JERRY PERSON -- A LOOK BACK

There are times I feel so overwhelmed that I have to do things over and

over. This is one of those times.

For way back when, we had Overacker (Ray), Overbury (May), Overmire

(Katie), and we also had city engineer Harry Overmyer.

Harry Aldrich Overmyer was born in the small town of Casey, Iowa, on June

5, 1900. Overmyer attended both grammar and high school in this prairie

town and graduated from Stuart High School in 1917.

For the next five years, he worked with his father in the produce

business. But farm life was not what Overmyer wanted. To get away from

the Midwestern cold, he came to California and settled in Santa Ana.

In 1923, Overmyer got a job in Santa Ana’s engineering department. He

stayed until 1926.

He next became assistant city engineer for Huntington Beach, hired by

Mervin Rosson, Huntington’s then-chief engineer.

Overmyer continued his education and passed the California state

engineering exam in 1933. It was in that year that our City Council made

him the city’s chief engineer, a position that he would hold for more

than a quarter of a century.Overmyer oversaw many of the city’s pet

projects, including the building of the Pav-a-lon at the entrance to the

pier, which would serve as the city’s entertainment center. He worked

many tireless hours looking after the city’s early infrastructure.

Overmyer married Mabel “Jimmie,” and the couple lived at 719 12th St.

with their son, John.

Overmyer was active in many of the city’s sports activities and belonged

to a number of local organizations. He was the president of our Rotary

Club, a member of the Huntington Beach Elks Lodge, a Santa Ana Mason and

a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge.

He was well liked in our community. In 1957, Overmyer retired from the

city and, with fellow engineer Sid Lowry, formed an engineering firm.

As the city was readying itself for its 50th anniversary in 1959,

Overmyer died suddenly in January at his home. His name will forever be

associated with the city as its engineer during Huntington Beach’s golden

era.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach 92615.