Opening Hours
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Rare Books
Travels and experiences in Canada, the Red River territory and the United States
Image not available
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
Rare Books
346263
Image not available
Rare Books
190209
Image not available
Visual Materials
Two photographs albums of amateur photographs with one depicting a trip from Arizona to the East Coast in 1907, and the second showing images of a family in Los Angeles, California, in the early 1920s. The first volume contains 75 snapshots documenting a trip beginning on July 11, 1907, from O'Neill's Point at the Grand Canyon, Arizona, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Santa Barbara, Yosemite Valley, San Francisco, Alaska, British Columbia, Banff in Canada, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the St. Lawrence River, and ending with photographs at Mt. Washington in August 1908. Each location is only represented by a few photographs, often depicting travel, the natural scenery including moutnains, glaciers, and big trees, and buildings such as hotels; there is one photograph of the ruins of the San Francisco city hall after the 1906 earthquake. The album has a handwritten title page: "Bess H. Specht. 1907. 133 Carver Street, East End. Pittsburgh, Pa." The photographs are captioned, including one that identifies the trip participants as: Alice Lyle, J.C. McCormick, Anna Bell, Bess Specht, Carrie Alston, Dell. Smith, and May Lyle. There are also five photographs of an infant labeled Taylor Salsgiver. The second volume, by an unidentified compiler, has 77 snapshots showing children and family members, activities, and residences in Los Angeles, California, ca. 1920-1921. There are views of neighborhoods, including houses at 2102 Third Avenue, at the corner of South St. Andrews Place and West 16th (now Venice Blvd.) and 1626 5th Ave. in Los Angeles, Catalina Island, Bimini Baths, the Japanese Gardens, and Venice among others. A 1923 school play program and three copies of the 1925 Los Angeles High School Commencement program are laid in at back. Many of the photographed are captioned with dates and brief labels in pen.
photCL 436
Image not available
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