Louis Edward Cramer Papers

Name/Title

Louis Edward Cramer Papers

Entry/Object ID

MS.24

Scope and Content

Louis Edward Cramer Papers MS 24 Louis Edward Cramer Papers Louis Edward Cramer [b. 1902 in New Zealand] was a junior engineer on the Boulder Canyon Project during Hoover Dam construction in the early 1930s. He went on to found Cramer Engineers/Cramer Corporation and was involved in the planning and construction of dozens of water and power development projects in California and throughout the world in the 1940s-80s. The material in this collection includes Cramer's personal memoirs and family genealogy, correspondence, photographs, documents, and ephemera all bound together as scrapbooks. The museum curator has gathered in box 1 of the collection the type-written memoirs and compositions Cramer had scattered throughout the scrapbooks among his other material. Of particular interest aside from material dealing with Cramer's engineering accomplishments is a volume of letters written to him from Vietnam by his oldest child, Rockwell Charles Cramer, and material relative to the memorial plaque Cramer had cast in honor of his friend, Thomas R. "Bob" Parker [d. 1993], who was also a former Hoover Dam construction worker. Also notable is a volume of correspondence between Cramer and Dr. Gene Gressley of the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming in Laramie regarding Cramer's extensive deposits of personal papers there and both men's subsequent estrangement from that institution. * * *

