Compiled by Russell Bastedo
State Curator
1998

H. Styles Bridges (1935-1937) . Born West Pembroke (ME); Concord (NH) teacher/editor/politician. In state politics from 1930.

Styles Bridges' (1898-1961) father died when the boy was nine years old, and Bridges was raised by his schoolteacher mother. He was educated at local schools and graduated from the University of Maine (1918). Following graduation Bridges held a number of short-term jobs. He was an instructor at Sanderson Academy (Ashfield, MA) 1918/19; a member of University of New Hampshire Extension staff (1921/2); secretary of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation (1922/3); editor of The Granite Monthly magazine (1924/6); and director and secretary of the New Hampshire Investment Company (1924/9). He married a Concord (NH) girl, Sally Clement, in June 1928.

The Great Depression changed Styles Bridges' future. His investment company disappeared. Bridges found work with the New Hampshire Public Service Commission (1930/4), then ran in the 1934 Republican direct primary for governor. He won, and won the election.

Governor Bridges asked for smaller state appropriations where possible, and he formed a commission to study how government might save money; there was very little money to save in New Hampshire government in 1935. Bridges was fortunate to inherit Governor Winant's relief programs. He recommended passage of an unemployment insurance law, but then ran for New Hampshire's U.S. Senate seat in 1936 and won. For the next twenty-five years, until his death in 1961, Styles Bridges was an increasingly important part of the Washington Republican establishment. He had hopes of being nominated for Vice President on the Republican 1940 ticket with Wendell Wilkie, but he was not nominated. It was not until the 1950s that Bridges was able, by virtue of his Senate seniority, to reap the benefits of power. During the Eisenhower administrations (1952/60) Bridges served as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee; and as a committed Cold War Warrior he was able to bring Federal government defense dollars to New Hampshire.

When Bridges died (1961) a virtual donnybrook broke out in the state Republican party over who would succeed him. In November 1962 Thomas J. McIntire was chosen in the general election to fill out the Bridges term of office.

Location: State House, Second Floor
Portrait by C. J. Fox