Bob Holcomb
Encyclopedia
William Robert "Bob" Holcomb (March 1, 1922 – November 29, 2010) was an American
politician and attorney. Holcomb was the longest serving Mayor
of San Bernardino, California
, to date. He held office as San Bernardino's mayor from 1971 until 1985, and returned to office again from 1989 until 1993. Holcomb has been widely credited with preserving the independence of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District and its local water supply. He was a member of the Republican Party
.
William F. Holcomb
, who first discovered gold
in 1860 while hunting for bear
s in the San Bernardino Mountains
near Big Bear Lake
. The region of William Holcomb's discovery in the San Bernardino Mts. is still known as Holcomb Valley
. Bob Holcomb's father, Grant Holcomb, served as the Mayor of San Bernardino from 1925 until 1927.
He graduated from San Bernardino High School
in 1940 and enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley
. However, Holcomb left UC-Berkeley before completing his bachelor's degree
in order to enlist in the U.S. Army on October 13, 1942. Holcomb served in the United States Army Air Corps
during World War II
for three years as a B-17 pilot with the 412th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bomb Group. He flew military bombing missions from the United Kingdom
to Nazi Germany
during the war.
Holcomb was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army on October 26, 1945. He married his wife, Pearl "Penny" Pennington, on July 7, 1946. The couple had four children - Jay, William, Robert and Terri Lee.
Holcomb returned to the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts
in law
on June 16, 1949. He then received a law degree
from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law
in 1950. He worked as an attorney for fourteen years before entering public office in 1964.
(MWD), based in Los Angeles
. During the 1964 election, voters in the eastern San Bernardino Valley
were asked in a ballot question whether they wanted to keep the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District as an independent entity or merge it into the neighboring Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
. Holcomb spearheaded the campaign to preserve local water rights for the city of San Bernardino.
Supporters of the merger, which included San Bernardino's major media, political and business figures, argued that the city would suffer water shortages if local communities did not link with the MWD, which draws its water supply from the Colorado River
. Proponents of the merger included the editor and editorial board of San Bernardino's major newspaper
, The San Bernardino Sun, which was called the Sun-Telegram at the time. To counter the influence of The San Bernardino Sun-Telegram editorial page on the water issue, Holcomb founded and distributed his own small, weekly newspaper to publish opposition views of the proposal.
Holcomb successfully led the election campaign to retain the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District's independence. Voters defeated the proposal in 1964 and Holcomb has since been widely credited with retaining San Bernardino's local water rights. Shortly after the water merger's electoral defeat, then San Bernardino Mayor Donald G. "Bud" Mauldin appointed Holcomb president of the city's Board of Water Commissioners on May 4, 1964.
Holcomb's preservation of San Bernardino's local water rights is also credited with attracting California State University
system to the city, which constructed California State University, San Bernardino
. A local supply of water was needed to construct the campus.
; the Central City Mall, which is now called the Carousel Mall; and the San Bernardino County administrative center. An eleven foot statue of Martin Luther King Jr. was also installed in San Bernardino under Holcomb's direction.
Holcomb died of heart failure at Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center in Loma Linda, California
, on November 29, 2010, at the age of 88. He was survived by his wife since 1946, Penny Halcomb, and three children - Terri Lee Holcomb-Halstead, William Holcomb and Robert Holcomb. His four child, Jay Holcomb, died in 1977.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and attorney. Holcomb was the longest serving Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, to date. He held office as San Bernardino's mayor from 1971 until 1985, and returned to office again from 1989 until 1993. Holcomb has been widely credited with preserving the independence of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District and its local water supply. He was a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Early life
Holcomb was born on March 1, 1922 in San Bernardino, California. Holcomb was the great-grandson of prospectorProspector
Prospector may mean:*Prospecting, exploring an area for natural resources such as minerals, oil, flora or fauna*Prospector , a unified catalog for Colorado and Wyoming...
William F. Holcomb
William F. Holcomb
William Francis "Grizzly Bill" Holcomb , was an American prospector and the first to discover gold in the region which became known as Holcomb Valley, near present-day Big Bear Lake, California. Holcomb Valley had the most gold of any Southern California field. The boomtown of Belleville grew up...
, who first discovered gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in 1860 while hunting for bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s in the San Bernardino Mountains
San Bernardino Mountains
The San Bernardino Mountains are a short transverse mountain range north and east of San Bernardino in Southern California in the United States. The mountains run for approximately 60 miles east-west on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in southwestern San Bernardino County, north of the...
near Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains, in San Bernardino County, California, United States. At a surface elevation of , it has an east-west length of approximately 7 miles and is approximately 2.5 miles at its widest measurement, though the lake's width mostly averages a...
