Guide to the Helen Chamlee Collection
MS 303
Finding aid prepared by Samantha Mills
San Diego History Center Document Collection
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
August 18, 2016
Title: Helen Chamlee Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 303
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
4.5 Linear feet
(9 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1933-1991
Abstract: This collection contains the personal papers, written works, and subject files of Helen Chamlee, a botanist at the San Diego
Natural History Museum in the 1970s.
creator:
Chamlee, Helen
Biographical / Historical Notes
Born Helen Vallejo in 1908, Chamlee was a native San Diegan who was dedicated to botany, especially native species. A graduate
of San Diego State University, she joined the staff at the San Diego Natural History Museum in 1969. After seven years in
the Botany Department, Chamlee transferred to the Educational Activities Department and remained there for the duration of
her career. She led countless field trips to parks, mountains, and deserts of the region, gave lectures on native plants,
participated in workshops, seminars, and trainings. She developed at least 14 nature trails in San Diego County. Perhaps her
greatest achievement while at the Natural History Museum was securing Florida Canyon in Balboa Park as a native plant preserve.
She is also responsible for creating the museum’s naturalist guide group, the Canyoneers.
Chamlee’s passion for native plants reached beyond her role at the Natural History Museum. She served as Botanical Editor
for California Garden magazine, and was a contributing editor to Fremontia. She wrote a weekly column, “Canyon Trails,” that
appeared in the Evening Tribune in the late 1970s, and published a book on the ferns of San Diego County. Chamlee was also
a charter member of the California Native Plant Society, serving as President of the San Diego Chapter for two years, and
was later honored as a Fellow. Her influence and contributions in the field were further recognized in 1977 when Chamlee received
the honor award from the California Council of Landscape Architects. Additionally, a native plant garden at the Wild Animal
Park (now Safari Park) was named after her. Chamlee developed a native botanic garden on her own two-acre property —dubbed
Canyon Trails—and opened it once each year to public view.
Helen Chamlee died in 1982.
Scope and Content
The collection contains Chamlee’s personal papers and writings as well as her subject files. Her writings include manuscripts
of articles and her weekly newspaper column, “Canyon Trails.” The bulk of the collection contains subject files maintained
by Chamlee. Most subjects pertain to botany, native plants, parks and canyons in San Diego County and other California locations,
and fauna in relation to botany. The subject files often contain newspaper and magazine articles, brochures, and other types
of publications in addition to Chamlee’s own notes pertaining to the subject. A large subject area focuses on Balboa Park
and especially Florida Canyon and the efforts made to designate it as a native plant preserve. Field trip plans and handouts
from the Natural History Museum are also well represented.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in two series:
Series I: Personal Papers;
Series II: Subject Files.
Preferred Citation
Helen Witham Chamlee Collection, MS 303, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Helen Chamlee’s files were given to her friend, Carol Greentree. Greentree later donated them to the San Diego History Center
along with her own files and those of Jean Marie Consigny Putman—all three focusing on botany.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Frank Sweeney in 2014.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Diego Natural History Museum.
Anza-Borrego Desert (Calif.)
Arid regions plants
Balboa Park (San Diego, Calif.)
Botanical gardens
Botany
Cactus
Endemic plants
Fire resistant plants
Flowers
Gardens -- California -- San Diego
Native plant gardens--California
Nature trails--California
Parks
San Diego (Calif.)
Torrey Pines State Reserve (Calif.)
Wild flowers
Series I:
Personal Papers
Box-folder 1:1
Manuscripts of articles,
1973-1979
Box-folder 1:2
Biographical Information,
1982-1991
Box-folder 1:5
Correspondence,
1976-1977
Box-folder 1:6
Correspondence—Sunset Magazine,
1972-1973
Box-folder 1:7
"Fremontia" Articles,
1978
Box-folder 1:8
Landscaping for “Buffer” Adjacent to Northerly Property Line, San Diego Consolidated Co.,
undated
Box-folder 1:9
Legal Documents,
1939-1947
Box-folder 1:11
American Society of Landscape Architects,
1977-1978
Box-folder 1:13
Arboreta and Botanical Gardens,
c.1962-1981
Box-folder 1:14
Arizona (Desert Gardens),
c.1980
Box-folder 1:15
Balboa Park—Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 (C-3),
1970-1978
Box-folder 1:16
Balboa Park—Florida Canyon (1 of 2),
1970-1976
Box-folder 2:1
Balboa Park—Florida Canyon (2 of 2),
1970-1980
Box-folder 2:2
Balboa Park—Florida Canyon Correspondence,
1969-1979
Box-folder 2:3
Balboa Park—Florida Canyon Field Trips,
1973
Box-folder 2:4
Balboa Park—Florida Canyon Master Plan,
1976
Box-folder 2:5
Balboa Park—Florida Canyon Trail Guide,
1973-1976
Box-folder 2:6
Balboa Park—Japanese Garden,
1977-1978
Box-folder 2:7
Balboa Park—Natives, Cactus, etc. ,
1970-1976
Box-folder 2:8
Balboa Park—Plants of the San Diego Zoo,
1975-1976
Box-folder 3:1
Balboa Park—San Diego Natural History Museum Activities,
1977-1982
Box-folder 3:2
Balboa Park—San Diego Natural History Museum--“Day in the Wildwood,”
1978
Box-folder 3:3
Balboa Park—San Diego Natural History Museum-- Docent Training,
1968-1973
Box-folder 3:4
Balboa Park—San Diego Natural History Museum—“A Look at Native Plants,”
undated
Box-folder 3:5
Balboa Park—San Diego Natural History Museum—Handouts,
1976-1980
Box-folder 3:6
Balboa Park—San Diego Natural History Museum—Nature Walks,
1967-1971
Box-folder 3:7
Balboa Park—San Diego Natural History Museum—Seminars,
1978
Box-folder 3:8
Balboa Park—San Diego Natural History Museum—Sierra Juarez Trip,
1974-1977
Box-folder 3:9
Balboa Park—San Diego Natural History Museum—Albert Valentien Paintings,
1974-1977
Box-folder 3:10
Balboa Park—Tree Walk,
1973
Box-folder 3:11
Biological Control of Insects,
1947-1981
Box-folder 3:14
Birds—San Diego County,
1970-1978
Box-folder 4:2
Botany for the Blind,
1972-1974
Box-folder 4:3
Cabrillo Nature Trails,
1974-1979
Box-folder 4:5
California Association of Park & Recreation Commissioners and Board Members (CAPRCBM),
1971-1972
Box-folder 4:6
California Herbaria by County,
1970-1978
Box-folder 4:7
California Native Plant Society,
1979
Box-folder 4:8
California Natural Areas Coordinating Council,
1959-1975
Box-folder 4:9
California Poppy,
1962-1974
Box-folder 4:10
CALTRANS,
1975-1979
Includes
A photo of Helen Chamlee.
