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William Scudder Gookin Collection 1956-1982

MSS-42

Biographical Note

Hydrologist and engineer William Scudder Gookin was born in Atlanta, Georgia to William C. and Susie Jaudon Gookin on September 8, 1914. As a child, Gookin lived in several locations in Europe and the United States. He graduated from Penn State University in 1937 and was married to Mildred Hartman in the same year. Following his parents to Tucson, Gookin began his engineering career working for the US Bureau of Reclamation at the US Geological Survey's Tucson District.

In 1948 Gookin was appointed to the Reclamation Commissioner's staff to advise on technical issues relating to the Central Arizona Project. From 1949 to 1953 Gookin was assigned to Bureau of Reclamation projects in New Mexico and Oklahoma. In 1953 Gookin was hired as District Engineer for the San Carlos Irrigation and Drainage District. In 1956 he was appointed Arizona's chief engineer for the Arizona vs. California boundary dispute litigation. Gookin was employed as an Administrator for the Arizona Power Authority in 1958 and he established his own engineering consulting firm, W. S. Gookin and Associates, in 1960. He acted as a consultant to the Arizona Interstate Stream Commission from 1956 to 1969 and was also a member of the Central Arizona Project Association Executive Committee. William S. Gookin died in Arizona on February 3, 1994.

Scope and Content Note

The William Scudder Gookin Collection consists of diaries, typewritten and holograph transcripts, notes, and a report. Although the materials date from 1956 to 1982, the bulk of the collection consists of Gookin's personal diaries describing his work in support of the Central Arizona Project from 1958 to 1968.

The original Gookin diaries contain handwritten notes describing Gookin's daily professional and personal activities. Although Gookin made diary entries virtually every day, the information tends to be concise and superficial. Typical entries list engagements and meetings attended and those in attendance, flights, car trips, and meals taken during the day. The entries occasionally include candid comments on the results of particular meetings or the proceedings of the Arizona vs. California litigation.

The diary transcripts are typescripts of the diary text edited by Marion D'Luzansky (Arizona Collection Staff). The transcripts cover the diaries dating from 1956 to 1960 and include editorial comments by both Gookin and D'Luzansky. The diary transcription notes are transcripts of the diary text including questions written by Marion D'Luzansky and answers and/or editorial comments written by Gookin, who apparently reviewed the transcripts. The miscellaneous notes contain additional comments about the diary text and a list of abbreviations used in the diaries.

The Senate committee report is a photocopy of the report of the Subcommittee on Water and Power Resources of the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs on Senate Bill 1004 "and related bills" authorizing the Central Arizona Project. The report contains a summary of the bill and a series of background reports including "General History of the Colorado River", "Legal Aspects", "Central Arizona Project Congressional History", and "The Steam Plant". The balance of the report contains the subcommittee's analysis of most of the specific sections of S.1004.

Arrangement

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.

Copyright

Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.

Access Terms

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], William Scudder Gookin Collection, MSS-42, Arizona State University Library.

Provenance

William S. Gookin donated these materials to the Arizona Collection in 1982 (ACC# 1982-00029).

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