of which, Oil, Land and Politics: The California Career of Thomas R. Bard, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He also worked as a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and frequently contributed to the Chico Enterprise-Record. Hutchinson taught part-time at Chico State College, Sonoma State College, and San Francisco State between 1953 and 1964. Hutchinson served as a full-time faculty member at Chico from fall 1964 until his retirement in 1978. Hutchinson died of a heart attack in Chico on March 11, 1990.

Acquisition information:
J. Walter Rogers Jr.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid created by California State University, Chico staff.
Date Prepared:
1934-1989
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using Record Express for OAC5 on July 14, 2025, 2:54 p.m.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research without restriction.

Terms of access:

The library can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying any claimants of literary property.

Preferred citation:

W. H. Hutchinson Local History & Politics Collection. California State University, Chico

Location of this collection:
California State University, Chico, Special Collections Meriam Library
400 West First Street
Chico, CA 95929-0295, US
Contact:
(530) 898-6603
SpecialCollections@csuchico.edu
Website