Descriptive Summary
Holcombe, Oscar, 1888-1968
Oscar Holcombe Collection1921-1957MSS.0020
30.5 Linear feet,
8 boxes and 48 volumes
Materials are in English.
Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library
Biographical Note
Oscar F. Holcombe (1888-1968) was elected eleven times as Mayor of Houston between 1921 and 1957. He was born in Mobile, Alabama, on December 31, 1888. His family moved to Texas in 1891, and first came to Houston in 1907. When he first ran for mayor in 1921, he was an established lumberman and building contractor. During the 22 years he served as mayor, the population of Houston increased from 140,000 in 1921 to nearly 1 million in 1957.
Scope and Contents
The collection, consisting of 8 boxes and 48 scrapbooks, deals with a wide range of subjects pertaining to Holcombe's years as mayor. The material deals primarily with the later years of Holcombe's career. Some correspondence is available for the 1924 mayoral campaign. Material for the later years includes speeches, official statements, and a large number of clippings. Some clippings also exist for the early years. Of particular interest is the material available on the development of the Hermann Park and Braes Bayou areas of Houston during the 1920's. Blue-print drawings and reports are included in the collection.
Arrangement
The collection has been organized by subject and follows whenever possible the original arrangement. Correspondence for each subject is arranged chronologically. The scrapbooks are arranged by year and are a rich source of information on city politics and elections.
Access Restrictions
None.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the Oscar Holcombe Collection must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Oscar Holcombe Collection. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library.
Acquisition Information
Donated by Mrs. H. Crosswell on August 12, 1976.
Processing Information
Processed in 1977.
Index Terms
Holcombe, Oscar, 1888-1968
Local elections--Texas--Houston
Mayors--Texas--Houston
Political campaigns--Texas--Houston
Mayoral Campaigns
1
1
Mayoral Campaign, 1924: Correspondence,
November 15-December 18, 1924
1
2
Mayoral Campaign, 1924: Correspondence,
December 5, 1922-November 14, 1924
1
3
Mayoral Campaign,
1926: Statements of Congratulations
1923,
1924-1928,
Miscellaneous Correspondence:
1954-1955
1
4
1
5
Miscellaneous Clippings,
1920's
Mayoral Appointment - Projects and Reports
2
1
Braes Bayou Project (McGregor Way): correspondence and blueprints,
December 1925-August 1928
2
2
Braes Bayou Project (McGregor Way): correspondence and blueprints,
August-November 1928
2
3
Industrial Belt Highway, (Navigation Blvd.): correspondence and blueprints,
August 10, 1925-November 24, 1926
2
4
Industrial Belt Highway, (Navigation Blvd.): correspondence and blueprints,
January 6, 1927-November 20, 1928
2
5
Kirby Drive Improvements: correspondence,
May 1, 1924-August 9, 1928
2
6
Hermann Drive Extension: correspondence,
August 5, 1926-August 25, 1928
2
7
Memorial Drive and Park Improvements: correspondence and blueprints,
August 16, 1926-February 4, 1929
3
1
Auditor's Report: Examination of the Books and Accounts of the City of Houston, Texas,
December 31, 1921
3
2
Auditor's Report: Examination of the Books and Accounts of the City of Houston, Texas,
December 31, 1924
3
3
Report of the City Planning Commission,
1929
3
4
Report of the Water Supply Investigations for the City of Houston,
1933
3
5
Mayor Holcombe Expense Book,
1933; Elizabeth Holcombe Home Room Club Minutes
Mayoral Appointment - Speeches and Proclamations
4
1
Mayor Holcombe's Campaign Speeches,
October 18, 1946-November 4, 1946
4
2
Mayor Holcombe's Official Speeches and Statements,
January 2, 1947-December 7, 1947
4
3
Mayor Holcombe's Charter Amendment Statements,
July 21, 1947-July 25, 1947
4
4
Mayor Holcombe's Campaign Speeches and Biographical Sketches of Candidates on the People's Ticket,
September 10, 1948-October 16, 1948
4
5
Mayor Holcombe's Official Speeches and Statements,
February 5, 1948-July 1948
4
6
Mayor Holcombe's Campaign Speeches,
February 17, 1948-October 11, 1948
4
7
Mayor Holcombe's Campaign Speeches,
October 11, 1948-October 15, 1948
4
8
Mayor Holcombe's Speeches and Official Statements,
January 6, 1949-November 16, 1949
4
9
Mayor Holcombe's Speeches and Official Statements,
January 20, 1950-October 13, 1950
4
10
Mayor Holcombe's Speeches and Official Statements,
