A native of Brownsville, Nebraska, Eugene Allan Gilmore was a well-loved and renowned American legislator who served a short term in the Philippines as Governor-General. He “attended Harvard Graduate School and Harvard law School, earning his LL. B. degree in 1899” (Anderson). Because his lifelong passion lied in teaching, he left law practice and continued his career as Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin for a decade and also as a Wisconsin state legislature advisor.

In 1922, Gilmore’s valuable contribution to his field led President Warren Harding to appoint him as acting Governor-General in the Philippine islands in 1922 (Anderson) until 1930 between the incumbencies of Leonard Wood and Henry Stimson (Ira 153). Even for a short period of time, Gilmore was “admired and respected in the Philippines for the changes he brought about in public health and education” (Anderson). In honor of him and other highly-esteemed Americans such as Washington, Forbes, and Craig, the Philippine government named streets after them towards the end of the American Period after 1945 (Ira 153). It is also known as Manga Avenue for its abundance of mango trees.

References:
• Anderson, D.. “Biographical Note”. Finding Aid: The Papers of Eugene A. Gilmore. The University of Iowa Special Collections & University Archives, May. 2005. Web. 4 Oct. 2012. <http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/archives/guides/RG05/RG05.01.10.htm>.
• Ira, L. Streets of Manila. Manila: GCF Books, 1977. 153.

(Original image from D. Anderson’s “Biographical Note”. Finding Aid: The Papers of Eugene A. Gilmore. The University of Iowa Special Collections & University Archives, May. 2005. Web. 4 Oct. 2012. <http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/archives/guides/RG05/RG05.01.10.htm>.)