Peter C. Knudson

Mayor Peter Knudson was involved in Dee Glen Smith‘s plan to build one of his major supermarkets in Brigham City. “There was a lot of concern that we were encroaching on the private citizen – the heavy hand of government,” Knudson said, “but the project was completed, and it really brought a lot of business downtown.”Oral history interview with Peter C. Knudson by Kathleen Bradford. Aug. 25, 1999.
While Smith’s market was being built, the city had an opportunity to acquire federal funds to expand and remodel the library and the fire station.
It was during Knudson’s first term of office that the decision had been made to close the Intermountain Indian School. A search of city archives disclosed that the land occupied by the school had been originally acquired by Brigham City and then donated to the government as an enticement to have Bushnell Hospital built in the community in the 1940s. In order to get the property back, the city was required to present a master plan of how it would use the property. The plan included the golf course, commercial businesses on Main Street, and conversion of the school dormitories to townhouses. The plan was approved and the Intermountain properties were transferred to Brigham City. After 12 years in office, the longest mayoral tenure in Brigham City’s history, Knudson viewed the Intermountain project as his greatest success.
One of his most poignant memories as Mayor was the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger and the subsequent barrage of phone calls and personal interviews from the national media. He said, “I answered everyone who asked that after 24 successful launches, Thiokol, Brigham City, and all Thiokol employees had proven they were competent. Time has gone on and Thiokol has vindicated itself – with a continuing successful booster rocket program.”Oral history interview with Peter C. Knudson by Kathleen Bradford. Aug. 25, 1999.

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