In the lates 1880s, after spending several years teaching, Knotts enrolled in a law course at Valparaiso.
[1] He quickly became involved in local politics, and was a strong supporter of the idea of giving Hammond a harbor on Wolf Lake to connect with Lake Michigan, earning the nickname "Harbor Knotts" for his zeal.
[3][4] Armanis and his brother, Thomas Knotts, were also heavily involved in the development of the city of Gary, Indiana.
[4] In 1905, the United States Steel Corporation decided to open a new plant in the Midwest, and chose the current site of Gary for its location.
[5][6] Soon afterwards the Gary Land Company was set up in order to lay out the town and supervise its construction, with Knotts as its manager.