Agency Histories

George Dewey Clyde was born on July 21, 1898 in Mapleton, UT. He graduated from the Utah State agricultural college 1922 and got an MA in engineering from the University of California-Berkeley. He started working as a professor for Utah State University 1928. He was the Dean for the School of Engineering 1926-1945. During a time of drought, he was asked to be the State Water Conservator 1934. After World War II, Clyde was made Chief of the Division of Irrigation Engineering and Water Conservation for the Soil Conservation Service (research branch) which is part of the US Department of Agriculture. He also spent time as the Director for the Utah Water and Power board. At some point after World War II, he married his long time friend Ora Packard. He ran for Governor in 1956 as a republican. He was elected and served 1957-1965. His focus was on the economic development of Utah. He created a new interstate highway and ordered the construction of the University of Utah's medical school. Clyde was concerned about education so he increased state aid to education and teacher's salaries. He focused on the lower schools, but educators felt there needed to be more for higher education so they staged a walkout and got the National Education Association to threaten to put sanctions on Utah. Clyde didn't want to create a bonded project just for the higher education issues so he passed a building bill that included some educational sites. Along with education, Clyde created programs for public welfare, state parks, libraries. He was instrumental in creating the Canyonlands National Park. He was also concerned with minority rights, but it seems, he didn't pass anything targeted strictly for them. After his term was over he went back to civilian life. He died in Salt Lake City on April 2, 1972.