Bradbury Land Papers
Finding aid prepared by Eric Steiger.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2009
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Bradbury Land Papers
Dates: 1855-1933
Collection Number: mssBradbury land papers
Collector:
Bradbury family
Extent:
54 items
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection consists of land records associated with the Bradbury family and company developments in the
Rancho Azusa de Duarte and the city of Monrovia, California, from the 1850s to the 1930s.
Language of Material: The records are in English.
Administration Information
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
Publication Rights
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.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Bradbury Land Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Acquisition Information
Gift to the Huntington Library of Louisa Bradbury Jenkins in June 1999.
Biography
L. L. Bradbury was an investor and real estate developer prominent in Los Angeles in the late 19th century. In the 1880s,
he acquired the Rancho Azusa de Duarte, which now includes the city of Duarte. He died in 1892. His son Lewis Bradbury
assumed control of the family business in 1902 and
incorporated the Bradbury Estate Company in 1904. The company continued to acquire and develop landholdings in Southern
California throughout the first three decades of the 20th
century, including land and water development in and near the city of Monrovia, California.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of land records associated with the Bradbury family and company developments in the Rancho Azusa
de Duarte and the city of Monrovia from the 1850s to the 1930s.
These documents include certificates of title, deeds, and contractual agreements relating to land sales, mortgages, leases,
and water rights. Parties to various contracts in the collection
include the city of Monrovia, Los Angeles County, the Southern California Edison Company, Elias Jackson Baldwin, and several
members of the Bradbury family, including L. L. Bradbury,
Simona Bradbury, and Lewis Bradbury. There is also a folder of correspondence relating to the family's business interests.
Correspondents include the Los Angeles Flood Control District and
William Mulholland.
Arrangement
The materials have been maintained in their original batches, with the exception of the correspondence, which had no apparent
original order.
Indexing Terms
Personal Names
Baldwin, Elias Jackson, 1828-1909.
Bradbury family.
Corporate Names
Southern California Edison Company.
Alternate Authors
Bradbury Estate Company.
Bradbury, L. L.
Mulholland, William, 1855-1935.
Subjects
Real property -- California -- Los Angeles.
Water rights -- California.
Geographic Areas
California -- History -- 19th century -- Sources.
California -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.
Duarte (Calif.)
Los Angeles County (Calif.)
Los Angeles County Flood Control District (Calif.)
Monrovia (Calif.)
Genre
Agreements California 19th century.
Agreements California 20th century.
Deeds California 19th century.
Deeds California 20th century.
Leases California 19th century.
Leases California 20th century.
Mortgages California 19th century.
Mortgages California 20th century.
Box 1
Documents and correspondence
Agreements, Deeds, and Certificates of Title: Saw Pit Waters, J. M. Pirtle, Duarte Mutual Irrigation and Canal Co., etc.
1885-1926
Physical Description: 13 items.
Deeds: “Isabelle M. Bliss et al to West Duarte Water and Development Co.”
1885-1933
Physical Description: 7 items.
Deeds and Certificates of Title: W. S. Daniels, T.D. Romans and Maria A. Romans, M. R. Williams, etc.
1875-1933
Physical Description: 9 items.
Deeds and Certificates of Title: “Documents Relating to the Wise Place, Ranch Azusa de Duarte.”
1885-1914
Physical Description: 13 items.
Correspondence.
1906-1926
Physical Description: 12 items.