Finding Aid for the Norris Poulson Papers LSC.0787
Finding aid prepared by Patricia Sue Webb, 1977; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé and edited by Josh
Fiala.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2005.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Business Number: 310-825-4988
Fax Number: 310-206-1864
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Norris Poulson papers
Creator:
Poulson, Norris
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.0787
Physical Description:
2.5 Linear Feet
(5 boxes and 23 oversize boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1938-1976
Abstract: Charles Norris Poulson (1895-1982) was elected and served in the California State Assembly (1938-42), was elected to the House
of Representatives in 1942, served as mayor of Los Angeles (1953-61), and was a member of the California Water Commission
(1965-68). The collection consists of scrapbooks, clippings, documents, correspondence, photographs, and memorabilia related
to the life of Norris Poulson including Poulson's autobiography, and materials related to his career as a California assemblyman,
U.S. Congressman, and Los Angeles mayor.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Restrictions on Access
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Norris Poulson, 1966 & 1976.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Norris Poulson Papers (Collection 787). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Processing Information
Processed by Patricia Sue Webb, 1977.
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UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
Charles Norris Poulson was born on July 23, 1895; attended Oregon Agricultural College, 1914-15; farmed 1916-23; moved to
Los Angeles in 1923; attended Southwestern University, 1923-25; began his own accounting business about 1925, passing the
California CPA examination in 1933; was elected and served in the California State Assembly (1938-42); first elected to the
House of Representatives in 1942; served as mayor of Los Angeles (1953-61); served as a member of the California Water Commission
(1965-68); he died on September 25, 1982.
Chronology
Missing Title
July 23, 1895 |
Born Charles Norris Poulson, Baker County, Oregon |
Fall 1913 |
Attended Oregon Agricultural College |
Fall 1914 |
Attended business college in Baker City, Oregon |
February, 1915 |
Became accountant for J.F. Bryant, Haines, Oregon |
December 25, 1916 |
Married Erna June Loennig |
1916-1923 |
Farmed in Baker County, Oregon |
Spring 1923 |
Moved to Los Angeles, California; became a bookkeeper for Square Oil Company |
ca. 1925 |
Began accounting business of his own |
1933 |
Passed California CPA examination |
1938 |
Elected to the California State Assembly for the Los Angeles 56th District |
1939 |
Investigated the California Athletic Comm. |
1940 |
Re-elected to the California State Assembly |
November, 1942 |
Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the California 13th District |
November, 1944 |
Lost the congressional race for re-election to Ned Healy |
1945 |
State lobbyist for California CPA Association |
November, 1946 |
Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives |
1948, 1950, 1952 |
Re-elected to serve as Representative; served on the House Public Lands Comm. (now the Interior Comm.) |
December, 1952-May, 1953 |
Campaigned as Los Angeles mayoralty candidate against Fletcher Bowron |
May 26, 1953 |
Elected mayor of Los Angeles |
July, 1953 |
Settled the Los Angeles Public Housing issue |
1956 |
Involved in the Los Angeles rubbish issue; served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention for Richard M. Nixon |
1957 |
Was re-elected mayor of Los Angeles |
1957-1959 |
Involved in the Los Angeles Major League Baseball issue |
September, 1959 |
Hosted Premier Nikita Khrushchev during his visit to Los Angeles |
1961 |
Lost the mayoralty election to Samuel Yorty |
1965-1968 |
Served as member of the California Water Commission, participating in the California bond issue. |
1969- |
Retired and residing in Tustin, California |
Scope and Content
Collection consists of scrapbooks, clippings, documents, correspondence, photographs, memorabilia, and related material of
former Los Angeles mayor Norris Poulson. Includes Poulson's autobiography,
The genealogy and life story of Erna and Norris Poulson. Includes materials related to his career as a California assemblyman, U.S. Congressman, and Los Angeles mayor, as well as
signed letters and photographs of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard M. Nixon, Mayor Fletcher Bowron, Mayor Samuel Yorty, Nikita
Khrushchev, Earl Warren, and others.
Expanded Scope and Content
Norris Poulson's career as a California Assemblyman, Representative and member of the House Committee on Public Lands, and
mayor of Los Angeles spans the time period 1938-1961. The Collection of his papers consists, in the greater part, of 39 scrapbooks
containing clippings and memorabilia covering Poulson's political career. The majority of the material covers Poulson's two
terms as mayor. There is very little correspondence of a personal or official nature, but there are many letters signed by
prominent political figures, foreign dignitaries, and celebrities.
