The Nathan W. Blanchard collection consists of photographs, illustrations, papers, diaries, letters and other ephemera regarding the Blanchard family from the 1860s to the 1970s. Nathan W. Blanchard (1831-1917), who would later be a co-founder the Limoneira Company and oversee the successful planting and harvesting of over 50,000 citrus trees in the county, is best known for establishing the town of Santa Paula with E. L. Bradley in 1873. This collection also contains genealogical maps and family trees produced by and for the Blanchard family.

Nathan Weston Blanchard was born to Merrill Blanchard and Eunice Weston Blanchard on July 24, 1831. In 1873, Blanchard and E. L. Bradley established the town of Santa Paula, which was later incorporated in 1902. After several successes plants and harvesting orange trees around the Santa Paula area, N. W. B. partnered with Union Oil Company founder Wallace Hardison to establish the Limoneira Company in 1893. By the time Blanchard retired in 1898, the company had successfully planted over 50,000 citrus trees in the county. Nathan Weston Blanchard died on October 23, 1917.

5.13 Cubic Feet (4 boxes)

Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the museum does not hold the copyright.

COLLECTION STORED ON-SITE: Open for research. Advance requests can be made to Research Library staff via email.