Opening Hours
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Rare Books
Landmarks of Orleans County, New York
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Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
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
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Manuscripts
This collection contains 44 letters written by William Herries to his English relatives during his journey across the Atlantic Ocean to New York and his travels around America including Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Kentucky, the Indiana and Louisiana territories, New Orleans, and Spanish Florida. Herries writes about people he meets including President Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, James Wilkinson, and John Jacob Astor. He also describes his various economic endeavors including attempts as a fur trader, general merchant, trader of enslaved persons, and land speculator before his acquisition and operation of the Montesano plantation near Fort Baton Rouge and his eventual ruin following the short-lived West Florida Republic. There is a note from Charles Herries from approximately 1816 stating that he had recently received word that William Herries had died three or four years previously. An unsigned and undated note lists all of Herries's stops from New York to New Orleans.
mssHerries
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Visual Materials
Maynard L. Parker negatives, photographs, and other material consists of 57,893 black-and-white negatives, color transparencies, black-and-white prints, and color prints; 39 presentation albums; and 17 boxes of office records, 1930-1974. Created primarily by Maynard Parker, the archive documents the residential and non-residential work of architects, interior designers, landscape architects, artists, builders, real estate developers, and clients associated with these fields, foremost among them the magazine House Beautiful. Also included in the collection are photographs taken by other individuals, such as architect Cliff May and Parker's assistant, Charles Yerkes.
photCL MLP
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Rare Books
East of Rochester, a small map in a red cover. "By David H. Burr." "Entered according to Act of Congress Jany. 5th 1829 by David H. Burr of the State of New York. Engd by Rawdon Clark & Co. Albany & Rawdon Wright & Co. N. York. No. 46." Prime meridian: Washington. Relief: no. Graphic Scale: Miles. Projection: Cylindrical. Printing Process: Copper engraving.
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