Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Historical Society of Southern California Collection—California Centennials Commission, Southern California Division, Collection
of Photographs
photCL 400 volume 28
No online items
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Repository:
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA
91108
Phone: 626-405-2180
Email: jwatts@huntington.org
Creator:
California Centennials Commission. Southern California Division.
Title: Historical Society of Southern California Collection—California Centennials Commission, Southern California Division, Collection
of Photographs
Dates: 1948-1950
Quantity: 1.42 linear ft., 2 boxes
Abstract: The collection consists of 424 black and white photographs that document the activities of the Southern California Division
of the California Centennials Commission during the years 1948 to 1950. The photographs document events developed by the Division
to commemorate California's centennial.
Identification: photCL 400 volume 28
Language of Material: English
The California Centennials Commission was established in 1946 to direct the state’s participation in the centennial observances
of the discovery of gold, the Gold Rush, and the admission of California to the Union. The Southern California Division was
organized in 1947, with the assistance of the Historical Society of Southern California, to cooperate with the state-wide
Commission; it organized local programs. The state Commission was chaired by Joseph R. Knowland; the Southern California Division
was managed by Lloyd D. Mitchell.
The California Centennials Commission, Southern California Division, Collection comprises one portion of the Historical Society
of Southern California (HSSC) Collection, which was donated to the Huntington Library in 1992. The HSSC Collection as a whole
contains approximately 15,000 photographs and negatives covering the period circa 1870 to circa 1980, and almost exclusively
depicts Southern California. As such, it is an important visual record of the growth and history of the region.
The collection consists of 424 black and white photographs that document the activities of the Southern California Division
of the California Centennials Commission during the years 1948 to 1950. The photographs document events developed by the Division
to commemorate California's centennial.
Included are images of parades, such as the centennials of Beverly Hills and Long Beach; the 1948 Tournament of Roses Parade
that included centennial-themed floats; and gold rush and pioneer-related parades such as those held in Paso Robles, San Bernardino,
Redlands, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Monica. Photographs that document celebrations commemorating historic events and places
include the Fort Moore celebration held at the Hollywood Bowl and images of the Portola Trek reenactment, including the start
in San Diego and images of the riders on Spring Street in Los Angeles. The collection also includes a large number of images
of the dedication of the Commission’s Historical Caravan, held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Speaking at that event
was Lieutenant Governor Goodwin J. Knight. Other images of the Historical Caravan include pictures of the exhibits inside
the van and the van on location in Sycamore Grove (the Highland Park area of Los Angeles), at the Pio Pico Adobe in Whittier,
and at China Lake. Photographs of the Centennials Commission float, which was made available to communities across the State
for inclusion in centennial celebrations, are found in the collection. Among the images in which the float is featured are
the Hollywood High School premiere of “California’s Golden Beginnings,” an educational film intended for show at schools and
educational institutions across the state; and the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the centennial of Los Angeles’s first
post office. Notable figures in California politics and culture appear in the photographs. The images documenting the opening
of the gold mining exhibit in Pershing Square include Eldred L. Meyer, past Grand President of Native Sons of the Golden West
and Walter N. Bailey, Grand President of the Native Sons of the Golden West. The premiere of “California’s Golden Beginnings”
featured Goodwin J. Knight, Lloyd D. Mitchell, Manager of the Southern California Division, and appearing in the film (and
documented in stills) was Governor Earl Warren. Other images document the unveiling of various commemorative plaques.
Photographers who created the images include Otto Rothschild, Coy Watson, "Dick" Whittington Studios, J. Allen Hawkins, David
F. Stevens, Lew Nichols, the Inman Company, Woro Studios, Randolph Studios, Louis, Pacific Press Photos, Gerhardt, Merriman
Photo Art, Junis and Pearson Photo, and Frasher’s, Inc.
Many of the photographs have captions taped to, or written on, the reverse. Many of the photographs exist in multiple copies.
The photographs are arranged by subject: parades, historical event celebrations and reenactments, Centennials Commission exhibits
and events, plaques and dedicatory ceremonies, and miscellaneous.
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Knight, Goodwin, 1896-1970.
Bailey, Walter N.
Meyer, Eldred L.
Mitchell, Lloyd D.
Warren, Earl, 1891-1974.
California Centennials Commission.
California Centennials Commission. Southern California Division.
Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles, Calif.)—Photographs.
Hollywood High School (Hollywood, Los Angeles, Calif.)—Photographs.
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Los Angeles, Calif.)—Photographs.
Tournament of Roses—Photographs.
Dick Whittington Studio.
Frashers Inc.
Gerhardt.
Hawkins, J. Allen, 1915-
Inman Company.
Junis and Pearson Photo.
Louis.
Merriman Photo Art.
Nichols, Lew.
Pacific Press Photos.
Randolph Studios.
Rothschild, Otto.
Stevens, David F.
Watson, Coy, 1912-
Woro Studios.
Beverly Hills Calif.)—Anniversaries—Photographs.
China Lake (Calif.)—Photographs.
Fort Moore (Calif.)—Anniversaries—Photographs.
Highland Park (Calif.)—Photographs.
Long Beach (Calif.)—Anniversaries—Photographs.
Paso Robles (Calif.)—Photographs.
Pershing Square (Los Angeles, Calif.)—Photographs.
Pio Pico State Historic Park (Whittier, Calif.)—Photographs.
Redlands (Calif.)—Photographs.
San Bernardino (Calif.)—Photographs.
San Luis Obispo (Calif.)—Photographs.
Santa Monica (Calif.)—Photographs.
Historical films—California—Photographs.
Parade floats—Photographs.
Parades—California—Los Angeles—Photographs.
Portolá's Expedition, Calif., 1769-1770—Anniversaries—Photographs.
Postal service—California—Los Angeles—History—Photographs.
Traveling exhibitions—California—Photographs.
Photographs.
Access is granted to qualified researchers and by appointment.
All requests for permission to publish photographs must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Photographs. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the Huntington 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.
photCL 400 volume 28, Historical Society of Southern California Collection—California Centennials Commission, Southern California
Division, Collection of Photographs, 1948-1950.
Donated by the Historical Society of Southern California, 1992.
Prior to 2006, volunteers began a preliminary organization of the photographs. In 2006, Sue Luftschein completed the bulk
of the reorganization, numbered and rehoused the photographs, and created this finding aid.