Peter Norbeck Explained

Peter Norbeck
Jr/Sr1:United States Senator
State1:South Dakota
Term Start1:March 4, 1921
Term End1:December 20, 1936
Predecessor1:Edwin S. Johnson
Successor1:Herbert E. Hitchcock
Order2:9th
Office2:Governor of South Dakota
Term Start2:January 2, 1917
Term End2:January 4, 1921
Lieutenant2:William H. McMaster
Predecessor2:Frank M. Byrne
Successor2:William H. McMaster
Order3:11th
Office3:Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
Term Start3:1915
Term End3:1917
Governor3:Frank M. Byrne
Predecessor3:E. L. Abel
Successor3:William H. McMaster
Office4:Member of the South Dakota Senate
Term4:1909–1915
Birth Date:27 August 1870
Birth Place:Clay County, Dakota Territory
Death Place:Redfield, South Dakota, U.S.
Party:Republican
Profession:Well driller

Peter Norbeck (August 27, 1870December 20, 1936) was an American politician from South Dakota. After serving two terms as the ninth Governor of South Dakota, he was elected to three consecutive terms as a United States Senator. Norbeck was the first native-born Governor of South Dakota to serve in office, and the first native-born U.S. Senator from South Dakota (he was born in the portion of the Dakota Territory that would later become the state of South Dakota). He is best remembered as "Mount Rushmore's great political patron", for promoting the construction of the giant sculpture at Mount Rushmore and securing federal funding for it.[1]

Early life and education

Norbeck was the eldest of six children born to immigrants George (born in Jämtland, Sweden) and Karen (Larsen) Norbeck, who was Norwegian. At the time of Norbeck's birth, his family was living in a dugout on the family's 160acres, located 8miles northeast of Vermillion, Dakota Territory. He attended the public schools and the University of South Dakota at Vermillion.[2] In 1895 he was a contractor and driller of deep water, oil, and gas wells. He moved to Redfield, South Dakota, in 1900 and added agricultural pursuits.

He married Lydia Theresa Anderson in June 1901. They had three daughters, Nellie, Ruth, and Selma (aka Sally); and one son, Harold.[3]

Personal affiliations

Norbeck was a Freemason, and a member of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota.[4] He received the 32° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction in Yankton, SD on 22 June 1919, and was also a member of Yelduz Shriners[5] in Aberdeen, South Dakota.[6] His Blue (Craft) lodge name and number are not known.

Career

On May 9, 1908, Norbeck ran for the South Dakota State Senate from Spink County. After being elected to the first of three terms, he joined Coe Crawford's inner circle of Progressives. In 1914, Norbeck reluctantly accepted Governor Frank Byrne's invitation to run for Lieutenant Governor on the Republican ticket; they ended up winning.

In 1916, Norbeck ran for governor and beat Democratic candidate W.T. Rinehart, becoming the ninth Governor of South Dakota. He served in that office from 1917 to 1921.

In 1920, Norbeck was elected United States Senator. He won the election with 50% of the vote, running against a Democrat and two fairly strong independent candidates; the Democrat finished third. Norbeck was re-elected to the Senate in 1926 and 1932.

South Dakota tourism and Mount Rushmore

Norbeck made a number of contributions to South Dakota's tourism industry. He worked with sculptor Gutzon Borglum to help him create his huge sculpture at Mount Rushmore, convinced presidents Calvin Coolidge and Franklin D. Roosevelt to support it, and shepherded multiple bills through Congress to provide federal funding for it. He encouraged the development of the Iron Mountain Road in the Black Hills. He also pushed for the development of Sylvan Lake, Needles Highway, Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and the Game Sanctuary in the Black Hills.[7]

As outgoing Republican chairman during the last months of the Herbert Hoover presidency, Norbeck appointed Ferdinand Pecora as Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate's Committee on Banking and Currency. The Committee investigated the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

Death and memorials

Norbeck died of cancer in Redfield, South Dakota, during his third term as United States Senator in 1936. He is interred at Bloomington Church Cemetery, Platte, South Dakota.[2]

The Peter Norbeck Summer House, in Custer State Park, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Biography: Senator Peter Norbeck . American Experience: Mount Rushmore . PBS . July 20, 2013.
  2. Web site: Peter Norbeck . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . October 18, 2012.
  3. Web site: Peter Norbeck . Soylent Communications . October 18, 2012.
  4. Web site: Notable Masons . The Grand Lodge of South Dakota . September 27, 2022.
  5. Web site: Yelduz Shriners Website . Yelduz Shriners . September 27, 2022.
  6. Book: Denslow, William R. . 10,000 Famous Freemasons . Missouri Lodge of Research . Columbia, MO . 1957.
  7. Web site: Peter Norbeck. National Governors Association. October 18, 2012.