Background
Charles Henry Cheney was born in 1884 in Rome, Italy. The son of American parents
Charles Henry Cheney was born in 1884 in Rome, Italy. The son of American parents
He received an academic education in the U. S. and in 1905 graduated in Architecture and Engineering at the University of California at Berkeley. After three years of supplementary study at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris Mr. Cheney traveled extensively in Europe, visiting the principal cities on the Continent and in England.
Upon his return to this country in 1910, the young man spent two years as a draftsman with Charles Platt and other architects in New York. In 1912 he left for California, and in San Francisco joined the office of Lewis Hobart. During the next three years he became increasingly interested in matters relating to Housing and City Planning, and in 1914 was elected a member (later Secretary) of the California Conference on City Planning.
From 1915 until the time of his death Mr. Cheney made his home in Southern California and centered his activities in that area. He was called upon to serve as Consultant to many cities, including Santa Barbara, Monterey, Long Beach, Alameda, Berkeley and Palo Alto in California, also to Chandler, Ariz., Portland, Ore., and Spokane, Wash. He was one of the leaders in the townsite development of the Palos Verdes Estates south of Long Beach, where he later built a home for himself and spent his remaining years. He also helped develop the Rancho Santa Fe. In 1924 he was appointed to a Board of Engineers engaged in preparing a major Street Traffic Plan for Los Angeles, and afterward was laregly responsible for the enactment of various State and City Zoning regulations. The latter years of his life brought.
Mr. Cheney wide recognition as an expert in his chosen field of endeavor, and he continued his membership in many City and National Planning organizations.