Collection

Manuscripts

Category

Support Level

Acquisition

Notes

998.62

Archive Items Details

Notes

MS 24 Louis Edward Cramer Papers inventory [4 boxes] Box 1 of 4 folder no. [xeroxed memoirs and other biographical and autobiographical material from the scrapbooks in boxes 2-4] 1. 36-page memoir 2. "Incident at Boulder Dam" [from vol. 1, pt. 2, sec. 3] 3. 54-page memoir 4. "Dad's Letter to Rock, 16 August 1984 - Sept. 1984" [from vol. 2, sec. 2] 5. "Afghanistan Projects" [from vol. 2, sec. 7] 6. 45-page memoir 7. "Bolsa Island Nuclear Power and Desalination Project, CA" [from v. 4, pt. 1] 8. "Franchi Dam Project, Fresno River, Madera, CA" [from vol. 4, pt. 2] 9. memoir - letter to Dr. Gene Gressley of the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming in Laramie [Nov. 25, 1981 (from vol. 4, pt. 3, sec. 1)] 10. "San Vicente Dam Project, CA: Preface" [from vol. 4, pt. 4] 11. "St. Francis Dam: A Collapsed Concrete Dam in San Francisquito Canyon, CA" [from vol. 4, pt. 10, sec. 2] 12. two Hoover Dam anniversary medallions [50th: 1935-1985; 60th: 1935-1995] Box 2 of 4 [scrapbooks/memoirs] Volume 1 of 5, part 1 of 2 1. autobiographical material [including genealogy] 2. "The Beginning: Palm Springs, 1928" [includes pp. 1-9D of 36-page memoir] 3. "Frank Crowe at Boulder Dam" 4. "Boulder Dam and Power Plant" [includes pp. 10-10A of 36-page memoir; also includes material relative to the 31ers and the Boulder City Museum and Historical Association] Volume 1 of 5, part 2 of 2 1. "Yuma, Arizona, 1935-40" [All-American Canal; Imperial Dam; Gila Canal; Parker Dam; Coachella Canal; pp. 11-14 of 36-page memoir] 2. "Rockwell Charles Cramer" [biography] 3. "Yuma, Arizona, 1935-40" [pp. 15-17A of 36-page memoir] 4. "Shasta Dam and Power Plant" [pp. 18-19A of 36-page memoir] 5. "Lorraine Joyce Cramer" [biography] 6. "Shasta Dam and Power Plant," continued [pp. 19A-21 of 36-page memoir] 7. "Central Valley Projects, California: Friant Dam, Friant-Kern Canal, Madera Canal, 1943-54" [pp. 22-23 of 36-page memoir] 8. "Diane Marilyn Cramer Juarez" [biography] 9. "Gregory Scott Cramer" [biography; pp. 24-26 of 36-page memoir] 10. "Diamond Valley/Hemet, California, 1949-53" [potential Domenigoni Valley reservoir site; pp. 27-30 of 36-page memoir] 11. "642 West Cornell Avenue, Fresno, California, 1952-61" [pp. 31-36 of 36-page memoir] Volume 2 of 5* 1. "After 45 Years the Crack Appears, 1980" [pp. 1-5 of 54-page memoir] 2. "Dad's Letter to Rock, 16 August 1984 - Sept. 1984" [25-page transcript of a tape-recorded letter from Louis Edward Cramer to his oldest son, Rockwell Charles Cramer] 3. "An Error of Judgment" [pp. 6-8 of 54-page memoir] 4. "Klamath Falls, Oregon, 1954-55" [pp. 9-18 of 54-page memoir] 5. "Los Angeles & Sacramento, 1955" [pp. 19-21 of 54-page memoir] 6. "San Francisco, California, 1956-58 (International Engineering Company, Inc.)" [pp. 23-30 of 54-page memoir (there is no p. 22)] 7. "Afghanistan Projects" 8. "Miscellaneous Projects: Return to San Francisco, 1958-62 (Eel River Investigations, 1958; Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project, Oregon, 1960; Chungju Dam & Power Plant, Korea, 1961; South Saskatchewan Dam, Canada, 1962; Camanche Dam, California, 1963; and Deep Creek Investigations, California, 1962) and Franchi Dam, California, 1962-63" [pp. 31-38 (there is no p. 39), 40-42 of 54-page memoir] 9. "429 West Scott Avenue, Fresno, California, 1961" [pp. 43-54 of 54-page memoir] *volume 2 also contains material relative to the following companies and water and power projects: Feather River Project, CA; Morrison-Knudsen Company, CA; Helmand River Projects, Afghanistan; Arghanab Dam, Afghanistan; Boghra Canal, Afghanistan; Girisk Power Plant, Afghanistan; Girisk-Herat Highway Bridges, Afghanistan; Marga Canal System, Afghanistan; Kajakai Dam, Afghanistan; Darweshan Dam and Canal, Afghanistan; Tarnak Canal, Afghanistan; Shamalan Canal, Afghanistan; Kandarhar International Airport, Afghanistan Volume 3 of 5* 1. "Assignment at Sacramento, 1963-67" [pp. 1-2 of 45-page memoir] 2. "Edna's Reluctance to Move, 1963-67" [pp. 3-8 of 45-page memoir] 3. "Settling In On State Water Project, 1963-67" [pp. 9-13 of 45-page memoir] 4. "State Water Project, California" [SWP] a. "Oroville Dam and Power Plant, 1963-67" [pp. 14-17 of 45-page memoir] b. "California Aqueduct, 1963-67" [pp. 18-21 of 45-page memoir] c. "Robert A. Skinner, 1963" [biography; pp. 21A-24 of 45-page memoir] d. "William E. Warne, 1963" [biography; pp. 25-27 of 45-page memoir] e. Alfred Golze, 1963" [biography; pp. 28-29 of 45-page memoir] f. "Peripheral Canal, 1963" [pp. 30-32 of 45-page memoir] g. "Tehachapi Pump Lift, 1963-71" [pp. 33-38 of 45-page memoir] h. "Assignment in SWP Completed, 1968" [pp. 39-43 of 45-page memoir] i. "Location Maps and Bulletins on SWP System, 1963-68" 5. "Central Valley Projects, California, 1941-91" [pp. 44-45 of 45-page memoir] *volume 3 also contains materials relative to the following water and power projects: Delta Pumping Plant, CA; South Bay Aqueduct, CA; North Bay Aqueduct, CA; Thermolito Dam, CA; Thermolito Afterbay Dam, CA; Thermolito Power Plant, CA; Delvalle Dam, CA; Patterson Dam, CA; South Bay Pumping Plant, CA; Bethany Dam, CA; San Luis Dam, CA; San Luis Power Plant, CA; Castaic Dam, CA; Mile 18 Pumping Plant, CA; Buena Vista Pumping Plant, CA; Wheeler Ridge Pumping Plants, CA; Perris Dam, CA; East Branch Aqueduct, CA; Cottonwood Power Plant, CA; Pearblossom Pumping Plant, CA; Devil's Canyon Pumping Plant, CA; Cedar Springs Dam, CA; West Branch Pumping Plant, CA; Ruby Canyon Pumping Plant, CA; Pyramid Lake, California; Pyramid Power Plant, CA; Sawtooth Pumping