This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
By Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Nielsen.
Title: George L. Crookham Papers, 1927-2007
Predominant Dates: 1930-1984
ID: MSS Crookham
Primary Creator: Crookham, George L.
Extent: 0.5 cubic feet. More info below.
Languages of Materials: English [eng]
The George L. Crookham Papers consists of materials assembled and created by Crookham documenting Crookham's student years at Oregon State College; the Crookham Company of Caldwell, Idaho; and Crookham's role as mayor of Caldwell, an Idaho state legislator, and first Chairman of the Idaho Water Resources Board. Crookham attended Oregon Agricultural College intermittently between 1927 and 1931.
Items from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital.
The George L. Crookham Papers consist of class notes and student ephemera from Oregon Agricultural College; transcripts of testimony, speeches, and publications pertaining to water resources in Idaho; publications and documents pertaining to the Crookham Company; newspaper clippings documenting Crookham's business and political activities; several photographs; and materials pertaining to the George L. Crookham Memorial Scholarship at Oregon State University.
Crookham's class notes include a dairying laboratory; a farm crops course on crop efficiency; and a botany course (including plant speciments). The ephemera consists of a pennant, rook caps, and a belt buckle.
The photographs include portraits of Crookham, a 1958 snapshot of Crookham and his wife Bernice underneath the Trysting Tree, and photocopies from an album depicting Crookham's student years at Oregon State.
Items from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital.
George L. Crookham (1907-1999) studied botany and plant breeding at Oregon State College intermittently during the years 1927-1931. In 1929, he and a friend, Don Baldridge, purchased Crookham Seed Company in Caldwell, Idaho (now known as Crookham Company) from Crookham's father; his college studies were interspersed with business and crop responsibilities.
Founded in 1911, Crookham Company was the first company to produce hybrid sweet corn seed on a commercial scale in the 1930s.
In addition to his business activities, Crookham served as mayor of Caldwell, Idaho; an Idaho state legislator (1955-1961); and first Chairman of the Idaho Water Resources Board in 1968. Crookham was a candidate for Idaho governor in 1962 and was instrumental in the adoption of a sales tax in Idaho.
The George L. Crookham Memorial Scholarship was established in 2001 by Crookham's daughter, Judith C. Krueger, as an award for a student in horticulture at Oregon State University with an interest in plant breeding.
More Extent Information: 3 photographs; 1 oversize box
Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.
Related Materials: The George L. Crookham, Jr., Papers at Albertson College of Idaho comprise the largest known private collection of documents from the administration of Crookham's uncle, Frank Steunenberg, fourth governor of the State of Idaho (1897-1901).
Preferred Citation: George L. Crookham Papers (MSS Crookham), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
Crookham, George L.
Crookham Company
Agricultural education--Oregon.
Caldwell (Idaho)
Crookham, George L.
Idaho--Politics and government.
Idaho Water Resource Board
Natural Resources
Oregon State College--Students.
University History
Water resources development--Idaho.
Photographic prints.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.