Phil Swing

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Phil Swing campaign photograph

Philip David "Phil" Swing (November 30, 1884–August 8, 1963) is a former American Republican politician from Imperial County, California.

[edit] Biography

Swing was born 1884 in San Bernardino, California to James and Mary Swing. He attended the public schools and was graduated 1905 from Stanford University. He was first lieutenant in the California National Guard during 1906–1908. Swing studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1907. He was city attorney of Brawley, California in 1908 and 1909, deputy district attorney of Imperial County 1908–1911, district attorney 1911–1915, chief counsel of the Imperial Irrigation District 1916–1919, and Judge of the Imperial County Superior Court 1919–1921. During 1920–1932 Swing was delegate to the Republican State conventions at Sacramento, serving as chairman in 1926. During World War I he served as a private in the Officers Training Camp in 1918.

Swing was married to Nell Cremeens in 1912.

Phil Swing Memorial Fountain, at the southwest San Diego Civic Center, today sits unused and neglected, with only this plaque to remind San Diegans of Swing's contribution to San Diego

Swing was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1920. He had a folksy manner and during his term, 1921–1933, as a progressive Republican, he worked to obtaining water from the Colorado River and Boulder Dam. His single-minded determination resulted in legislation in 1928 authorizating Boulder Dam. This was in the face of opposition from the State of Arizona, private power companies, and bureaucratic inertia. It brought water to Southern California and enabled San Diego to grow and prosper.

In 1932 he chose not to run and resumed his law practice in San Diego. In 1933, as one of his last acts in congress, he introduced a bill to establish Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which passed in March.

In 1945, Swing was appointed a member of the California State Water Resources Board, serving until 1958.

Swing died 1963 in San Diego and is buried at Greenwood Memorial Park. A water fountain at the Community Concourse at Third and C Streets is dedicated to Phil Swing, "The Father of Boulder Dam."

[edit] See also

• Phiip David Swing Papers, UCLA Research Library
• Phil Swing and Boulder Dam (UC Press, 1971) by Beverly B. Moeller. Also her Ph.D. dissertation, UCLA 1968.
• Heilbron, Carl (1936). History of San Diego County. San Diego Press Club.  Biography, pp. 147-148; includes portrait

[edit] External links

• Phil Swing at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Biography (San Diego Historical Society)
• "Chapter 1: Envy of Cities" and "Chapter 6: The Boom Fades", History of San Diego (1967) by Richard Pourade. Covers Swing and Boulder Dam history
• Phil Swing at Find A Grave