Information Sheet

 

 

R         Rodgers, Harris D., 1889-1985.

294                  Papers, 1949-1965.

                                    Six folders and 38 photographs.

 

MICROFILM

 

 

 

These are newspaper clippings, correspondence, miscellaneous papers, and photographs per­taining to the tenure of Harris Rodgers as chairman of the Missouri State Highway Com­mis­sion.  A native of Scott County, Missouri, Rodgers served from 1949 to 1957.

Harris D. Rodgers was born and reared in Sikeston, Scott County, Missouri.  After receiv­ing an education in local schools, Rodgers worked in banks in Sikeston and Oran.  In 1912 he joined the Scott County Abstract Company at Benton, a firm he later purchased and owned until 1955.  Rodgers was active in politics, serving several terms as Scott County’s Democratic chair­man, and as an alderman and school board member at Benton.

Governor Forrest Smith appointed Rodgers to the Missouri State Highway Commission on 15 March 1949.  He filled the unexpired term of Paul C. Jones of Kennett, who had re­signed to campaign for a seat in Congress.  The Missouri Senate confirmed the appointment and endorsed the recommendation that Rodgers be named chairman of the Commission.

In the early years of his appointed term Rodgers became embroiled in the governor’s at­tempts to enlarge the Highway Commission and to transfer its administrative control from the Chief En­gi­neer.  He also proposed substantial increases in gasoline taxes in Missouri.  Legisla­tion intro­duced in 1949 and 1951 to effect the changes met widespread bipartisan op­position.  Rodgers was placed in the awkward position of having to promote the governor’s unpopular pro­posals, which ulti­mately were defeated.  Compromises in 1951 and 1953 spared Rodgers addi­tional controversy during his tenure.

Rodgers was reappointed by Governor Smith in March 1951 for a six-year term.  During this period, portions of what became U.S. routes 50 and 66 were completed, several major bridges were opened and spans at Cape Girardeau and St. Louis underwent renovation, and the new Highway Department headquarters building was finished in Jefferson City.

Rodgers retired from the Commission in 1957.  He returned to Scott County to become vice president of Security Home Federal Savings and Loan at Sikeston.  Rodgers lived in Sikeston un­til 1980, when he retired to Sun City, Arizona.  He died there on 27 March 1985.

The Rodgers collection consists of newspaper clippings, miscellaneous papers, and photo­graphs pertaining to his service with the Missouri State Highway Commission.  Most of the clip­pings concern the attempts to reorganize the Commission and raise gasoline taxes, 1949-1951.  The clippings are followed by a small group of congratulatory letters sent to Rodgers upon his appoint­ments to the Commission.  The correspondents include J. Abner Beck, Mrs. James V. Billings, Charles and Henry Blanton, Paul C. Jones, Claude L. Lambert, C. D. Matthews III, and Maxwell Williams.

The collection also includes dedicatory programs for, and photographs of, various high­way projects.  There are materials from the opening ceremonies of the Southwest Trafficway in Kan­sas City, a regional departmental headquarters at Joplin, Bull Shoals Dam, the Griffith Roadside Park near the Cooper-Saline county line, the Skyline Roadside Park near Ellington, the Austin-Pitcairn Roadside Park near Herculaneum, and the Theodosia Bridge over Bull Shoals Lake in Ozark County.  The photographs have been copied on 35 mm black and white negatives.

 

Shelf List for this collection
Index cards for this collection
Folder List for this collection
Questions? Use our Researcher Registration Form
Return to WHMC-Rolla's home page.