Ralph Owen Brewster papers

Records are largely office files concerning contemporary issues, events and local and national political and legislative initiatives; and general office correspondence spanning the years 1923-1961. Other categories of material include published and unpublished reports and records of legislative initiatives; nomination papers and campaign files from numerous primary and election campaigns; newspaper clippings from all phases of his career; and recordings of some speeches. Included also is a collection of photographs: most are official, and concern his Senatorial career.

While governor of Maine, Brewster promoted Maine's industry, products and resources; and was chairman of the United States Governors' Conference from 1925-1927. Brewster corresponded with many well-known state and national figures of the time, including Harry Truman, Percival Baxter, Robert A. Taft, Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., James M. Mead; and was contemporary with Margaret Chase Smith, Richard Nixon and Joseph McCarthy. He served on several important congressional committees. Many of his activities involved investigation of the U.S. armed forces as a part of the Truman Committee, and on his own committee. Other significant issues that held Brewster's interest were interstate commerce, foreign oil reserves, Pearl Harbor, Republican Party issues, the Maine potato industry, the Port of Portland, and old-age pensions. In 1943 Brewster and Senators Russell of Georgia, Chandler of Kentucky, Lodge of Massachusetts, and Mead of New York travelled to the war areas to gather information on numerous wartime subjects including: international transportation, foreign landing facilities, distribution of supplies, state of machinery received from the U.S., and the function of the Office of War.