Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection

Authors

Greg Beam

Document Type

Oral History

Publication Date

7-17-2000

Interview Number

MOH 208

Abstract

Harrison Lambert Richardson, Jr. was born in Bangor, Maine on January 26, 1930 to Janet (Lovejoy) and Harrison Lambert Richardson, Sr. He lived in Old Town until the age of 8, when the family moved to Delaware. Around 1941 or 1942, his family returned to Maine to operate a poultry farm in Kittery. He graduated from Traip Academy of Kittery, and spent a year at Kent’s Hill in Readfield, Maine. He then went on to the University of Maine, where he excelled at football. After graduation, he spent several months in the U.S. Marine Corps, first in Korea, and then as an Executive Officer on the USS Oriskany. After discharge, he attended Hastings College of Law in the University of California system, graduating in 1959. He worked in Chicago from 1959 to 1963, and served as special assistant to the Chicago Crime Commission. In 1963, he returned to Maine to practice law. He also became active in Republican politics, serving in the Maine House of Representative from 1965 to 1970, as Majority Leader in 1967 and 1969. He served in the Maine Senate from 1974 to 1975, running for governor in 1975. His legislative accomplishments include environmental protection laws and the Maine income tax laws. He continues to practice law through his firm with offices in Portland and Bangor. He has also participated in an oral history project at the Cleaves Law Library.

Scope and Content Note

Interview includes discussions of: Orono, Maine in the 1930s; agriculture in the 1930s; Kittery, Maine in the 1940s; poultry farming; liberal Republican upbringing; voting for Franklin Roosevelt as a Republican; University of Maine in the 1950s; social class differences in Maine schools; Marine Corps; law school; the law profession; Richardson’s law career; Maine elections of 1954; “Muskie Republicans”; election to the Maine House of Representatives; the rise of the Maine Democratic Party; Frank Coffin; moderate Republicans in Maine; radical conservatism; environmental legislation; Richardson’s and Governor Ken Curtis’ working relationship; election to the Maine Senate; Richardson running for Governor; Maine Maritime Academy; American University in Bulgaria; Margaret Chase Smith; Burton Cross; Horace Hildreth; John Reed; and Angus King.

Use Restrictions

Copyright Bates College. This transcript is provided for individual Research Purposes Only; for all other uses, including publication, reproduction and quotation beyond fair use, permission must be obtained in writing from: The Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College, 70 Campus Avenue, Lewiston, Maine 04240-6018.

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