Entity Collection

: Edwin "Big Ed" Carl Johnson; Edwin Johnson was a Democrat from Kansas who moved to Colorado seeking a dry climate as treatment for tuberculosis. He settled near Craig on a homestead. He served in the Colorado House of Representatives for four terms, beginning in 1923. He became Lieutenant Governor in 1931, and Governor in 1933. He served three terms as U.S. Senator for Colorado between 1937-1955. According to the Colorado State Archives, Johnson's rustic reputation helped his standing among Colorado voters. During his time as Governor he established programs and reorganized statewide government in response to struggles of the The Great Depression. He is also remembered for his criticizing speech about Ingrid Bergman's affair that led her to leave the country. The eastbound bore of the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel, which began construction in 1974, was named after him. Wayne N. Aspinall once remarked that despite his long career and “tremendous personality,” Johnson had received little recognition for his service outside of being the namesake for the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel. *Some information from this entry was taken from the Colorado State Archives. https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Edwin%20Johnson.pdf **Photograph of Edwin Johnson from the Library of Congress.