Particularly of interest are the extensive materials concerned with the California/Arizona water issue, the coverage of Nikita
Khrushchev's visit to Los Angeles, and materials pertaining to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chavez Ravine deal with Walter
O'Malley.
As Congressman and Mayor, Poulson knew and associated with many prominent political figures and citizens. As Mayor Poulson
met and hosted many celebrities and foreign dignitaries. The Collection contains many signed letters from and photographs
of prominent people. Of note are: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard M. Nixon, Mayor Fletcher Bowron, Mayor Samuel Yorty, Nikita
Khrushchev, Earl Warren, and others.
Also included in the Collection is an autobiography "The Genealogy and Life Story of Erna and Norris Poulson." The autobiography,
like Poulson's oral history "Who would have ever dreamed," gives detailed accounts of Poulson's political career.
Related Oral History
The following oral history is available through the UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research:
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Scrapbooks.
Mayors -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archives.
Legislators -- United States -- Archives.
Poulson, Norris -- Archives
box 1, folder 1-8
Congressman Poulson's newsletter to constituents.
1943-1944 & 1947-1952
box 1
Remarks of Hon. Norris Poulson: 81st Congress, 2nd session.
1950
box 1
Remarks of Hon. Norris Poulson: 83rd Congress, 1st session.
1953
box 2
Correspondence.
1953
Scope and Contents note
Primarily congratulatory letters and telegrams after Poulson's election as mayor of Los Angeles.
General note
Folders 1-21, alphabetically arranged.
See also package 15 for additional letters.
box 2
City of Los Angeles.
ca. 1960-1961
box 2
Added and improved services; operating economies and efficiencies; additional development of city services and facilities.
ca. 1960
General Physical Description note: (26 leaves, typescript carbon)
box 2
Capital improvement program accomplishments July 1, 1953 to December 31, 1960.
ca. 1961
General Physical Description note: (Typescript)
box 3
"Transcript of preliminary investigation into the matter of rubbish collection in the City of Los Angeles."
June 20-28, 1955
General Physical Description note: (3 copies, photocopy)
box 4
Poulson - Yorty campaign for mayor.
1961
Scope and Contents note
Box contains mostly clippings, some correspondence, transcripts of radio and T.V. interviews, etc. Though arranged in 13 labeled
folders, these materials have not really been organized and sifted for duplicates.
box 5
Miscellaneous.
1940-1976
General note
For additions, see page 7
box 5, folder 1
Printed memorabilia found loose in Scrapbook 2 "Dad's First Session - California Legislature"
box 5, folder 2
Trip to the Mandated Islands.
February 1947
General Physical Description note: (pp.86-101, photocopy)
Scope and Contents note
From Poulson's oral history "Who would have ever dreamed?"
box 5, folder 3
The Poulson's European Trip (2 copies).
July-August 1952
General Physical Description note: (Typescript carbon, 26 leaves)
box 5, folder 4-7
Miscellaneous - personal.
1947-1965
Scope and Contents note
Clippings, photographs, printed memorabilia, and correspondence.
box 5, folder 8-10
Correspondence.
1964-1975
- Letters to and from Wayne Aspinall, former democratic Representative from Colorado
- Letters from Wayne D'Ewart, Republican Representative from Colorado
- Miscellaneous personal correspondence
box 5
"The Genealogy and Life Story of Erna and Norris Poulson" by Norris Poulson
General Physical Description note: (Bound copy, 311pp.)
Scope and Contents note
This was written January 1974-ca. 1976 as a keepsake for Poulson's children and grandchildren. Much of the text repeats parts
of his oral history "Who would have ever dreamed?" completed by the UCLA Oral History Program in 1966.
box 5
Mainly scrapbooks containing congratulatory letters, printed memorabilia, clippings, photographs, family memorabilia and souvenirs,
correspondence, etc.
box 6
Athletic Commission investigation.
1938
box 7
Dad's First Session - California Legislature.
1938-1940
box 7
Assembly campaign for re-election.
1940
box 8
Assembly memorabilia.
1941
box 8
Congressional campaign.
1942
box 8
Congressional clippings and memorabilia.
1943
box 9
Congressional campaign for re-election against Ned Healy.
May-November 1944
box 9
Congressional campaign and clippings.
November-May 1945
box 10
Congressional campaign.
June-December 1946
box 10
Congressional memorabilia and Mandated Islands Trip.
1947
box 6
Congressional campaign.
1948
box 11
California/Arizona water issue.
1948-1949
box 11
Congressional campaign and water issue.
1948-1950
box 12
Congressional memorabilia and campaign.
1949-1950
box 12
Congressional campaign and water issue.
