This collection spans the political career of Clair Engle from 1933 - 1964 with additions through 1979, topics include: Legislative Files, Legislative Correspondence, General Files, Mining, Congressional Records, Speeches, Statements, Broadcasts, Guest Books, Press Releases, Invitations, Tapes, Campaign Materials, Voting Records, Newspaper Clippings, Photographs and Artifacts.

Clair Walter William Engle was born on September 21, 1911 in Bakersfield, California. He was the second of three sons to Fred J. Engle and Carita Alta Keeran Engle. He attended Chico State Teachers College at age 16, graduating in 1930 and went on to Hastings College of Law, University of California graduating in 1933. The following year he was elected District Attorney of Tehama County. Then in 1942 he was elected to the California State Senate, in 1943 elected to the United States House of Representatives, and in 1958 elected to the United States Senate. He lived in Red Bluff, California for 51 years. He married Hazel Burney Sheldon in 1933; they had one child Yvonne Lorraine on October 17, 1933. After divorcing Hazel in the late 1940s, he married Lucretia Caldwell in 1948. He held several posts and committees held while Congressman and Senator. As a Congressman: Assistant Democratic Whip in the House from the 80th-84th Congress, Member of Veterans Affairs Committee, Chairman of the Committee on War Claims, Chairman of the Public Lands Subcommittee, Chairman of the Irrigation and Reclamation Subcommittee, Chairman of the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee. As Senator: Democratic Legislative Review Committee; Armed Services Committee and its Military Construction Subcommittee and National Stockpile & Naval Petroleum Reserves Subcommittee; Commerce Committee and its Aviation Subcommittee and Merchant Maine & Fisheries Subcommittee; Select Committee on Small Business and its Monopoly Subcommittee and Financing Subcommittee; Special Committee on Aging. His major legislative contribution is the Central Valley Water project. He authored a two-volume publication entitled “Central Valley Project Documents.” He author or co-author of 104 bills that were signed into law. He served active duty on assignment in Korea in 1952, holding the rank of Air Force Reserve Colonel. He was a licensed pilot enabling him to cover his congressional district which spanned 53,000 miles stretching from Oregon to the Mojave Desert. After suffering from a brain tumor he died July 30, 1964 at the age of 52, and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Red Bluff, California.

226 boxes, 116 linear feet.

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Collection is open for research.