Edward William Holland was born in Warren, Arkansas, on January 13, 1920, to Willie and Nora Holland, the second of three children. As a young adult, Edward W. Holland worked as a theater sign artist and assistant manager at a movie theater in Camden, Arkansas. Holland also painted large signs around Monticello and Pine Bluff. After the attack upon Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, Holland enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. During this military service, Holland flew as a radio operator and gunner for thirty-seven combat missions in the South Pacific, earning four air medals, two battle stars, and a presidential citation for his service. In 1942, Edward Holland married Madeline Oliver in 1942 in Palm Beach, Florida. The couple had their only child, Sheila, in 1947 in Morrilton, Arkansas, the family’s residence and where Holland managed a movie theater. Holland was drawn to aviation and after his service during the war, Holland continued to fly as a corporate pilot, a part-time charter pilot, and as a personal pilot for Winthrop Rockefeller prior to his being elected governor of Arkansas. In 1969, Holland became the Director of the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics and served as director under six governors: Rockefeller, Pryor, Bumpers, White and Clinton. He served until 1984, when he resigned due to medical issues. During his tenure with the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics, Holland advocated for building up Arkansas’s aviation industry and oversaw the establishment of ten new airports in the state. Holland was a co-founder of the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society and was inducted into its hall of fame in 1984. Holland also held memberships in the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association, the National Association of State Aviation Officials, and the Quiet Birdmen. Holland was a noteworthy watercolor painter with many of his aviation paintings on permanent display at the Little Rock Air Force Base. Edward W. Holland died on March 31, 1993. His wife Madeline died in 1999. Both are buried in Naples Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Naples, Florida.
This collection is comprised of photographs, papers, personal correspondence, and paintings by Edward W. Holland, photographic prints of Holland’s paintings, personal mementos of Arkansas governors Rockefeller, Pryor, Bumpers, Clinton, and White, and a scrapbook. All materials are related to the life and career of Edward W. Holland, artist and former head of the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics.
· Papers
o Telegram: Chief Floyd H. Johnson to Eddie Holland 1966 November 9 (Box 1)
o Governor Winthrop Rockefeller correspondence regarding Senate Bill 391 1967 (Folder 2)
o Governor Winthrop Rockefeller Inauguration Day memento correspondence 1967 (Folder 3)
o Governor Winthrop Rockefeller holiday greeting cards 1967 and undated (Folder 4)
o Invitation to Governor’s Mansion from Governor and Mrs. Bill Clinton 1985 (Folder 5)
o Presidential Inaugural Ball invitation and tickets order form for President Bill Clinton December 1992 (Folder 6)
o 52nd Presidential Inaugural Committee Commemorative Invitation for President William Jefferson Clinton and Vice President Albert Gore, Jr. December 1992 (Folder 7)
o Democratic National Committee season’s greetings card signed by Ron Brown circa 1992 (Folder 8)
o Personal note of condolence from President Bill Clinton 1993 April 8 (Folder 9)
o Personal note of condolence from former Governor and Senator Dale Bumpers 1993 April 9 (Folder 10)
o Congressional Medal of Honor Dinner image with Eddie Holland 1966 October 14 (Folder 11)
o Edward W. Holland "Americans for Change" Presidential Task Force certificate 1993 January 4 (Folder 12)
o Newspaper articles regarding SCAT Airlines April 1946 (Folder 13)
o Newspaper article, "A Handy Craftsman Decorated His Own Contemporary House" Arkansas Gazette 1954 May 2 (Folder 14)
o Newspaper article, "WR Victory Is Year’s Top Story" Arkansas Democrat 1966 December 26 (Folder 15)
o Magazine "Professional Pilot" cover with Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller, [photocopy] August 1968 (Folder 16)
o Eddie Holland life and career profile, Cabot Star-Herald 1982 September 17 (Folder 17)
o Newspaper articles on Edward W. Holland resigning as Director of the Arkansas Aeronautics Commission 1984 November 16 (Folder 18)
o Edward W. Holland obituary, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette 1993 April 6 (Folder 19)
o "A Bit of History of the Arkansas Aeronautics Commission," by Eddie Holland 1984 September 10 (Folder 20)