Box-folder 4:11
Camp Pendleton,
1971-1973
Box-folder 4:13
Christmas Week Park Walks,
1978
Box-folder 4:14
City/County Parks,
undated
Box-folder 5:1
Cuyamaca Mountains,
1975-1978
Box-folder 5:2
Department of Education—Community Education Resources,
1972-1974
Box-folder 5:3
Desert Ecology and Plants,
1974-1981
Box-folder 5:5
Eating Flowers,
1968-1975
Box-folder 5:6
Ecology—Louise Howton,
1976-1978
Box-folder 5:7
Ethnobotany of Cupeño Indians,
1972
Box-folder 5:8
Ethnobotany of Pamo Valley,
1975
Box-folder 5:11
Fire Resistant,
1962-1977
Box-folder 5:12
Flinn Springs County Park,
1973-1979
Box-folder 6:1
Garden Fossils,
1970-1971
Box-folder 6:2
Geology of San Diego,
1977
Box-folder 6:3
Glen Helen Regional Park (San Bernardino County),
undated
Box-folder 6:4
Guayale and Jojoba Plants,
1972-1977
Box-folder 6:7
Islands (Santa Cruz and Catalina),
1969-1977
Box-folder 6:8
Isomeris Arborea,
undated
Box-folder 6:10
Key to Common Shrubs of San Diego,
1971-1973
Box-folder 6:11
Laguna Mountain,
1976-1980
Box-folder 6:12
Landscape Design Study Course,
1964-1973
Box-folder 6:14
Los Penasquitos Lagoon,
1970-1971
Box-folder 6:16
Miscellaneous Articles and Brochures,
1969-1980
Box-folder 7:1
Native Plants—Early Uses,
1969-1976
Box-folder 7:2
Native Plants—“Indian Uses,”
1969-1976
Box-folder 7:3
Natural History Subjects,
1963-1980
Box-folder 7:4
Nature Conservancy,
1974-1975
Box-folder 7:7
Open Space/Slope Restoration,
1977-1978
Box-folder 7:9
Palomar Mountain,
1935-1978
Box-folder 7:10
Plant Protection Ordinance,
undated
Box-folder 8:1
“Planting” Articles,
1945-1977
Box-folder 8:2
Plants and Gardens—Clippings and Articles,
c.1977
Box-folder 8:3
Plants of Mitchell Caverns (San Bernardino County),
1972-1973
Box-folder 8:4
Plants of Salt Marshes in San Diego,
undated
Box-folder 8:5
Poppy Park (Riverside),
1973
Box-folder 8:7
Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens (Claremont),
1947-c.1970
Box-folder 8:8
San Clemente Canyon,
1978
Box-folder 8:9
San Dieguito Regional Park,
1976-1981
Box-folder 8:10
Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary (Lakeside),
1978-1979
Box-folder 8:12
Soils, North County—George Borst,
1968-1978
Box-folder 8:13
South Bay—Newspaper Clippings,
1971
Box-folder 8:14
Strybing Arboretum (San Francisco),
1974-1975
Box-folder 8:15
Teachers Guides,
c.1971-1975
Box-folder 8:16
Tecolote Canyon,
1977-1979
Box-folder 8:17
Torreyana (Torrey Pines Docent Society),
1975-1981
Box-folder 9:3
University of California, Berkeley,
1975
Box-folder 9:4
University of San Diego Nature Walk,
1979
Box-folder 9:5
USDA Soil Surveys: Oceanside, El Cajon, Capistrano Area,
c.1933
Box-folder 9:6
Valley Center School Nature Study Center, Teacher’s Handbook and Field Guide,
1972
Box-folder 9:7
Vascular Plants of San Diego County,
1959
Box-folder 9:8
Wildflowers and Blossoms by County,
1978
Box-folder 9:9
William Heise Park (Laguna Mountains),
1977-1981
