Robert C. Gillingham was a historian who focused on the South Bay, specifically the Rancho San Pedro, the Dominguez family, and Compton. This collection consists of correspondence, drafts, and manuscript copies related to his work on The Rancho San Pedro and Yesterdays of Compton.

Robert C. Gillingham was born in Michigan in 1896 and moved to Compton, California in 1906. He attended Compton Union High School, earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Pomona College, and served in the first World War. Gillingham later earned his PhD from the University of Southern California and, in 1927, became Dean of Compton Junior College, a position he held for 35 years. During this time, he also spent 17 years as the chairman of the Compton City Planning Commission. His interest in local history led him to write The Rancho San Pedro, first published in 1961 and financed by the Dominguez Estate Company. He also published over sixty articles on Compton history for the Compton News-Tribune, which were later compiled into the book Yesterdays of Compton.

1 linear foot

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