John Paul Hammerschmidt was born in Harrison, Boone County, Arkansas, on May 4, 1922.
He attended The Citadel in South Carolina and the University of Arkansas prior to serving as a pilot in World War II. After the war, he attended Oklahoma A&M and later became the president of the Hammerschmidt Lumber Company and the Arkansas Lumber Dealers Association.
He was elected to Congress in 1967 and served on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. His most significant achievements include securing the Buffalo River's designation as the first national river in the United States and funding for Interstate 540.
After retiring in 1993, he has served on the boards of the Northwest Arkansas Council, Dillard's, Southwestern Energy, and Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Hammerschmidt passed away on April 1, 2015.
#1: Composite image of early photo of John Paul Hammerschmidt and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: John Paul Hammerschmidt, 1938
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: John Paul Hammerschmidt's family, 1936
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: John Paul Hammerschmidt's parents, Arthur Paul Hammerschmidt and Junie Mildred Taylor Hammerschmidt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Hammerschmidt Lumber Company float
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Hammerschmidt Lumber Company float
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: John Paul Hammerschmidt, sixteen years old
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: John Paul Hammerschmidt's childhood home
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: John Paul Hammerschmidt (3rd row, 4th from left) at his high school graduation; Harrison, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: John Paul Hammerschmidt at The Citadel
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Panorama of the Square, Harrison, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: John Paul Hammerschmidt's childhood home in Harrison, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: John Paul Hammerschmidt in the Army Air Corps
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: John Paul Hammerschmidt in the Army Air Corps
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: John Paul Hammerschmidt in the Army Air Corps
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: John Paul Hammerschmidt (right) sitting on a Jeep
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Hammerschmidt Lumber Company
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Newspaper clipping of Bob and John Paul Hammerschmidt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Hammerschmidt Lumber Company building
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: John Paul Hammerschmidt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: John Paul Hammerschmidt reading on a bus
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: John Paul Hammerschmidt at a meeting with Winthrop Rockefeller, 1967
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: John Paul Hammerschmidt with Richard Nixon and Winthrop Rockefeller
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: John Paul Hammerschmidt, Winthrop Rockefeller, Richard Nixon, John McClellan, and J. William Fulbright at the Arkansas-Texas game, Fayetteville, Arkansas; December 6, 1969
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: John Paul Hammerschmidt shaking hands with Richard Nixon
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: John Paul Hammerschmidt, J. William Fulbright, and John McClellan, Henderson State College, 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: John Paul Hammerschmidt and Lorraine Mintzmyer commemorating the legislation and securing passage of making the Buffalo River a national park; November 4, 1977
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Photo of Johnny Cash and John Paul Hammerschmidt; caption on the back: "John Paul Hammerschmidt reminisces with Johnny Cash following his recitation of the 'Tattered Old Flag' during Flag Day ceremonies in the House of Representatives. John Cash Sr. is standing in the background." June 14, 1977
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: David Pryor, Frank Coffman, Bill Alexander and John Paul Hammerschmidt, 1980
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: John Paul Hammerschmidt and Sandra Day O'Connor, 1981
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: John Paul Hammerschmidt, George Bush, Frank White, and Ed Bethune; Fort Smith, Arkansas, 1982
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: John Paul Hammerschmidt and Bill Clinton, 1983
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: John Paul Hammerschmidt shaking hands with Ronald Reagan
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: George H. W. Bush taking a picture of VIrginia and John Paul Hammerschmidt in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House; January 25, 1989
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#35: John Paul Hammerschmidt with Richard Nixon, 1990
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#36: John Paul Hammerschmidt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#37: John Paul Hammerschmidt wearing his Scimitar fez
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#38: John Paul Hammerschmidt, 2007
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#39: Campaign fan for Win Rockefeller, John Paul Hammerschmidt, Maurice Britt, and Jerry Thomasson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#40: John Paul Hammerschmidt campaign flyer, late 1970s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#41: John Paul Hammerschmidt campaign flyer
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#42: John Paul Hammerschmidt's office in Harrison, Arkansas; March 30, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#43: Office of John Paul Hammerschmidt at North Arkansas College, Harrison, Arkansas; March 30, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#44: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with John Paul Hammerschmidt at North Arkansas College; Harrison, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#45: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with John Paul Hammerschmidt at North Arkansas College; Harrison, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#46: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with John Paul Hammerschmidt at North Arkansas College; Harrison, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#47: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with John Paul Hammerschmidt at North Arkansas College; Harrison, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#48: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with John Paul Hammerschmidt at North Arkansas College; Harrison, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#49: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with John Paul Hammerschmidt at North Arkansas College; Harrison, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#50: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with John Paul Hammerschmidt at North Arkansas College; Harrison, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#51: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with John Paul Hammerschmidt at North Arkansas College; Harrison, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
