Opening Hours
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Rare Books
The Mining directory and reference book of the United States, Canada and Mexico
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Rare Books
Image not available
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Image not available
Manuscripts
The alphabetically-arranged collection is arranged in the following manner: Arizona Mines, California Mines, California Land Subdivisions, Canada and Mexico Mines, and Montana, Nevada, and New Mexico Mines; Miscellaneous Mining Charts, Surveys, and Engineering Drawings; Personal Photographs; and Ephemera. Within each box, the folders are arranged alphabetically by county (or by neighborhood/area in the case of the California Land Subdivision folders). Individual mining companies, mining claims, subdivisions, and neighborhoods are listed on the folders but are not listed in finding aid unless there are multiple folders for a specific county. Several folders contain state maps or miscellaneous surveys and engineering drawings that are not particular to specific counties; these folders are labeled by state and are placed after the specific county folders.
mssDuling
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Manuscripts
The alphabetically-arranged collection is arranged in the following manner: Arizona Mines, California Mines, California Land Subdivisions, Canada and Mexico Mines, and Montana, Nevada, and New Mexico Mines; Miscellaneous Mining Charts, Surveys, and Engineering Drawings; Personal Photographs; and Ephemera. Within each box, the folders are arranged alphabetically by county (or by neighborhood/area in the case of the California Land Subdivision folders). Individual mining companies, mining claims, subdivisions, and neighborhoods are listed on the folders but are not listed in finding aid unless there are multiple folders for a specific county. Several folders contain state maps or miscellaneous surveys and engineering drawings that are not particular to specific counties; these folders are labeled by state and are placed after the specific county folders.
mssDuling
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Rare Books
258245
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Visual Materials
A collection of photographs and maps compiled by American geologist and petroleum engineer Ralph Arnold (1875-1961), documenting his pioneering work in oil and mineral exploration, chiefly in the Western United States, Mexico and Venezuela, from 1900 to 1954. The collection centers on 64 photograph albums that span 50 years of Arnold's life and work. Photographs are accompanied by Arnold's typed captions identifying geological features; oil and mining activities; technical data; and dates and locations, i.e. often an oil or mining "district" or "field," such as "Sunset Field" (California). Subject matter includes geological and topographical features such as rock formations, faults and schisms, mountain structure, geothermal activity, and open land with potential drilling or mining spots. Earthquake faults are seen and described in many of Arnold's California investigations. There are also views of small and large-scale oil operations (by individuals and by organized companies); details of oil flow and reservoirs; asphalt; drilling equipment; workers and fields of oil wells. Arnold's work took him all over the Western United States, particularly California oil fields, but also Texas, Wyoming, Arizona, Alaska and other states. From 1911-1916 he was primarily in South America, and in the 1920s-1940s, mostly in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Mining operations are the focus of some albums, showing investigations for tin, gold and other minerals; mines and ore processing, all with detailed descriptions. Arnold also often photographed people: colleagues and business associates, oil lease owners on their properties; workers (particularly Black and Asian workers in Venezuela); and friends and family. Personal photographs are throughout the album, such as of his wife, Winninette, and their two daughters; Stokes family members (Winninette's family) in South Pasadena; and alumni of Pasadena High School and Stanford University. Arnold was an avid gardener and the albums contain detail views of cactus and tropical plants, and scenes of Arnold collecting wild orchids in Trinidad, Venezuela and Mexico. The maps date from 1880-1948 and include U.S.G.S. and geological maps, California oil fields and well locations; layouts of mines, and various tract maps showing oil company-owned land.
photCL 311