Plant, CA; Polonio Pumping Plant, CA; San Luis Obispo Pumping Plant, CA Volume 3 of 5 [addition] 1. "Plan for Automatic Operation of California Aqueduct," presented by L. E. Cramer and Glen Smith" [1966; reprinted December 1999] Volume 4 of 5. part 1 of 12 1. "Bolsa Island Nuclear Power and Desalination Project, California" a. "Leaving Sacramento" [page 1 of 29-page memoir] b. "The Search for Water" [pp. 2-3 of 29-page memoir] c. "Eel River Investigations" [pp. 4-6 of 29-page memoir] d. "State Water Project Looms" [pp. 7-18 of 29-page memoir] e. "The Uncertain Future" [pp. 19-29 of 29-page memoir] Volume 4 of 5, part 2 of 12 1. "Franchi Dam Project, Fresno River, Madera, California" "Basic Design Criteria and Controls, Fresno River Diversion Project" [duplicate in Box 2 of 4, volume 4 of 5, part 2 of 12] Box 3 of 4 [scrapbooks/memoirs] Volume 4 of 5, part 3 of 12 1. biographical and autobiographical material on Cramer and his family [includes numerous photographs; much duplication of material in previous volumes] 2. family photographs and notes 3. miscellaneous photographs and notes Volume 4 of 5, part 4 of 12 1. "San Vicente Dam Project, California" "Proposal for Engineering Services: San Vicente Dam Spillway Gates Project" [duplicate in Box 3 of 4, volume 4 of 5, part 4 of 12] Volume 4 of 5, part 5 of 12 1. "The Afghanistan Venture" [duplicate of "Afghanistan Projects" in Volume 2 of 5] 2. "Prelude to Disaster: Being a Discussion On a Proposed Concrete-Lined Flood Control Channel in Tia Juana River Valley, San Diego County, California" 3. "The River" [the unedited draft of a foreword and first two chapters of a book Cramer planned writing on the geology and "human" history of the Colorado River] 4. "The 31-er's Club" [a Boulder City-based organization of men and women who built Hoover Dam and Boulder City, founded in 1956, which meets annually in Boulder City] 5. "Draft Script of Proposed Testimony" [in an aborted lawsuit concerning construction of a concrete-lined flood control channel in the Tia Juana River Valley, San Diego County, California] 6. "Upper Stillwater Dam" Volume 4 of 5, part 5 of 12 [addition] 1. "Prelude to Disaster" [duplicate of section 2 in volume 4 of 5, part 5 of 12 (2 copies)] Volume 4 of 5, part 6 of 12 1. Correspondence with Dr. Gene Gressley of the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, 1964-97 [includes inventories of Cramer's deposits in the Center] Volume 4 of 5, part 7 of 12 1. "Auburn Dam, California" Volume 4 of 5, part 8 of 12 1. "Comment Report on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Tijuana River 'Flood Control' Project," by Cramer Corporation [1974] 2. "Comment Report on Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Tijuana River Valley Plan," by Cramer Corporation [1976] Volume 4 of 5, part 8 of 12 [addition] 1. Battle of the Tia Juana Valley [1973-80] Box 4 of 4 [scrapbooks/memoirs; books] Volume 4 of 5, part 9 of 12 1. "Teton Dam: An Account of Bursting of Teton Dam ... ," by L. E. Cramer 2. "Manicouagan Dam ... and Manic-Outardes Project" [Quebec, Canada] 3. "James Bay Project" [Quebec, Canada] Volume 4 of 5, part 10 of 12 1. "Rodriguez Dam" [Rio de las Palmas River, Mexico] 2. "St. Francis Dam: A Collapsed Concrete Dam in San Francisquito Canyon, California" 3. "Ft. Peck Dam: An Earth Dam On Missouri River Watershed, Montana" 4. "Henshaw Dam: A Rehabilitated Earth Dam On San Luis Rey River, California" 5. "La Playa Beach: A Beach Erosion Phenomenon" [San Diego, California] "Advance Preliminary Report On Design & Construction Feasibility for a Protective Seawall at La Playa Beach ... " [July 1977 (duplicate in Box 4 of 4, volume 4 of 5, part 10 of 12)] "Thomas R. Parker Memorial Plaque" [1994 (2 copies)] "Letters From Vietnam and Elsewhere" [correspondence and biographical information from and about Cramer's estranged son, Rockwell Charles Cramer] "Itinerary for Inspection Trip of the State Water Facilities by the Board of Directors and Staff [of] the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, March 25-26-27, 1965" "Battle of the Tia Juana Valley, 1965 - 1973," volume 1 of 3 "Battle of the Tia Juana Valley, 1973 - 1980," volume 2 of 3 "Battle of the Tia Juana Valley, 1974 - 1993," volume 3 of 3 "Smoke From This Altar: Poems by Louis L'Amour" [New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1990 (inscribed to Cramer by his son, Gregory Scott, and daughter-in-law, Dang at Christmas 1990)] "Ecological Fantasies: A Defense of Innovation ... ," by Cy A. Adler [New York, NY: Green Eagle Press, 1975 (underlined and highlighted by Cramer, with news clippings and documents glued in among the pages)] "The Orator," by Peter Nivio Zarlenga [New York, NY: Books in Focus, Inc., 1981 (metaphysical and political poetry and essays, underlined and highlighted by Cramer)] "John Wesley Powell—Voyage of Discovery: The Story Behind the Scenery," by Dan Murphy, with photography by Gary Ladd [Las Vegas, NV: KC Publications, 1991 (inscribed to Cramer by his son, Gregory Scott, on Father's Day 1998)] "Two Guys, Four Corners: Great Photographs, Great Times, and a Million Laughs," by Don Imus and Fred Imus [New York, NY: Villard Books, 1997 (inscribed to Cramer by his son, Gregory Scott, on Father's Day 1997; includes a copy of a June 22, 1997 thank-you letter from Cramer to Gregory)] * * *

Location

Location

* Untyped Location

Basement Archives

Date

March 10, 2025

Relationships

Related Entries

Notes

photograph collection 0092 [Louis Edward Cramer Collection] biography file

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

July 17, 2002

Updated By

bcmha.archives@gmail.com

Update Date

September 3, 2025