1950
box 13
Water issue.
January-July 1951
box 13
Water issue and re-election.
August 1951-1952
box 14
"Mayor's race, Book 1."
December 26, 1952-March 15, 1953
box 14
"Mayor's race, Book 2."
March 14-April 6, 1953
box 15
"Mayor's race, Book 3."
April 7-May 6, 1953
box 15
"Mayor's race, Book 4."
May 7-19, 1953
box 16
"Mayor's race, Book 5."
May 20-26, 1953
box 16
"Mayor's race, Book 6."
May 26-28, 1953
Scope and Contents note
Includes election returns.
box 17
Souvenirs and printed memorabilia.
January-May 1953
box 17
"Mayor Elect."
May 28-June 27, 1953
box 15
"Congratulatory letters and telegrams."
1953-1957
General note
For additional letters see Box 2, folders 1-21.
box 18
"Newspaper Clippings, Book 1."
June 1953-December 1958
box 19
"Newspaper Clippings, Book 2."
December 1958-September 1965
box 20
"Correspondence."
June 1953-December 1975
Scope and Contents note
Letters received by Poulson during his two terms as mayor of Los Angeles and thereafter, often from famous politicians or
celebrities. Some of the more notable are:
- Willi Brandt, leaves 21
- Gov. Edmund Brown, leaves 62, 63, 64
- Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower, leaves 2, 15, 21a, 25, 27
- Mamie Eisenhower, leaves 3, 7
- Senator John F. Kennedy, leaves 22
- Gov. Goodwin Knight, leaves 8, 10, 15
- Nikita Khrushchev, leaves 80
- V.P. Richard M. Nixon, leaves 4, 7, 8, 9, 41
- Speaker Sam Rayburn, leaves 9
- Edward Rickenbacker, leaves 36
- Nelson D. Rockefellar, leaves 65
- Pres. Harry S. Truman, leaves 5, 18, 21a
- Mrs. Bess Truman, leaves 5
- Chief Justice Earl Warren, leaf 1, 2
- John Wayne, leaves 19
box 20
Photographs.
March 1957-June 1961
Scope and Contents note
(Photographs of Mayor Poulson attending public functions during his second term. Mayor Poulson is often photographed with
famous persons; some of the more notable are:
- Willi Brandt, leaves 33, 34
- King Hussein of Jordan, leaves 52
- John F. Kennedy, leaves 60
- Nikita Khrushchev, leaves 49
- Richard M. Nixon, leaves 17, 50, 57
- Nelson D. Rockefeller, leaves 57
- Earl Warren, leaves 29
box 21
Souvenirs of Trips Made - Civic Functions for distinguished visitors - Important Affairs, Book 1."
1940-September 1957
box 21
Souvenirs of Trips Made - Civic Functions for distinguished visitors - Important Affairs, Book 2."
September 1958-June 1961
box 22
Souvenirs, Remembrances from friends and family, etc., Book 1."
1913-1960
box 22
"Souvenirs, Remembrances from friends and family, etc., Book 2."
1960-1961
box 23
Miscellaneous letters, clippings, souvenirs.
1940-June 1976
box 24
"Honorable Norris Poulson, in print. By Joseph Niemiec. vol.1."
May-August 1953
Scope and Contents note
The three volumes in this series include clippings from Poulson's first term as mayor but also many clippings from popular
newspaper and magazine columns such as "Ripley's Believe It or Not."
box 25
"Honorable Norris Poulson, in print. By Joseph Niemiec. vol.2."
August-December 1953
box 26
"Honorable Norris Poulson, in print. By Joseph Niemiec. vol.3."
January-June 1954
box 27
Port of Los Angeles - Annual Reports.
1952-1960
box 27
Los Angeles Dodgers.
1961
Scope and Contents note
Photo Album with autographs.
box 28
Los Angeles Examiner: "Los Angeles Reports to its Citizens."
1956-1960
General Physical Description note: (5 vol.)
box 28
Los Angeles Times: "Midwinter Edition."
1956-1958
General Physical Description note: (3 vol.)
box 9
Flight: A Pictorial History of Aviation by the Editors of Year.
1953
box 16
Eisenhower Presidential Inauguration.
January 20, 1953
Scope and Contents note
This scrapbook includes clippings and souvenirs from all the inaugural functions.
box 5
Southern California Quarterly (vol.62, no.3)
Scope and Contents note
Contains article: Cary S. Henderson. "Los Angeles and the Dodger War, 1957-1962," pp.261-286, which Mr. Poulson requested
be added to his reminiscences.