o Sketches and political cartoon by Eddie Holland 1975 and undated (Folder 21)
o Newspaper print of "The Command-Aire" painting by Edward Holland 1975 (Folder 22)
o Commemorative portfolio of historical prints by Richard DeSpain via First National Bank 1975 (Folder 23)
o Personal business cards and government visitor's passes (Folder 24)
o Notes from Sheila Holland Cotton, Edward Holland's daughter September 2017 (Folder 25)
o Winthrop Rockefeller campaign logo decal 1966 (Folder 26)
o Arkansas Division of Aeronautics file cover undated (Folder 27)
· Photographs
o Photographs of Edward W. Holland's paintings. Color photographs, 3 ¾" x 3", 4" x 3", 4 ½" x 3 ½", 5" x 3 1/2" , 5 ½" x 3 ½", 7" x 3 ½" . 1967 – 1980, undated (Box 2)
§ PH.EdwardHolland.01 – PH.EdwardHolland.05: 1967 – 1974
§ PH.EdwardHolland.06 – PH.EdwardHolland.25: 1975
§ PH.EdwardHolland.26 – PH.EdwardHolland.30: 1976 – 1978
§ PH.EdwardHolland.31 – PH.EdwardHolland.37: 1979 – 1980
§ PH.EdwardHolland.38 – PH.EdwardHolland.53: Undated
o PH.EdwardHolland.54 – PH.EdwardHolland.64: Little Rock scenes taken by Eddie Holland, color photographs and one black and white photograph, 4" x 2 ¾", 4 ½" x 3", 5" x 3 ½". Circa 1960s (Folder 2)
o Holland Family photographs 1950s (Folder 3)
§ PH.EdwardHolland.65 – PH.EdwardHolland.68: Edward Holland with “King Kong” outside of movie theater. Black and white photographic greeting card. 4 ¼" x 5 ½".; Sheila Holland posed outside of movie theater. Black and white photograph, 4" x 6". Circa 1950s
§ PH.EdwardHolland.69 – PH.EdwardHolland.82: Images depicting the interior of Holland family home, Eddie and Madeline Holland pictured. Black and white photographs, 10" x 8". Circa 1950s
o Edward Holland aviation career related photographs circa 1940s and circa 1980s, undated (Folder 4)
§ PH.EdwardHolland.83: World War I military service image of Edward Holland and unidentified man. Newspaper article on Holland photocopied on image. Black and white photograph, 10" x 8". circa 1940s
§ PH.EdwardHolland.84: Arkansas Air National Guard on their 50th anniversary. Edward Holland with unidentified pilot posed with Holland’s displayed paintings. Black and white photograph, 8" x 10". circa 1980s
§ PH.EdwardHolland.85: Edward Holland seated on dock drawing with unidentified child. Notation: The Artist at work, Bimini. Color photograph, 3" x 4 ¼". undated
o Governor Winthrop Rockefeller photographs circa 1960s (Folder 5)
§ PH.EdwardHolland.86: Signed portrait of Governor Winthrop Rockefeller. Black and white photograph, 10" x 8".
General Note:
Photograph was originally with Governor Winthrop Rockefeller holiday greeting cards, 1967 and undated located in Box 1, File 4
§ PH.EdwardHolland.87: Portrait of Governor Winthrop Rockefeller. Black and white photograph, 10" x 8".
§ PH.EdwardHolland.88: Governor Winthrop Rockefeller awarded aviation award. Edward Holland visible. Black and white photograph, 10" x 8".
§ PH.EdwardHolland.89: Governor Winthrop Rockefeller shaking hands with Edward Holland. Black and white photograph, 10" x 8".
§ PH.EdwardHolland.90: Governor Winthrop Rockefeller and Edward Holland near private plane. Black and white photograph, 10" x 8".
o Governor Dale Bumpers photographs circa 1970s (Folder 7)
§ PH.EdwardHolland.91: Signed portrait of Governor Dale Bumpers near private plane. Color photograph, 8" x 10".
§ PH.EdwardHolland.92: Signed group portrait of Governor Dale Bumpers, Edward Holland, and unidentified men near private plane. Black and white photograph, 10" x 8".
o Governor David Pryor photograph circa 1970s (Folder 7)
§ PH.EdwardHolland.93: Signed portrait of Governor David Pryor. Black and white photograph, 10" x 8".
o Senator J. William Fulbright photograph circa 1960s – 1970s (Folder 8)
§ PH.EdwardHolland.94: Signed portrait of Senator J. William Fulbright. Black and white photograph, 8" x 10".
o Governor Bill Clinton photographs circa 1980s – 1992
§ PH.EdwardHolland.95: Signed photograph of Governor Bill Clinton near private plane. Color photograph on cardstock, 8" x 10". 1980 March 26
§ PH.EdwardHolland.96: Governor Bill Clinton awarded aviation award. Edward Holland visible. Black and white photograph, 7" x 5".
§ PH.EdwardHolland.97: Bill Clinton and Al Gore during presidential campaign at Madison Square Garden. Black and white photograph, 7" x 5". 1992 July 16
General Note:
Photograph was original with Presidential Inaugural Ball invitation and tickets order form for President Bill Clinton, December 1992 located in Box 1, File 6
· Books
o Flight in Arkansas [2 copies] June 1969 (Box 3)
o Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame 1984
· Scrapbook
o Malco Theatres, Inc. Spring Festival Celebration for 1951 as celebrated by Eddie Holland, Hope, Ark. (Box 4)
