Inventory of the George H. Hecke Papers D-507
Finding aid prepared by Finding aid created by Manuscript Archivist Liz Phillips.
University of California, Davis General Library, Dept. of Special Collections
© 2009
1st Floor, Shields Library, University of California
100 N.W. Quad
Davis, CA, 95616-5292
(530) 752-1621
speccoll@ucdavis.edu
Creator:
Hecke, George H.
Title: George H. Hecke Papers
Collection number: D-507
Repository:
University of California, Davis General Library. Dept. of Special Collections.
Davis, California 95616-5292
Language of Material: Collection materials in English.
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet.
Date (inclusive): 1912-1950
Abstract: Business and personal correspondence of George H. Hecke (1868-1950?), Yolo County, California farmer and California's first
Director of Agriculture. Collection also includes one volume of minutes of the California State Board of Agriculture and one
scrapbook illustrating outbreaks of hoof and mouth disease.
Phyiscal location: Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
George Henry Hecke (1868-1950?) was a farmer based in Yolo County, California during the early-to-mid twentieth century. His
properties included his ranches "The Yolanda," 160 acres of apricot orchards and vineyards, and "The Copa de Oro," 200 acres
of alfalfa and grain. Hecke worked for the United States Department of Agriculture from 1904-1906; as one of the department's
viticulture experts, Hecke was in charge of eleven experimental vineyards. Hecke was also California's first Director of Agriculture,
serving from 1919-1931. During his term as director, Hecke worked with several other western states to form the Western States
Plant Quarantine Board.
Sources:
California Department of Food and Agriculture: The First 100 Years. California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1980.
History of Yolo County, California. Historic Record Company: Los Angeles, California, 1913.
The collection includes Hecke's personal and business correspondence, one volume of minutes of the California State Board
of Agriculture, and a scrapbook illustrating outbreaks of hoof and mouth disease. Subjects include family news, crop sales,
supply orders, ranch workers, and political activity with state and federal agricultural boards.
Further material may be in the F. Hal Higgins Collection, D-056.
The following collections at Special Collections may also be of interest:
D-056, F. Hal Higgins, 1886-1975. This collection includes brochures, correspondence, manuscripts, clippings, serials, photographs,
and posters relating to the development of agricultural machinery in the United States, Canada, and Europe, particularly the
history of tractors and combines.
Collection is open for research.
Elizabeth Phillips, Manuscript Archivist, processed the collection and created the finding aid.
Material separated from the F. Hal Higgins Collection, D-056.
[Identification of item], George H. Hecke Papers, D-507, Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of
California, Davis.
Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17, of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the Department of Special Collections, University of California, Library, Davis as the owner of the physical items and
is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
California. Dept. of Food and Agriculture.
Hecke, George Henry--Archives.
Farmers -- California -- Yolo County.
Fruit-culture -- California -- Yolo County.
Veterinary medicine.
Box-folder 1:1
Correspondence 1925-1950
Box-folder 1:2
Correspondence Book 1912-1914 1934-1935
Box-folder 1:3
Correspondence Book 1942-1949
Box-folder 1:4
Minutes of the California State Board of Agriculture, Vol. 1 1950