Benjamin Baker Moeur
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Baker Moeur was the fourth Governor of Arizona
, one of the United States of America.
Born in Decherd, Tennessee
, Moeur was a doctor before running for public office. He is credited with having delivered most of the babies born in Tempe
for 36 years.
His pre-gubernatorial positions included service as the Secretary of the Board of Education for Arizona State Teacher's College (the precursor to Arizona State University
) in Tempe.
During Moeur's governorship, he mobilized the Arizona National Guard
to stop the construction on Parker Dam
, which was being built primarily to divert more water to the Los Angeles
area. The mobilization was partly an embarrassment, as the troops arrived via an antiquated steamboat
, which became stranded. Its troops were rescued by workers from California
working at the dam. Moeur's primary motive, however, was later vindicated by the United States Supreme Court when it ruled that California and the Bureau of Reclamation were constructing Parker Dam illegally because the dam had never been properly authorized. Subsequent legislation rectified this error and construction continued apace.
Moeur left office in 1937 and died 71 days later in Tempe, where he is buried at the Double Butte Cemetery.
In 1939, as a WPA project, Tempe Normal School
(later known as Arizona State University
) constructed the Moeur Building on the main Tempe Campus. The building was originally the Women's Gymnasium, later being remodeled and used as the university's admissions office. The building now houses the Mars Space Flight Facility, a NASA
-funded research center directed by Dr. Phil Christensen
.
Dr. Moeur has been honored since 1901 by the now Arizona State University via the Moeur Award. The Moeur Award is given to the student or students with the highest academic standing in terms of GPA, and is thus also considered the equivalent to a Valedictorian Award (which is not directly offered by Arizona State).
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, one of the United States of America.
Born in Decherd, Tennessee
Decherd, Tennessee
Decherd is a city in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,246 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Moeur was a doctor before running for public office. He is credited with having delivered most of the babies born in Tempe
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
for 36 years.
His pre-gubernatorial positions included service as the Secretary of the Board of Education for Arizona State Teacher's College (the precursor to Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
) in Tempe.
During Moeur's governorship, he mobilized the Arizona National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
to stop the construction on Parker Dam
Parker Dam
Parker Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam that crosses the Colorado River downstream of Hoover Dam. Built between 1934 and 1938 by the Bureau of Reclamation, it is high, of which are below the riverbed, making it "the deepest dam in the world". The dam's primary functions are to create a...
, which was being built primarily to divert more water to the Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
area. The mobilization was partly an embarrassment, as the troops arrived via an antiquated steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
, which became stranded. Its troops were rescued by workers from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
working at the dam. Moeur's primary motive, however, was later vindicated by the United States Supreme Court when it ruled that California and the Bureau of Reclamation were constructing Parker Dam illegally because the dam had never been properly authorized. Subsequent legislation rectified this error and construction continued apace.
Moeur left office in 1937 and died 71 days later in Tempe, where he is buried at the Double Butte Cemetery.
In 1939, as a WPA project, Tempe Normal School
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
(later known as Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
) constructed the Moeur Building on the main Tempe Campus. The building was originally the Women's Gymnasium, later being remodeled and used as the university's admissions office. The building now houses the Mars Space Flight Facility, a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
-funded research center directed by Dr. Phil Christensen
Phil Christensen
Phil Christensen is a geologist whose research interests focus on the composition, physical properties, processes, and morphology of planetary surfaces, with an emphasis on Mars and the Earth...
.
Dr. Moeur has been honored since 1901 by the now Arizona State University via the Moeur Award. The Moeur Award is given to the student or students with the highest academic standing in terms of GPA, and is thus also considered the equivalent to a Valedictorian Award (which is not directly offered by Arizona State).