January 31, 1951-December 31, 1951
4
11
Mayor Holcombe's Speeches and Official Statements,
February 16, 1952-November 18, 1952
5
1
Mayor Holcombe's Official Campaign Speeches,
May 6, 1940-November 4, 1940
5
2
Mayor Holcombe's Official Press Releases to the Houston
Post and
Chronicle,
October 11, 1942-November 2, 1942
5
3
Mayor Holcombe's Official Proclamations,
January 3, 1947-November 23, 1947
5
4
Mayor Holcombe's Official Proclamations,
February 4, 1948-December 21, 1948
5
5
Mayor Holcombe's Official Proclamations,
January 10, 1949-December 9, 1949
5
6
Mayor Holcombe's Official Proclamations,
January 16, 1950-November 16, 1950
5
7
Mayor Holcombe's Official Proclamations,
January 15, 1951-December 26, 1951
5
8
Mayor Holcombe's Official Proclamations,
January 10, 1952-December 15, 1952
5
9
Mayor Holcombe's Official Proclamations,
1950-1952
Demographics
6
1
Bracey's Block Maps of the City of Houston,
1922
6
2
Names and Addresses of Leaders Among the Negro People,
1948 Mayoral Campaign
6
3
Prominent Women, Names, Addresses, Telephone Numbers,
1948 Mayoral Campaign
6
4
List of Union Leaders, Titles, Names, and Addresses,
1948 Mayoral Campaign
6
5
Presiding Judges, City Voting Precincts and Total Votes in Each,
October 16, 1949
6
6
Miscellaneous Items from Holcombe's Campaign in City Democratic Primary Election,
October 1948
6
7
City Charter Amendments,
1951
6
8
Census - Prepared by Research and Statistics Committee of the Houston Chamber of Commerce,
1954
6
9
Labor Agreements,
1955
6
10
Harris County Freeway Committee, correspondence,
July 14, 1955-August 15, 1955
6
11
Port of Houston, correspondence,
March 1955-April 1955
Newspaper Clippings
7
1
Houston
Press Political Clippings,
August 8-November 14, 1957
7
2
Houston
Press Political Clippings,
November 14-December 30, 1957
7
3
Houston
Chronicle Political Clippings,
August 7-November 15, 1957
7
4
Houston
Chronicle Political Clippings,
November 16-December 30, 1957
8
1
Houston
Post Political Clippings,
August 11-November 10, 1957
8
2
Houston
Post Political Clippings,
November 11-December 31, 1957
Scrapbooks
1921 - Holcombe's Election in the
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
1
1926 - Holcombe's Election in the
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
2
1927 - Holcombe's Election in the
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
3
1927 - Holcombe's Election in the
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
4
5
1939 - Houston
Press
6
1939 - Houston
Chronicle
7
1939 - Houston
Post
8
1940 - Houston
Post
1940 - Pickett/Holcombe Election in the
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
9
10
1940 - Houston
Press
11
1940 - Houston
Chronicle
12
1941-1942 - Houston
Press
13
1941 - Houston
Post
14
1941-1942 - Houston
Chronicle
15
1941 - Houston
Chronicle
1941 - Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
16
17
1941 - Houston
Press
1947 - Zoning in the Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
18
1947 - Houston
Chronicle and
Press
19
20
1947 - Houston
Post
21
1948 - Houston
Chronicle
22
1948 - Houston
Press
1946-1948 - Holcombe in the Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
23
24
1949 - Houston
Chronicle
25
1949 - Houston
Post
26
1949 - Houston
Press
27
1950 - Taxi Strike and Bus Strike in Houston
Post
28
1951 - Houston
Post
1949-1952 - Bus News in the Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
29
1950 - Airport and Fire Department in the Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
30
31
1950 - Bus News in the Houston
Chronicle
1950 - Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
32
33
1950 - Houston
Press
1950-1951 - Police in the Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
34
35
1951 - Horsemeat, McArthur, HTA, City Council, Mayor Holcombe, HPD in the Houston
Chronicle
1951 - Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
36
1951 - Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
37
38
1951 - Houston
Press
1952 - Welch/Hofeinz in the Houston
Chronicle,
Post, and
Press
39
40
1956 - HPD, Holcombe, Annexation, Bond Issue in the Houston
Post
41
1956 - Houston
Press
42
1956 - Houston
Chronicle
43
1957 - Freeways and Holcombe/Cutrer in the Houston
Post
44
1957 - Houston
Press
45
1957 - Houston
Chronicle
46
1956-1957 - Houston
Chronicle
47
City Democratic Primary Election,
October 1948: Election clippings, notices, correspondence
City Democratic Primary Election,
December 1950: Election clippings, notices, correspondence
48