Samuel Hunter Adams KC (September 3, 1878 – December 10, 1975) was a Canadian lawyer and politician from Alberta. He was elected the 21st Mayor of Calgary in 1920, serving as mayor for three years.

Samuel Hunter Adams was born on September 3, 1878, near Dundas, Ontario, to Samuel and Mary J. Adams (née Loughery).^[1] Adams attended public school in West Flamborough and high school in Dundas, and later moved to Manitoba in 1897 where he attended Normal School and later taught school. He entered Manitoba College in 1902 and completed a Bachelor of Arts in 1906 and subsequently moved to Calgary later in fall that year.^[1]

Adams began studying law when he arrived in Calgary in the offices of Bernard & Bernard and Jones & Nichols. He completed his studies in 1909 and joined Alderman Clifford Teasdale Jones and Ernest Gauntlett Pescod to form the firm Jones, Pescod & Adams, which lasted until 1917 when the partnership was dissolved.^[1] He continued to practice independently until 1920, and was appointed King's Counsel.^[1] Adams was associated with both the federal and provincial Liberal parties, serving on the executive of the local associations.^[1]

Adams married Margaret N. Ross on December 27, 1910, and together had four children.^[1]

Adams was approached by former Aldermen Tappy Frost and Harold Riley to enter civic politics.^[2] Adams contested and won the 1915 Calgary municipal election for Aldermen on Calgary City Council. He served five consecutive terms from January 3, 1916, until his resignation on December 31, 1920.^[3]

As Alderman, Adams had a significant role in the development of the Centre Street Bridge, which replaced the MacArthur Bridge which was destroyed in the 1915 Calgary flood. Adams witnessed the bridge wash away during the flood with Calgary Commissioner for Public Works Jim Garden, who was standing on the bridge as it washed away. The original design as proposed was a high-level steel bridge, but Adams felt the design did not provide the necessary capacity for the growing city. Adams' input was incorporated into the final design, and the bridge was completed in December 1916.^[4] Adams was also a proponent for the construction of the Louise Bridge over the Bow River, however unlike his previous efforts with the Centre Street Bridge, Adams sought a smaller design.^[5]

In 1917 Adams with the help of City Solicitor, and future Chief Justice of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Alberta Clinton J. Ford worked together successfully to bring single transferable vote to Calgary's municipal elections.^[6]

Adams first showed interest in contesting the position of Mayor in the 1918 Calgary municipal election, however he dropped out after learning Michael Copps Costello, a local doctor and Protestant was running, fearing he and Costello would be unsuccessful after splitting the Protestant vote.^[5]

Samuel Hunter Adams retired from municipal politics in 1923. He practised law in Calgary with the firm Adams, Fitch and Arnold until his retirement in 1955, when he moved to Saltspring Island in British Columbia.

He died on December 10, 1975, and was buried at Union Cemetery in Calgary on December 15, 1975.^[13][14]