City of the Dream, 1940-1970

CHRONOLOGY: 1940-1970

1940   Census gives San Diego City a population of 203,321 and the County, 289,348.

1940   Franklin D. Roosevelt re-elected President of the United States, for the third time.

1941   President Roosevelt sets production goal of 60,000 airplanes for 1941 and 125,000 for the following year.

1941   Naval bases in San Diego in swift expansion, with rise of war in Europe.

1941   Japanese planes bomb Pearl Harbor on December 7.

1941   Blackouts ordered in City. Enemy submarines attack coastal shipping and appear off San Diego.

1942   Western Defense Command begins removal of Japanese from California areas, including almost 2,000 from San Diego.

1942   Percy J. Benbough dies in office; succeeded temporarily by Dr. Howard B. Bard.

1942   Navy Department purchases Santa Margarita y Las Flores Rancho for huge new Marine Base, Camp Pendleton.

1942   Vessels of San Diego’s tuna fleet volunteered by owners for wartime duty in Pacific.

1942   Earl Warren, Republican, defeats Democrat Governor Culbert L. Olson.

1943   San Diego City’s population set at 390,000, not including military personnel, and in the County, 500,000.

1943   Consolidated Aircraft formally merged with Vultee Aircraft Corporation, to become Convair.

1943   Harley E. Knox, a Southwest San Diego dairy operator, and City Councilman, elected Mayor.

1944   Franklin D. Roosevelt re-elected President, for his fourth term, defeating Governor Thomas Dewey of New York.

1944   City Manager Walter Cooper killed in airplane accident; Mayor Harley E. Knox injured. Cooper succeeded by Fred A. Rhodes.

1944   Water shortage threatens San Diego. Navy, with Presidential approval, be gins emergency construction of aqueduct to bring Colorado River water to San Diego.

1944   San Diego County Water Authority formed.

1945   President Roosevelt dies in office and is succeeded by Vice President Harry S Truman.

1945   United States Senate ratifies treaty giving portion of Colorado River water to Mexico and casts shadow over City’s future.

1945   San Diego voters approve bond issue of $2,000,000 to begin development of Mission Bay.

1945   War in Europe ends and then war in Pacific following dropping of atomic bombs on Japan.

1945   San Diego experiences a recession though not as severe as had been feared.

1946   San Diego City assumes responsibility of financing completion of San Diego Aqueduct.

1946   Governor Earl Warren re-elected.

1946   Voters approve annexation of County Water Authority to Metropolitan Water District, and transfer of City-Navy aqueduct contract to Authority.

1946   George White Marston, who stood second only to “Father” Alonzo Horton in the history of modern San Diego, dies at age 95.

1947   People given choice of grouping public buildings along Cedar Street, or in Balboa Park. Both propositions defeated.

1947   San Diego Aqueduct completed; first Colorado River water arrives.

1948   Harry S. Truman elected President in his own right, defeating Thomas H. Dewey.

1948   City Manager Fred Rhodes fired by City Council. 0. W. Campbell of San Jose becomes Manager.

1949   The last electric street car begins its run from Union Depot.

1949   Mission Bay aquatic park formally dedicated.

1950   North Korean troops cross a dividing line in Korea and U.S. troops ordered into action.

1951   Passenger service discontinued by San Diego & Arizona Railway.

1951   John D. Butler first native son to be elected mayor of San Diego

1952   Dwight D. Eisenhower elected President of the United States.

1952   Construction of second pipeline of San Diego Aqueduct initiated.

1953   Goodwin J. Knight becomes governor of California when Earl Warren appointed Chief justice of the United States.

1954   Public buildings scattered; new Library opens and bonds for new Courthouse approved.

1955   Bonds voted for construction of new Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

1955   Councilman Charles C. Dail elected Mayor of San Diego.

1955   The tuna boat Anthony M. revolutionizes tuna industry by using a nylon purse seine and power block.

1956   Dwight D. Eisenhower re-elected President.

1956   Convair taken over by General Dynamics and John Jay Hopkins leads San Diego’s successful appeal for branch of the University of California on Torrey Pines.

1956   Fiesta del Pacifico staged as tourist attraction; runs four summers.

1957   George Bean of Peoria, Ill., selected to succeed O. W. Campbell as San Diego’s City Manager.

1957   First Atlas missile built at San Diego successfully test-fired.

1958   City Council approves zone change to allow May Department Stores Company to build shopping center in Mission Valley.

1958   Construction begins on second San Diego Aqueduct.

1959   San Diego’s City’s population estimated to be 554,000.

1960   State proposition to deliver northern California water as far south as San Diego approved.

1960   John F. Kennedy elected President though Richard M. Nixon wins majority in San Diego.

1961   City Council moves to acquire downtown land to centralize public buildings without voter approval.

1962   Voters of five communities surrounding Bay of San Diego approve formation of a Unified Port District.

1962   Incumbent Edmund G. Brown defeats Richard M. Nixon for Governor.

1962   Voters approve $12,600,000 in bonds for Mission Bay.

1963   President Kennedy assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Lyndon B. Johnson assumes Presidency.

1963   Frank Curran elected Mayor in civic political struggle over city planning.

1964   Downtown Community Concourse dedicated.

1964   Lyndon B. Johnson elected President though Republican Barry Goldwater leads in San Diego voting.

1964   Bonds approved for improvement of Lindbergh Field as major jet airport.

1965   San Diego becomes the sixteenth largest city in the United States.

1966   Voters approve City acquisition of local transit system, with expected Federal financial assistance.

1966   Voters of County Water Authority approve financing for distribution of Feather River water in San Diego County.

1966   Ronald Reagan elected Governor of California over Edmund G. Brown.

1966   Voters approve $30,000,000 to construct second pipeline of second San Diego Aqueduct.

1966   Construction of a $27,000,000 sports stadium in Mission Valley approved by voters.

1967   Frank Curran re-elected Mayor.

1967   A modified General Plan as a guide for the growth of San Diego approved after it had been defeated two years before.

1968   Richard M. Nixon elected President.

1969   San Diego begins year-long fiesta to celebrate 200th anniversary of the founding of California on Presidio Hill.

1970   San Diego becomes the fourteenth largest city in the United States with a population of 696,769. County population reaches 1,357,854.