Harley E. Knox
Encyclopedia
Harley Eugene Knox was an American
Independent
politician
from California
.
. He came to San Diego with his parents in 1912.
He dropped out of San Diego High School
while a junior, and served briefly in the Army.
Knox graduated from the old Normal School, which is now San Diego State University
.
In 1919, he became a dairyman in southeastern San Diego when he bought his first cow.
The same year he married his next-door neighbor Bessie in 1919 and they had three daughters.
Knox was first elected to city council in 1939, unopposed, and served until 1943. He became mayor of San Diego from 1943 until 1951. During his first mayoral campaign, on learning his opponent raised $30,000 to defeat him, he commented:
"If it was worth all that money for someone to make you mayor, I don't think they were aiming to buy good government."
While mayor, Knox was active creating new public works projects for the city.
He traveled frequently to Washington to lobby for federal aid. After World War II
, San Diego faced a housing shortage, as did many U.S. cities. He came up with the novel idea of reusing surplus building material at the Army's Camp Callan at present University of California, San Diego
to build 1500 homes. Knox also initiated Mission Bay Park
with a bond issue.
Knox also had a hand in expanding water and sewage facilities, and Lindbergh Field.
To allow for an expanded airport, the city bought land for Montgomery Field and gained a 50-year lease for Naval Air Station Miramar
. Unfortunately, the City Council terminated the Miramar lease a year after Knox left office and sold part of Montegomery Field for use by General Dynamics
to manufacture missiles. Knox criticized his successors for being shortsighted.
During his term, he was responsible for constructing the San Diego Aqueduct, which joined the Metropolitan Water District's
Colorado River Aqueduct
. Although Knox was accused of promoting this project to benefit his dairy business, he became a local hero for winning the battle against the federal government over the San Diego's right to some of the Colorado River water. Knox also initiated planning for Mission Bay as a recreational area.
Knox was injured in a plane crash in 1944 and subsequently suffered health problems, so declined to run for re-election in 1951. He returned to his dairy business, but remained active with various civic projects.
Knox died 1956 in San Diego of a heart attack.
As mayor was a strong-willed mayor, and much-admired.
His biographer Iris Engstrand said
"He's kind of like the last of the innocent mayors. He tried to do everything good for the city."
An elementary school in southeastern San Diego is named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Biography
Knox was born 1899 in NebraskaNebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. He came to San Diego with his parents in 1912.
He dropped out of San Diego High School
San Diego High School
San Diego High School is an urban public educational complex comprising six small schools located on the southern edge of Balboa Park, in San Diego, California. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. It is the oldest high school in the San Diego Unified School District and one of the...
while a junior, and served briefly in the Army.
Knox graduated from the old Normal School, which is now San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
.
In 1919, he became a dairyman in southeastern San Diego when he bought his first cow.
The same year he married his next-door neighbor Bessie in 1919 and they had three daughters.
Knox was first elected to city council in 1939, unopposed, and served until 1943. He became mayor of San Diego from 1943 until 1951. During his first mayoral campaign, on learning his opponent raised $30,000 to defeat him, he commented:
"If it was worth all that money for someone to make you mayor, I don't think they were aiming to buy good government."
While mayor, Knox was active creating new public works projects for the city.
He traveled frequently to Washington to lobby for federal aid. After 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...
, San Diego faced a housing shortage, as did many U.S. cities. He came up with the novel idea of reusing surplus building material at the Army's Camp Callan at present University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
to build 1500 homes. Knox also initiated Mission Bay Park
Mission Bay, California
Mission Bay is a saltwater bay or lagoon located south of the Pacific Beach community of San Diego, California. The bay is part of the recreational Mission Bay Park, which is the largest man-made aquatic park in the country, consisting of , approximately 46% land and 54% water...
with a bond issue.
Knox also had a hand in expanding water and sewage facilities, and Lindbergh Field.
To allow for an expanded airport, the city bought land for Montgomery Field and gained a 50-year lease for Naval Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...
. Unfortunately, the City Council terminated the Miramar lease a year after Knox left office and sold part of Montegomery Field for use by General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
to manufacture missiles. Knox criticized his successors for being shortsighted.
During his term, he was responsible for constructing the San Diego Aqueduct, which joined the Metropolitan Water District's
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...
Colorado River Aqueduct
Colorado River Aqueduct
The Colorado River Aqueduct, or CRA, is a water conveyance in Southern California in the United States, operated by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California . The aqueduct impounds water from the Colorado River at Lake Havasu on the California-Arizona border west across the Mojave...
. Although Knox was accused of promoting this project to benefit his dairy business, he became a local hero for winning the battle against the federal government over the San Diego's right to some of the Colorado River water. Knox also initiated planning for Mission Bay as a recreational area.
Knox was injured in a plane crash in 1944 and subsequently suffered health problems, so declined to run for re-election in 1951. He returned to his dairy business, but remained active with various civic projects.
Knox died 1956 in San Diego of a heart attack.
As mayor was a strong-willed mayor, and much-admired.
His biographer Iris Engstrand said
"He's kind of like the last of the innocent mayors. He tried to do everything good for the city."
An elementary school in southeastern San Diego is named in his honor.
Quotes
- . . . like a tropical hurricane the war effort swept over San Diego, tearing at its normal way of life, uprooting carefully laid plans, disrupting municipal services. . . . Now the gail has subsided. Around us is the wreckage and debris that must be swept up. [1946]
- No encouragement should be given to both parents working and leaving the children in some institution. While it upgrades the standard of the family, it degrades the welfare of the child. [Arguing against day care in Aid to Dependent Children programs]
See also
- Harley Eugene Knox: San Diego Mayor for the People 1943–1951 (2002) by Iris Engstrand and Paul Campuzano. ISBN 0-918740-23-1. Book reviewed by Roger Showley in The San Diego Union-Tribune, January 19, 2003, p. I-2. The book was underwritten by Knox's daughter Donna.