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Babcock, Charles Merritt (1871–1936)

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Charles Babcock

Charles Merritt Babcock, ca. 1915. Photograph by Brush Studios, Minneapolis. Photographs Collection (1995.017.008), Sherburne County Historical Society, Becker, Minnesota. Used with the permission of the Sherburne County Historical Society.

As state highway commissioner (1917–1933), Charles Babcock established high standards for funding and building roads throughout the state of Minnesota. His plans for taxation and construction allowed modern roads to reach every corner of the state.

Born August 10, 1871, in Sherburne County to Willard and Serepeta Babcock, Charles Merritt Babcock grew up on a farm. He later worked in his father’s mercantile store, entered the county political scene, and became president of the Bank of Elk River. Ultimately, his professional life evolved to focus on improving methods of transportation as a means to enhance business in rural Minnesota.

Babcock entered the University of Minnesota in 1892 to study engineering. During the economic crisis of 1893, however, he became unable to pay his tuition and dropped out to work in his father’s store in Elk River. While working there, he realized that he could improve business and build relationships with county farmers by providing easy transportation and access to the markets.

With this in mind, Babcock began a political career. In 1908 he ran for county commissioner with a plan to improve local roads and transportation routes. After two years of service, he realized that working for the state government and the state highway commission would better serve his mission.

Babcock joined the Minnesota State Highway Commission in 1910. He served until 1917, when the state disbanded the commission. The legislature replaced it with the Department of Transportation under the direction of Governor Joseph Burnquist, who then appointed Babcock the first Minnesota highway commissioner.

Babcock’s primary achievement during his sixteen-year tenure was an amendment to the state constitution that used tax dollars to fund the building and maintenance of state roads. Known as the Babcock Amendment, it levied taxes first on automobile registration and later on gasoline to fund roads.

During his career, Babcock belonged to the American Road Builders Association, the National Safety Council, and several international transportation associations. Locally, he influenced the directing of the Jefferson Highway through Sherburne County to St Cloud. During his time in the Department of Transportation, work crews paved the road that passed from the Anoka County line north through Elk River and the entire county.

The 1930 election of Governor Floyd Olson, a reform-minded Farmer-Labor advocate, led to public scrutiny of Babcock and his office. In December 1933 Olson asked him to resign from his post as commissioner. Babcock complied, and Olson replaced him with N. W. Elisberg.

Starting in 1933, six taxpayers brought a series of lawsuits against Babcock alleging price fixing and preferential treatment of road construction contractors. One of them, Regan vs. Babcock (1936), reached the Minnesota Supreme Court. The justices ultimately cleared Babcock of fraud-related charges but ordered the contractors to return close to $385,000 in overpayment to the state of Minnesota.

Babcock returned to his job at the Bank of Elk River and continued to work for improved roads and transportation. He died on November 23, 1936.

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Biographical files, “Charles Babcock”
Archives Collection, Sherburne History Center, Becker
Description: Records related to the life and career of Charles Babcock.

Brubaker, Mike. “Charles Babcock: Father of Minnesota’s Highways.” Sherburne History Center blog, November 26, 2016.

“Heart Attack Proves Fatal to Elk River’s Foremost Citizen.” Sherburne County Star News, November 26, 1936.

Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. State Constitutional Amendments Considered.
https://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/mngov/constitutionalamendments

“State to Pay Respects to C. M. Babcock.” Minneapolis Journal, November 24, 1936.

Related Images

Charles Babcock
Charles Babcock
Map of state roads, 1919
Map of state roads, 1919
Charles Babcock
Charles Babcock
Charles Babcock
Charles Babcock
Charles Babcock
Charles Babcock
Babcock Road sign
Babcock Road sign

Turning Point

In 1917, Charles Babcock develops the plans that create the Minnesota Highway system, which transforms dirt and mud trails into gravel and paved four-lane roads. Under his direction, Minnesota becomes a leader in highway and transportation development.

Chronology

1871

Charles Babcock is born in Orrock Township, Sherburne County, Minnesota.

1893

Forced to drop out of the University of Minnesota, Babcock returns to Elk River to assist in running the family store.

1907

Babcock buys his first automobile.

1910

Babcock is appointed to the three-member board of the Minnesota Roads Commission.

1915

After the Babcock family store burns down, Charles joins his brother in the Bank of Elk River. He is later named president of the bank.

1917

Babcock is appointed commissioner of highways by Governor J. A. A. Burnquist.

1919

Babcock presents his plan for a trunk highway system to the Minnesota legislature.

1920

Babcock writes and promotes a constitutional amendment to expand and improve roads in Minnesota through a tax on automobiles. It becomes known as the Babcock Amendment.

1925

The United States Bureau of Public Roads names Babcock a national consulting specialist.

1927

Babcock becomes president of the American Road Builders Association.

1930

Floyd Olson, a Farmer-Labor candidate, is elected governor of Minnesota.

1933

At Governor Olson’s request, Babcock resigns his position as commissioner of highways. He is replaced by N. W. Elisberg.

1936

In Regan vs. Babcock, decided in January, the Minnesota Supreme Court finds Babcock innocent of fraud-related charges but orders construction contractors to return close to $385,000 in overpayment to the state of Minnesota.

1936

Babcock dies in Elk River in November. On the day of his funeral, Elk River businesses shut down for one hour in his memory.