. The region of William Holcomb's discovery in the San Bernardino Mts. is still known as Holcomb Valley
Holcomb Valley
Holcomb Valley, located in the San Bernardino Mountains about five miles north of Big Bear Lake, was the site of the most gold mined in Southern California. It was named after William F. Holcomb, who discovered gold there in 1860. That year started the largest gold rush in Southern California to...
. Bob Holcomb's father, Grant Holcomb, served as the Mayor of San Bernardino from 1925 until 1927.
He graduated from San Bernardino High School
San Bernardino High School
San Bernardino High School is a public high school located in the "Uptown neighborhood" of San Bernardino, California. San Bernardino High School is located north of Downtown San Bernardino and south of San Bernardino's University District. It is a part of the San Bernardino City Unified School...
in 1940 and enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. However, Holcomb left UC-Berkeley before completing his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in order to enlist in the U.S. Army on October 13, 1942. Holcomb served in the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for three years as a B-17 pilot with the 412th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bomb Group. He flew military bombing missions from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during the war.
Holcomb was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army on October 26, 1945. He married his wife, Pearl "Penny" Pennington, on July 7, 1946. The couple had four children - Jay, William, Robert and Terri Lee.
Holcomb returned to the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
on June 16, 1949. He then received a law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law is a public law school in San Francisco, California, located in the Civic Center neighborhood....
in 1950. He worked as an attorney for fourteen years before entering public office in 1964.
Political career
He began his political career as a leading opponent of a proposed merger between San Bernardino's local water district, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, with the larger Metropolitan Water District of Southern CaliforniaMetropolitan Water District of Southern California
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the largest supplier of treated water in the US. The name is usually shortened to the "Metropolitan Water District" or simply "MWD". It is a cooperative of 14 cities and 12 municipal water districts that indirectly provides water to 18...
(MWD), based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. During the 1964 election, voters in the eastern San Bernardino Valley
San Bernardino Valley
The San Bernardino Valley is a valley in Southern California. It lies at the south base of the Transverse Ranges. It is bordered on the north by the eastern San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains, on the east by the San Jacinto Mountains, and on the south and west by the Santa Ana...
were asked in a ballot question whether they wanted to keep the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District as an independent entity or merge it into the neighboring Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the largest supplier of treated water in the US. The name is usually shortened to the "Metropolitan Water District" or simply "MWD". It is a cooperative of 14 cities and 12 municipal water districts that indirectly provides water to 18...
. Holcomb spearheaded the campaign to preserve local water rights for the city of San Bernardino.
Supporters of the merger, which included San Bernardino's major media, political and business figures, argued that the city would suffer water shortages if local communities did not link with the MWD, which draws its water supply from the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
. Proponents of the merger included the editor and editorial board of San Bernardino's major newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, The San Bernardino Sun, which was called the Sun-Telegram at the time. To counter the influence of The San Bernardino Sun-Telegram editorial page on the water issue, Holcomb founded and distributed his own small, weekly newspaper to publish opposition views of the proposal.
Holcomb successfully led the election campaign to retain the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District's independence. Voters defeated the proposal in 1964 and Holcomb has since been widely credited with retaining San Bernardino's local water rights. Shortly after the water merger's electoral defeat, then San Bernardino Mayor Donald G. "Bud" Mauldin appointed Holcomb president of the city's Board of Water Commissioners on May 4, 1964.
Holcomb's preservation of San Bernardino's local water rights is also credited with attracting California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
system to the city, which constructed California State University, San Bernardino
California State University, San Bernardino
California State University, San Bernardino, also known as Cal State San Bernardino or CSUSB is a public research university and one of the twenty three general campuses of the California State University system. The main campus sits on in the suburban University District of , United States, with...
. A local supply of water was needed to construct the campus.
Mayor of San Bernardino
Holcomb served as Mayor of San Bernardino from 1971 until 1985. He returned to office again from 1989 until 1993. Holcomb oversaw the completion of several new projects in the city during his tenure. These included the construction of the San Bernardino City Hall; the western headquarters of the Little LeagueLittle League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
; the Central City Mall, which is now called the Carousel Mall; and the San Bernardino County administrative center. An eleven foot statue of Martin Luther King Jr. was also installed in San Bernardino under Holcomb's direction.
Holcomb died of heart failure at Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center in Loma Linda, California
Loma Linda, California
Loma Linda is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States, that was incorporated in 1970. The population was 23,261 at the 2010 census, up from 18,681 at the 2000 census...
, on November 29, 2010, at the age of 88. He was survived by his wife since 1946, Penny Halcomb, and three children - Terri Lee Holcomb-Halstead, William Holcomb and Robert Holcomb. His four child, Jay Holcomb, died in 1977.