Peter Norbeck | |
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| United States Senator fromSouth Dakota | |
| In office March 4, 1921 – December 20, 1936 | |
| Preceded by | Edwin S. Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Herbert E. Hitchcock |
| 9th Governor of South Dakota | |
| In office January 2, 1917 – January 4, 1921 | |
| Lieutenant | William H. McMaster |
| Preceded by | Frank M. Byrne |
| Succeeded by | William H. McMaster |
| 11th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota | |
| In office 1915–1917 | |
| Governor | Frank M. Byrne |
| Preceded by | E. L. Abel |
| Succeeded by | William H. McMaster |
| Member of theSouth Dakota Senate | |
| In office 1909–1915 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1870-08-27)August 27, 1870 Clay County, Dakota Territory |
| Died | December 20, 1936(1936-12-20) (aged 66) Redfield, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Profession | Well driller |
Peter Norbeck (August 27, 1870 – December 20, 1936) was an American politician fromSouth Dakota. After serving two terms as theninth governor of South Dakota, he was elected to three consecutive terms as aUnited 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 theDakota 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 atMount Rushmore and securing federal funding for it.[1]
Norbeck was the eldest of six children born to immigrants George (born inJämtland, Sweden) and Karen (Larsen) Norbeck, who was Norwegian. At the time of Norbeck's birth, his family was living in adugout on the family's 160 acres (0.65 km2), located eight miles (13 km) northeast ofVermillion in theDakota Territory. He attended the public schools and theUniversity of South Dakota atVermillion.[2] In 1895 he was a contractor and driller of deep water, oil, and gas wells. He moved toRedfield, 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]
Norbeck was aFreemason, and a member of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota.[4] He received the 32° of theAncient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction inYankton, SD on 22 June 1919, and was also a member of Yelduz Shriners[5] inAberdeen, South Dakota.[6] His Blue (Craft) lodge name and number are not known.
On May 9, 1908, Norbeck ran for theSouth Dakota State Senate fromSpink County. He ran as a Progressive Repubilcan.[7] After being elected to the first of three terms, he joinedCoe Crawford's inner circle ofProgressives. In 1914, Norbeck reluctantly accepted GovernorFrank Byrne's invitation to run forLieutenant Governor on theRepublican ticket; they ended up winning.
In 1916, Norbeck ran for governor and beat Democratic candidate W.T. Rinehart, becoming the ninthGovernor of South Dakota. He served in that office from 1917 to 1921.
In 1920, Norbeck was elected United StatesSenator. He won the election with 50% of the vote, running against a Democrat and two fairly strong independent candidates; theDemocrat finished third. Norbeck was re-elected to the Senate in 1926 and 1932.
Norbeck made a number of contributions to South Dakota's tourism industry. He worked with sculptorGutzon Borglum to help him create his huge sculpture atMount Rushmore, convinced presidentsCalvin Coolidge andFranklin D. Roosevelt to support it, and shepherded multiple bills through Congress to provide federal funding for it.[1] He encouraged the development of the Iron Mountain Road in theBlack 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 theBlack Hills.[8]
As outgoingRepublican chairman during the last months of theHerbert Hoover presidency, Norbeck appointedFerdinand Pecora as Chief Counsel to theU.S. Senate's Committee on Banking and Currency. The Committee investigated theWall Street Crash of 1929.
Norbeck died of cancer in Redfield, South Dakota, during his third term asUnited States Senator in 1936. He is interred at Bloomington Church Cemetery,Platte, South Dakota.[2]
ThePeter Norbeck Summer House, inCuster State Park, is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of South Dakota 1916,1918 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forU.S. Senator fromSouth Dakota (Class 3) 1920,1926,1932 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by E. L. Abel | Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota 1915–1917 | Succeeded by William H. McMaster |
| Preceded by | Governor of South Dakota 1917–1921 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 3) from South Dakota 1921–1936 Served alongside:Thomas Sterling,William H. McMaster,William J. Bulow | Succeeded by |
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| Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (1970–present) | ||
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