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Nesbitt Memorial Library

Mary Cullinan Cravens Papers (Ms. 28)

Description:

Correspondence, articles, and news clippings regarding the proposed construction of a dam north of Columbus by the Lower Colorado River Authority, beginning in the 1950s. Cravens, who owned land along the river in Colorado County, was a leader in the opposition to the proposed dam. The papers were donated to the library by Lucie Wray Todd.

Summary of Contents:

Correspondence, 1957-1967 (1-1 through 1-65)

Legislation regarding Columbus Bend Dam, 1963 (2-1)

Legislation regarding Columbus Bend Dam, 1965 (2-2, 2-3)

Plaintiff's petition: Fayette-Colorado County River Association v. Lower Colorado River Authority (2-4)

"Need and Purpose of Integrated Federal Water Program for Texas," remarks by Lyndon B. Johnson, 1957 (2-5)

Reports and statements:

  1. "The Columbus Bend Project—Another Economic Fantasy," 1961 (2-6)
  2. "The Effect of the Proposed Columbus Dam on Pecan Production," by Will Price (2-7)
  3. "The Economic Prospects of the Columbus Bend Project," by Doswell Gullatt and Associates, 1961 (2-8)
  4. "An Economic Analysis of the Columbus Bend Dam Project Proposal, Colorado River, Texas," by Cecil Haver and Associates, 1961 (2-9)
  5. "An Economic Analysis of Evaluation Practices for Water Resource Development," by Cecil Haver and Associates, 1961 (Box 3)
  6. "Statement of William F. Hoffman in Opposition to the Columbus Bend Dam Project" (2-10)
  7. "Statement of Bureau of Reclamation on the Columbus Bend Dam Project," 1965 (2-11)
  8. "Statement of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Before the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee on H. R. 162, a Bill to Authorize the Secretary of the Interior to Construct, Operate and Maintain the Columbus Bend Project, Texas," 1965 (2-12)
  9. "Reevaluation Statement, Columbus Bend Project, Texas," by the Bureau of Reclamation of the U. S. Department of the Interior, 1964 (2-13)
  10. "Reevaluation Statement, Columbus Bend Project, Texas," by the Bureau of Reclamation of the U. S. Department of the Interior, 1965 (2-14)
  11. U. S. Department of the Interior to Wayne N. Aspinall, 1965 (2-15)
  12. "Statement in Behalf of Paul F. Barnhart, Trustee, Before Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Congress of the United States, July 12, 1965" (2-16)
  13. "Powerboating on Yellowstone Lake," 1961 (2-17)
  14. "Status Report Colorado Coastal Plains Project, Texas," by the Bureau of Reclamation of the United States Department of the Interior, 1981 (Box 3)

Government publications:

  1. Columbus Bend Project, Texas: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Irrigation and Reclamation of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs House of Representives, La Grange, Texas 1961, Washington, D. C. 1962 (Box 3)
  2. Columbus Bend Project, Texas: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Irrigation and Reclamation of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs House of Representives, May 7 and 8, 1964 (Box 3)
  3. Columbus Bend Project, Texas: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Irrigation and Reclamation of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs House of Representives, July 12 and 13, 1965 (Box 3)
  4. Columbus Bend Project, Texas: Letter from Secretary of the Interior Transmitting a Report on th Columbus Bend Project, Texas, 1961 (Box 3)

Other publications and newsletters:

  1. Bureau of Economic Geology Report for 1961 (2-18)
  2. The Report of the U. S. Study Commission—Texas, 1962 (2-19)
  3. Houston Area Water Resources, 1961? (2-20)
  4. The Texas Water Plan, 1968 (2-21)
  5. Brazos River Authority Compendium of Laws, 1954 (2-22)
  6. What is the Future of . . ., 1950s (2-22)
  7. Land and Water, magazines, 1956, 1957 (2-23)
  8. National Parks Magazine, 1961 (2-24)
  9. Soil and Water, magazines 1957, 1958 (2-25)
  10. South Texan, magazine, 1964 (2-26)
  11. Audubon, magazine, 1961 (2-26)
  12. Signal Smoke, newsletter, 1965 (2-27)
  13. Colorado Coastal Plains Project, newsletter, 1982, 1986 (2-28)
  14. Texas Water, newsletters, 1958-1961 (2-29)
  15. Texas Water Report, newsletters, 1960 (2-30)
  16. National Wildlands News, newsletter, 1961 (2-31)
  17. Conservation News, newsletter, 1967 (2-31)
  18. Garden Notes, newsletter, 1984 (2-31)
  19. Houston Audubon Society, newsletter, 1981 (2-31)

Citizens Against Water Taxes, flyer (2-31)

"Time to Bury the Dam," reprint of editorial from Weimar Mercury, flyer, 1964 (2-33)

Notes, 1965 (2-34)

Fayette-Colorado County River Association documents (2-35)

Correspondence and Reports, 1982 (2-36)

Jim Blackburn to Lucie Todd, 1985 (2-37)

David Todd to Friends of Fayette-Colorado County River Association, 1985 (2-38)

Invitation and tickets to benefit dinner for Mac Sweeney, 1988 (2-39)

Report on Clopton Crossing Lake, Blanco River, 1980 (2-40)

Water—Our Most Valuable Resource, map (2-41)

Colorado Coastal Plains Project, Texas, Study Area, map, 1975 (2-41)

Miscellaneous newspapers clippings (Box 3)