It was one of the biggest days in the history of Los Banos. August 18th 1962. A crowd had gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for the San Luis Reservoir. And President John F. Kennedy was there to kick it off in style. Today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots the story of JFK’s visit and the iconic photo taken that day.
The groundbreaking was an explosive event.
"It is a pleasure for me to come out here and help blow up this valley in the cause of progress," said President Kennedy in his speech, referencing the explosives that would be used to formally break ground on the project.
For President Kennedy and California Governor Pat Brown, the event was both policy and politics. California was hostile territory for Kennedy, who lost the state to Richard Nixon in 1960. And Gov. Brown was now facing Nixon in his own re-election campaign.
Speaking before the crowd in Los Banos, President Kennedy made the case that the water project was key to American progress.
“Nothing could be more disastrous for this country than for the citizens of one part of the state to feel that everything that they have is theirs and it should not be shared with other citizens of this state, or people from the east to say, 'There's no benefit to us in spending our money to make this valley green.' That is the way to stand still," said President Kennedy.
Yet the celebration didn’t last long. In just weeks, The Cuban Missile Crisis would grip the nation, and in 16 months, President Kennedy would be dead. Construction on the reservoir would finally be completed in 1967.
