John Christoph Blucher Ehringhaus (February 5, 1882 – July 31, 1949) was the Governor of North Carolina from 1933 to 1937.
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He was born on February 5, 1882.
Governor O. Max Gardner coaxed Ehringhaus, a former state legislator and attorney, out of political retirement as his hand-picked successor. He narrowly defeated Lieutenant Governor Richard T. Fountain in a Democratic primary runoff. Fountain claimed Ehringhaus was the tool of business interests.[1]
Serving the state during the Great Depression, Ehringhaus encouraged the North Carolina General Assembly to create a state agency that would help rural areas of the state receive electricity services in order to revive the lagging economy.[2] He also cut state spending, successfully pushed for a three-cent sales tax, extended the school year and kept the schools open and solvent.[3]
He died on July 31, 1949.
Asked how to say his name, he told The Literary Digest "My name is pronounced as if spelled ear'en-house."[4]
A dormitory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ehringhaus' alma mater (class of 1902) is named in his honor, and The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies, of which Ehringhaus was a member, maintains a portrait in his honor.
The second longest bridge in the state of North Carolina, a 3.5-mile stretch over the Albemarle Sound, is named in honor of this former governor.[5]
Ehringhaus' grave is located in the historic Episcopal Cemetery in his hometown of Elizabeth City in Northeastern North Carolina, and the city's main thoroughfare, Ehringhaus Street, is named in his honor.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Oliver Max Gardner |
Governor of North Carolina 1933–1937 |
Succeeded by Clyde R. Hoey |