Whitehead, Richard S.

Richard Whitehead was born in 1907 in Cambridge, Mass. He moved to San Mateo, Calif., in 1913. After receiving his degrees from MIT, he worked as director of planning for the County of Santa Barbara from 1946 to 1969. He helped plan the airports in the county and Lake Cachuma recreational area, as well as helping to acquire several beach and inland parks. Besides being a registered civil engineer, he was a member of the State Water Pollution Control Board. He died in Santa Barbara in 1988.

From the description of Richard S. Whitehead Collection, ca. 1909-1974. (University of California, Santa Barbara). WorldCat record id: 213892769

Biography

The following information is drawn from the Santa Barbara News-Press obituary of August 28, 1988:

Richard S. Whitehead was born July 11, 1907, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He moved to San Mateo, California, in 1913. He later received his BS and MA degrees from MIT. From 1946 to 1969 he worked for the County of Santa Barbara, as director of planning. Among his projects were the first master plan for airports in the county and planning for the Lake Cachuma recreational area. He also helped acquire six county beach parks and several inland parks, as well as establishing a uniform street numbering system in the county. He was a licensed land surveyor and registered civil engineer, a member of the State Water Pollution Control Board, the American Institute of Planners, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Channel City Club. He also was the author of Citadel on the Channel: The Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara, Its Founding and Construction, 1782-1798, edited by Donald C. Cutter. Whitehead died in Santa Barbara, August 25, 1988.

From the guide to the The Richard S. Whitehead Collection, ca. 1909-1974, (University of California, Santa Barbara. Library. Dept. of Special Collections)