Thomas M. Storke
Encyclopedia
Thomas More Storke was an American
politician, rancher, journalist and publisher. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism in 1962.
Born in Santa Barbara, California
to eminent local citizen and politician Charles A. Storke
, he attended public schools and graduated from Stanford University
in 1898. (The now-demolished Storke Publications Building at Stanford was named for his family.)
He was editor and publisher of the Santa Barbara News-Press
and its predecessors, a rancher and citrus fruit grower, and postmaster of Santa Barbara from 1914 to 1921. Storke was one of the few prominent voices opposed to the movement in Santa Barbara in the 1920s to unify the architectural style around a Spanish theme, although he later recanted, claiming that his original opposition was principally because such dictates interfered with the constitutional rights of property owners.
He was appointed on November 9, 1938, as a Democrat to the United States Senate
to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William Gibbs McAdoo
and served from November 9, 1938, to January 3, 1939. However, because Congress was not in session during the time he was in office, Storke was never actually sworn into office. He was not a candidate for election for the full term.
He returned home and resumed working in the media, merging his newspaper the Santa Barbara News with the Morning Press to create the Santa Barbara News-Press
. He also founded AM radio station KTMS
. He was a member of the California Crime Commission from 1951–1952, and the Board of Regents of the University of California
from 1955 until 1960.
In 1958 Storke wrote California Editor, a lengthy memoir rich in local Santa Barbara history.
In 1961, after the John Birch Society
attacked the Eisenhower administration and U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren
as being communists, Storke responded with a caustic series of editorials in the News-Press which won him popular acclaim as well as a number of prizes. These included the Pulitzer Prize
in Journalism, for Editorial Writing in 1962, the Elijah Parish Lovejoy
Award and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Colby College
.
He died in Santa Barbara and is buried in Santa Barbara Cemetery. Storke's contributions to the development of Santa Barbara include spearheading numerous public ventures, including the establishment of the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, the building of Lake Cachuma
that supplies the area with water, and the upgrading of Santa Barbara State College to a University of California campus UCSB
. He used his political clout to help obtain the present UCSB campus, over 900 acres (3.6 km²) and a former military installation, from the US Government under the college land grant program.
Part of Storke's lasting legacy is Storke Tower
, a 190-foot structure in the center of the UCSB
campus. Beneath Storke Tower is the Storke Communication Plaza, which houses the offices of the campus Daily Nexus
newspaper and the studios of community radio station KCSB-FM.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, rancher, journalist and publisher. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism in 1962.
Born in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
to eminent local citizen and politician Charles A. Storke
Charles A. Storke
-American Civil War:Charles Albert Storke was a veteran of the Union Army. He survived "the terrible slaughter of Cold Harbor, where, out of four companies, sixty-nine percent were killed, and the rest captured. The prisoners were sent to Libby, Andersonville, Savannah, and other prisons .......
, he attended public schools and graduated from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1898. (The now-demolished Storke Publications Building at Stanford was named for his family.)
He was editor and publisher of the Santa Barbara News-Press
Santa Barbara News-Press
The Santa Barbara News-Press is a broadsheet newspaper based in Santa Barbara, California.-History:The News-Press asserts it is the oldest daily newspaper in Southern California, publishing since 1855...
and its predecessors, a rancher and citrus fruit grower, and postmaster of Santa Barbara from 1914 to 1921. Storke was one of the few prominent voices opposed to the movement in Santa Barbara in the 1920s to unify the architectural style around a Spanish theme, although he later recanted, claiming that his original opposition was principally because such dictates interfered with the constitutional rights of property owners.
He was appointed on November 9, 1938, as a Democrat to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William Gibbs McAdoo
William Gibbs McAdoo
William Gibbs McAdoo, Jr. was an American lawyer and political leader who served as a U.S. Senator, United States Secretary of the Treasury and director of the United States Railroad Administration...
and served from November 9, 1938, to January 3, 1939. However, because Congress was not in session during the time he was in office, Storke was never actually sworn into office. He was not a candidate for election for the full term.
He returned home and resumed working in the media, merging his newspaper the Santa Barbara News with the Morning Press to create the Santa Barbara News-Press
Santa Barbara News-Press
The Santa Barbara News-Press is a broadsheet newspaper based in Santa Barbara, California.-History:The News-Press asserts it is the oldest daily newspaper in Southern California, publishing since 1855...
. He also founded AM radio station KTMS
KTMS
KTMS is a right-wing news/talk formatted radio station based in Santa Barbara, California, and is owned by Rincon Broadcasting. It airs talk shows such as Dennis Miller, Rush Limbaugh, and Sean Hannity.-History:...
. He was a member of the California Crime Commission from 1951–1952, and the Board of Regents of the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
from 1955 until 1960.
In 1958 Storke wrote California Editor, a lengthy memoir rich in local Santa Barbara history.
In 1961, after the John Birch Society
John Birch Society
The John Birch Society is an American political advocacy group that supports anti-communism, limited government, a Constitutional Republic and personal freedom. It has been described as radical right-wing....
attacked the Eisenhower administration and U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren
Earl Warren
Earl Warren was the 14th Chief Justice of the United States.He is known for the sweeping decisions of the Warren Court, which ended school segregation and transformed many areas of American law, especially regarding the rights of the accused, ending public-school-sponsored prayer, and requiring...
as being communists, Storke responded with a caustic series of editorials in the News-Press which won him popular acclaim as well as a number of prizes. These included the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
in Journalism, for Editorial Writing in 1962, the Elijah Parish Lovejoy
Elijah P. Lovejoy
Elijah Parish Lovejoy was an American Presbyterian minister, journalist, newspaper editor and abolitionist. He was murdered by an opposition mob in Alton, Illinois during their attack on his warehouse to destroy his press and abolitionist materials.Lovejoy's father was a Congregational minister...
Award and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Colby College
Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
.
He died in Santa Barbara and is buried in Santa Barbara Cemetery. Storke's contributions to the development of Santa Barbara include spearheading numerous public ventures, including the establishment of the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, the building of Lake Cachuma
Lake Cachuma
Lake Cachuma is an artificial lake located in the Santa Ynez Valley of central Santa Barbara County, California on the Santa Ynez River adjoining the north side of California State Route 154. The reservoir was created by the construction of Bradbury Dam, a earth-fill structure built by the U.S....
that supplies the area with water, and the upgrading of Santa Barbara State College to a University of California campus UCSB
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
. He used his political clout to help obtain the present UCSB campus, over 900 acres (3.6 km²) and a former military installation, from the US Government under the college land grant program.
Part of Storke's lasting legacy is Storke Tower
Storke Tower
Storke Tower is a landmark campanile located on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara in the United States. Dedicated for use on September 28, 1969, the 61-bell carillon tower stands tall....
, a 190-foot structure in the center of the UCSB
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
campus. Beneath Storke Tower is the Storke Communication Plaza, which houses the offices of the campus Daily Nexus
Daily Nexus
The Daily Nexus is the university newspaper for the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara .Student journalism has always been a part of college life in Santa Barbara, even before the existence of UCSB. Before joining the University of California system, for example, Santa Barbara...
newspaper and the studios of community radio station KCSB-FM.
External links
- Guide to the Thomas More Storke Papers at The Bancroft Library