Greg Cox Collection

Greg Cox retired from the San Diego County Board of County Supervisors in 2020, finishing a distinguished career in local government. Cox donated material related to his service to the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center after his retirement. This collection was fully processed in 2025 and is now open to the public for research by appointment.

Greg Cox was born in 1948 and raised in South Bay. He served on the Chula Vista City Council from 1976-1981. He served as Chula Vista Mayor from 1981-1990. He worked as a government consultant until being appointed to fill a vacancy on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 1995, where he served until Dec 2020.

Cox’s notable accomplishments include helping to found the Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista and improving the lives of foster youth in San Diego County including the founding of San Pasqual Academy. He worked on building recreational opportunities in the county, including several parks and the Bayshore Bikeway. Cox was instrumental in the creation of San Diego’s 211 hotline, which helps direct residents to health and human service programs, and was a leading advocate for finding a solution to the sewage problem in the Tijuana River Valley.

The collection contains items collected through Greg Cox’s public service, especially as Mayor of Chula Vista from 1981-1990, and on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, 1990-2020. Includes photographs, posters, awards, cartoons, plaques, certificates, proclamations, audio-visual media, objects and other materials related to Cox’s work in local government. Many items were given to Cox to honor him during his time in public service by government associations, nonprofit organizations, and other groups. Notable items include local news clips featuring Cox and county projects, four original political cartoons from artist Joe Schmidt, and a State of the County message from January 1998.

Download the Greg Cox Collection Finding Aid to get more details about the collection, including an item-level list and more contextual information. Contact archivist Sarah Lewis for a research appointment.