Curtis George Norval Olson was born on March 26, 1908 into a small rural community that would shape the beginning of a long life in business and public service. Before entering politics, Olson built a career in the gasoline and oil industry, selling Mobil products and later expanding into the automobile business. Yet, his influence would soon reach far beyond business. Olson recalls how, despite initial reluctance, he was persuaded to serve as a North Dakota State Auditor–a role he would hold for twenty years–after his earlier experience as alderman, acting mayor, and mayor of Valley City.

Curtis Olson: Then, of course, I had gotten into politics in the meantime. I was elected to the state. First I was mayor of Valley City, and I was a member of the city council for ten years, and mayor for seven years. I didn’t do too well at first, but they kept me there to run the state legislation. I didn’t want to go because I didn’t like being away that much, and I just felt uninterested. But they said they needed an auditor up there, because the previous auditor hadn’t done a very good job and they wanted someone who could do it better. So they finally talked me into it, just to stay for two years. I even had to pay an additional amount to take the salary. So I did, and I ended up staying there for twenty years.

Interviewer: Well, what got you interested in politics to begin with? I mean, if you were working in your business, you already had your life going.

Curtis Olson: Well, back in those days we had a city council formed by the government, divided into four wards with two members in each ward. I was in the first ward. I ran when I was only twenty-eight years old, which was pretty young. Back then, that was considered very young compared to the others, who were older and had been in office for years. I stayed on the council for ten years. During that time, I became president of the council under Mayor Fredrickson. When he resigned and went to Washington, I was elevated to acting mayor for one year. I ran again and was elected mayor for seven more years. Later on, I went on to the legislature for four terms, that was eight years, as a representative. My brother, Melvin, was the senator at the same time. I stayed there for twenty years as state auditor and then retired.

From Curtis Olson’s first steps in local government to his long tenure in statewide office, Olson’s story captures the persistence, opportunity, and unexpected turns that defined his remarkable career in North Dakota politics.