Description
This collection contains 30 items dealing with the development of Wrightwood, California, in
the San Gabriel Mountains, from
a cattle ranch and apple orchard into a
vacation destination by
Sumner B. Wright (1858-1944) and his business associates.
Background
Sumner Banks Wright (1858-1944) began buying up land in the Swarthout Valley of the San Gabriel
Mountains at the turn of the 20th century; by the 1920s he had turned his
considerable holdings in the valley into the Circle Mountain Cattle Company, which
was both cattle ranch and apple orchard. During the 1920s Wright faced financial
problems that led him to try and develop the ranch more profitably as a vacation
destination for the greater Los Angeles area. By the end of the decade Wright had
sold or lost much of the land as a result of his financial problems; despite this,
his vision of the Wright ranch becoming a tourist destination was ultimately
fulfilled. The completion of the Angeles Crest highway in 1956 coincided with Los
Angeles' postwar boom, and brought a new generation of vacation-seeking LA
suburbanites to the new tourist-ranches, hiking trails, and ski slopes of
Wrightwood.
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Availability
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.