Allen Knight
Knight's Passport Photo (1922)
17th Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea
In office
1950–1952
Preceded byFrederick M. Godwin
Succeeded byHorace D. Lyon
Personal details
Born(1901-05-07)May 7, 1901
San Francisco, California, US
DiedAugust 24, 1964(1964-08-24) (aged 63)
San Francisco, California, US
Spouses
Raissa
​
​
(m. 1923; div. 1926)​
    Maud Adele Hawes
    ​
    (m. 1933)​
    OccupationBusinessman
    politician
    Known forMayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
    Signature

    Allen Knight, (May 7, 1901 – August 24, 1964) was an American merchant seaman and political figure in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. He is best know for his service on the Carmel City Council, including a two-year as mayor, and for co-founding the Sundial Lodge.[1] In 2016 the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association acquired the Allen Knight's maritime collection.[2]

    Early life

    Knight was born on May 7, 1901, in San Francisco, California.[1] His father was Allen Knight and his mother was Lily C. Knight. Knight's parents and his two unmarried aunts, Agnes and Alice Miller,[3] purchased three lots on the intersection of Monte Verde Street 7th Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. On the property was a prefabricated cottage.[4]

    Career

    World War I and travels

    Knight dedicated six years as a merchant seaman at sea before World War I, sailing on square-riggged vessels. Following a year of Davis College, part of the University of California, he returned to his first love, the sea, and pursued a career as a ship broker.[5]

    Carmel-by-the-Sea

    Knight became a musician and bandleader, showcasing his piano skills for leisure or financial sustenance. He engaged with three amateur theater groups. He performed at the First Theater in Monterey and at the Forest Theater in Carmel.[6] In January 1937 Knight and his orchestra performed during the inauguration of the "Valley Ranch Club," currently recognized as the Mission Ranch.[4]

    Sundial Lodge

    The Sundial Lodge, Carmel-by-the-Sea

    The design of the Sundial Lodge was inspired by Knight's visit to eastern Europe in the late 1920s. He asked the owners of a Czech hotel in Prague to share their blueprints, which he gave to architect Albert L. Farr to design the Sundial apartments. He commissioned Michael J. Murphy to do the construction on the property where Knight's parents and his two aunts had purchased three lots on Monte Verde Street 7th Avenue. The Sundial Court Apartments was Carmel's first apartment building. Knight got financial backing for the construction from friends Mary L. Hamlin and Alice "Alys" Miller.[7][4]: p24  The three partners collectively owned it, and Hamlin served as the initial president and manager. She managed the property through the challenges of the Great Depression and the early years of the World War I.[8]

    In 1929 the family cottage on Monte Verde and 7th was relocated to Guadalupe Street and 6th Avenue to facilitate the construction of the Sundial Lodge.[9][6]

    The Ship

    Allen Knight's The Ship

    In 1936, Knight undertook a three-year initiative to construct a stone ship's cabin, next to his home, for the purpose of preserving his maritime treasures.[9][6] The stone edifice, reminiscent of a seafaring craft or "stone lighthouse," was crafted using water washed granite boulders, incorporating portholes and planks from the Aurora, Knight's own four-masted schooner that had run aground on Monterey Bay in 1932. The furniture, designed to withstand inclement weather, was repurposed from dismantled sailing ships that had met their fate along the shores of the Monterey Peninsula. The shelves and tables held an array of ship models with books, charts, and keepsakes.[9][6]

    World War II

    In the years that followed, Knight transitioned into the role of a real estate broker in Monterey, assuming the role of president for the Monterey Realty board in both 1949 and 1953.[1]

    Politics

    Knight had positions as a board member and president of the Monterey History and Art Association.[6] He served for over ten years on the Carmel City Council on two separate occasions, during which he held the position of mayor from 1950 to 1952,[10] and a member of the Carmel Police Commission. He helped in the establishment of the Carmel Planning Commission.[6] Knight became a spokesperson for mental health and a member of the Carmel Sanitary Board for 23 years.[11] He was also a director of the Carmel Boys' Club and the Navy League as vice president.[5]

    Death and legacy

    Monterey History & Maritime Museum

    Knight died at the Christian Science Hospital in San Francisco in August 24, 1964. Private funeral services were conducted in the Little Chapel-by-the-Sea with inurnment in Mission Memorial Park.[1][6]

    In 1966 Knight's wife Adele gave "The Ship" collection to the Monterey History & Art Association. In 1971, Knight's collection of artifacts and photographic archives served as the foundation for establishing the Allen Knight Maritime Museum.[9] The museum was initially situated in the basement of the Monterey Museum of Art at 555 Calle Principal. After planning and fundraising, the new Museum of Monterey opend its doors on Octobe 31, 1992.[12] In 2016 the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association acquired the Allen Knight collection.[2]

    See also

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 "Allen Knight". The Times. San Mateo, California. September 3, 1964. p. 29. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
    2. 1 2 Stephen Canright and Kristen Kvam (2016). "Acquiring the Knight Collection". San Francisco Maritime National Park Association. San Francisco, California. p. 10. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
    3. ↑ Knight, Lily (1900). "1900 United States Federal Census" (Database). United States Government Census.
    4. 1 2 3 Hale, Sharron Lee (1980). A Tribute to Yesterday: The History of Carmel, Carmel Valley, Big Sur, Point Lobos, Carmelite Monastery, and Los Burros. Santa Cruz, California: Valley Publishers. p. 120. ISBN 9780913548738. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
    5. 1 2 Paul Warner (April 24, 1948). "Allen Knight". The Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. p. 3. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
    6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Donal M. Craig (August 27, 1964). "In Appreciation Of Allen Knight". The Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. p. 10. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
    7. ↑ "Sundial Court To Open Soon". Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. May 23, 1930. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
    8. ↑ Neal Hotelling (September 16, 2022). "A Thoroughly Modern Sundial" (PDF). Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. pp. 27–29. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
    9. 1 2 3 4 Seavey, Kent (2007). Carmel, A History in Architecture. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California: Arcadia Pub. pp. 93–94. ISBN 9780738547053. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
    10. ↑ "Allen Knight Is New Carmel Mayor". The Californian. Salinas, California. April 19, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
    11. ↑ "The Entire City Family Regrets Parting With You, Fred, Says City Clerk To Retiring Mayor". Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. April 21, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
    12. ↑ Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau: Monterey Maritime and History MuseumArchived 2009-06-23 at the Wayback Machine
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