Contributing Institution: California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections

Title: Madrona Marsh Collection

Creator: Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center

Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2011.003

Physical Description: 36 boxes ( 8 record storage, 17 document cases, 2 oversized boxes, 9 photograph boxes)

Physical Description: 18 Linear Feet

Date (inclusive): 1923, 1949, 1969-2017; undated

Date (bulk): 1980-2003

Abstract: Madrona Marsh Preserve is a 44-acre nature preserve in Torrance, CA. The preserve was established during the 1970s in a partnership between the Friends of Madrona Marsh and the City of Torrance. The collection includes material related to the history and founding of the preserve; financial documents; correspondence; memorandums; photographs; documents related to programming, projects, wildlife, and education; papers related to the Friends of Madrona Marsh; reference material including newsletters, clippings, articles, and other material regarding other parks, wetlands, animals, plants; and other related topics.

Language of Material: English .

This collection is open for research.

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

For information about citing archival material, see the Citations for Archival Material guide, or consult the appropriate style manual.

Donated by the Friends of Madrona Marsh in 2011, 2019.

Arranged and described by Christina Delgadillo. Photos were removed from albums and placed in archival sheets for preservation. Plastic binding was removed from reports and placed into eight file folders. Materials were kept in the original order when possible and are arranged in chronological order; circa 2011. Additional processing took place in 2021 to incoporate new accurals.

In the early 1970s, developers expressed interest in the prime real estate on which the area in Torrance, near the Madrona Marsh was located, which started a conflict for the Madrona Marsh. Resistance came from environmentalists who wanted to preserve as much of the wildlife area as possible. As a result, a group formed in 1972 and was called the Friends of the Madrona Marsh. The Friends of Madrona Marsh is a non-profit organization that was established in 1972. They are dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the marsh through an assortment of activities throughout the year to bring awareness. Debate continued throughout all the 1970s regarding this piece of property. In 1980s, the city of Torrance was given a 34.4 acres deed to the marsh for wildlife preservation. Three decades later after the first argument started, in 2001, the preserve came to be with the opening of the Madrona Marsh Nature Center in 2001.

The Madrona Marsh Collection (1923, 1949, 1969-2017, undated; bulk 1980-2003) contains proposals, reports, meeting minutes, correspondence, memorandums, press releases, guides, financial statements, photographs, clippings, and other material related to the Madrona Marsh Preserve located in Torrance, CA. A majority of the material relates to the history and founding of Madrona Marsh including some of the conflicts that arose when the preservation of the marsh was threatened due to possible real estate developments; as well as material related to the wildlife in the preserve such as birds, insects, mammals, plants, trees, and flowers; construction of the Madrona Marsh Nature Center; and material generated from the Friends of the Madrona Marsh such as newsletters, memorandums, press releases, and documents related to the Save Madrona Marsh campaign. This collection is arranged into ten series: Series I: Organizational Records contains proposals, studies, grant deeds, and reports related to the development of Madrona Marsh including Park Del Amo development agreements, and plans for the Madrona Marsh Nature Center; Series II: City of Torrance is divided into two subseries, Sub-Series A: Correspondence, Memorandums, Inter-Office Communication contains communications related to the Park Del Amo project, budgets, clean-up, and other topics, Sub-Series B: Meeting Agendas and Minutes; Reports contains council meeting minutes and agendas; budget summaries; resolutions; and documents related to the Parks and Recreation Department; Series III: Financial Records contains purchase orders, bank statements, receipts, invoices, financial statements, and tax documents; Series IV: Friends of Madrona Marsh contains meeting minutes, newsletters, memorandums, event program and flyers, press releases, financial statements, and other documents related to the Friends of Madrona Marsh; Series V: Programming, Events, and Education contains flyers, programs, reports, and guides related to programming, events, and education within or affiliated with the Madrona Marsh preserve; Series VI: Wildlife contains material related to wildlife that can be found within Madrona Marsh; Series VII: Clippings- Madrona Marsh contains clippings and articles regarding Madrona Marsh; Series VIII: Photographs, Slides, and Negatives contains images mostly of Madrona Marsh, as well as images taken on field trips; Series IX: Ephemera, Maps, and Promotional Material contains brochures, certificates, maps, blueprints, plaques, exhibit labels, and notes regarding Madrona Marsh and members of the Friends of Madrona Marsh; Series X: Reference Material is comprised of two subseries: Sub-Series A: Subject File contains clippings, articles, flyers, newsletters, and other material regarding cities, organizations, wetlands, parks, animals, plants, wildlife, and other related topics; and Sub-Series B: Reports contains reports regarding the Compton Creek, Los Angeles county beaches, a guide for nature writers, and others.

Arranged in ten series: