Carl Hayden

Until today, Carl Hayden was the longest serving member of Congress in United States history. Originally a sheriff in Phoenix, Arizona, Hayden was elected as the first Congressman for the new state of Arizona. He represented the entire state, which at that time was still a rural state with very few people.

Hayden was later elected to the US Senate and served for over forty years. He retired in early 1969 when his last term expired and died in 1972. He lived to see his sleepy state grow into one of the fastest growing in the country.

Much of the information here was gleaned from Hayden's entry in the Biographical directory of the United States Congress, an official government resource. The photos of former members of Congress on the website are considered government property and are in the public domain, hence they are often used for Wikipedia entries.

JF