Purcell (Charles H.) Collection, 1936-1951

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Summary

Title:
Charles H. Purcell Collection,
Dates:
1936-1951
Creators:
Purcell, Charles H., 1883-1951
Language:
English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Charles H. Purcell Collection, California State Library.

Background

Scope and content:

Correspondence, clippings, resolutions, letters of condolence, photographs, graphs

Biographical / historical:

State Director of Public Works, Charles H. Purcell was born in North Bend, Nebraska, January 27, 1883. He entered state service in California as state highway engineer. Purcell directed a $153,000,000 five year highway construction program. As chief engineer of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, he supervised its design and construction. It was largely through Purcell's efforts in Washington, D.C. that financing was obtained for the project through the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. The bridge was completed in November of 1936. In 1937, he was appointed a member of a national committee of highway experts to promote maximum safety in highway design. In 1944 he was awarded the George S. Bartlett award for outstanding contribution to highway design. He died September 7, 1951.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by The California State Library staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Brooke Dykman Dockter
Date Prepared:
© 1998
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid derived from WordPerfect.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Unrestricted.

Terms of access:

Please credit California State Library.

Copyright has not been assigned to California State Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing. Permission for publication is given on behalf of California State Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Charles H. Purcell Collection, California State Library.

Location of this collection:
900 N Street, Room 200, P.O. Box 942837
Sacramento, CA 94237-0001, US
Contact:
(916) 654-0176
cslcal@library.ca.gov
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