Interview with Charlie Dixon, September 6, 1984

Interview Summary

Charlie Dixon was born "in Skyline, in Letcher County, Kentucky on November 28, 1914". He graduated from high school in Letcher County in 1933. In 1937, he received a B. S. degree in Agriculture from the University of Kentucky, earned his M. S. degree in Animal Science at Cornell University in 1939, and his M.P.A. from Harvard University in 1958. Dixon took other graduate work at U.K. and the University of Tennessee, then started his agricultural career as Assistant County Agent in Fayette County, Kentucky in 1939 .He was Assistant County agent in Fayette, Whitley, and Laurel Counties from 1939-1941, served as County Agricultural Agent in Clay and Morgan Counties from 1941-1954, and was Area County Agent in Farm and Home development in Jackson, Kentucky (Breathitt County) from 1954-1957. Dixon attended Harvard for one year and then came to Lexington, Kentucky in June, 1958, where he served as a Specialist in the areas of Programs, Rural Development, and Community Development.

Dixon was known as "Mr. Development" and discusses his work with the Kentucky Development Committee at great length, where he served as Secretary for many years. Dixon talks about the committee's goal to work cooperatively with rural communities to make them more attractive to industry, especially in the areas of water and sewer systems. He mentions several key people who helped with "this interagency cooperative effort". After he retired on June 30, 1974, Dixon continued to work for six years in Frankfort, Kentucky for State Government in what is now the Water Division, where "he worked on long-range, comprehensive, water development and management plans for the state". Dixon talks about his work with state and federal agencies, especially the Ohio River Basin Commission, which was assigned the responsibility of comprehensive water management plans for the Ohio River Basin. He says sub-plans were developed for each river basin and mentions each of these. He emphasizes his experience with Extension Services in working with interagency groups was invaluable in the formulation of these plans. He mentions his community activities and his work with the National Association for Retired Federal Employees (N.A.R.F.).

Interview Keyword

Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service

Interview LC Subject

Dixon, Charlie, 1914- Dixon, Charlie, 1914- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History University of Kentucky. Cooperative Extension Service Agriculture

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.