Armstrong, Ellis L., 1914-2001

Ellis L. Armstrong (1914- ), an engineer, has worked on water resource development in the western United States. He worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation from 1936-1954 and was a project engineer on the St. Lawrence Seaway project from 1954-1957. From 1958-1961 he was the U.S. Commissioner of Public Roads and returned to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation as Commissioner in 1968. In 1973 he left the Bureau to found Ellis Armstrong Associates, an engineering consulting firm.

Ellis L. Armstrong(1914-2001) was born in Cedar City, Utah. He attended Utah State University and received his degree in Civil and Irrigation Engineering in 1936. During his engineering career he held many important positions which influenced US policy on public works. Armstrong worked for the Federal Bureau of Reclamation, designing and constructing tunnels, dams, irrigation systems, and power facilities. He served as the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads from 1958 to 1961, and oversaw the early development of the Interstate System. He was appointed Commissioner of Reclamation for the Department of the Interior from 1969 to 1973, and while in this position he reorganized the Bureau. Armstrong was chairman for the American Public Works Assocation's bicentennial commission in the mid 1970's, writing and reasearching "History of Public Works in the United States." Armstrong continued to be involved after these projects, and later taught at the University of Utah.

Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation.