Fletcher Bowron papers: Finding Aid mssBowron

Processed by The Huntington Library staff in 1977; supplementary encoding and revision supplied by Xiuzhi Zhou in 2000, and Diann Benti in June 2017.

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San Marino, California 91108

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Note

Last updated by Brooke M. Black in September 2023.

Contributing Institution: The Huntington Library

Title: Fletcher Bowron papers

Identifier/Call Number: mssBowron

Physical Description: 58 Linear Feet (134 boxes and 53 volumes)

Date (inclusive): 1934-1970

Abstract: This collection contains papers related to the life and career of Los Angeles Mayor and Superior Court Judge Fletcher Bowron (1877-1968). It includes official correspondence kept during Bowron's term as mayor of Los Angeles from 1938-1953, reports, and information on his election campaigns. There is also source material gathered for his Metropolitan Los Angeles History Project (1973), particularly in the fields of public housing, city planning, and transportation.

Language of Material: English.

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]. Fletcher Bowron papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Gift of Mrs. Fletcher Bowron, September 1974. The addenda was the gift of Mrs. Fletcher Bowron, January 1977, September 1983, March 1984, May 1984, January 1985, and November 1985.

Biographical Note

Fletcher Bowron (1887-1968), who was mayor of the city of Los Angeles, California, from 1938 to 1953, came into office as a reform candidate in a recall election. His goal was to eradicate political corruption and establish a professional municipal government. For 15 years he was continually reelected to this important position-fifteen years of tremendous growth and unusual problems for the Los Angeles area. Mayor Bowron had spent the years 1911 to 1917 as a newspaper reporter, followed by a return to college for a law degree, two years in private practice, then six years as Judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. During his terms as mayor, World War II brought the sudden expansion of war-related industries to Los Angeles and the immediate need for laborers, public housing, mass transportation, and pollution control. As mayor he worked not only for solutions to these problems but also for the creation of long range city planning and commercial development. After his years as mayor, Bowron was reelected to the bench as Judge of the Superior Court. In 1962 he retired and devoted himself to a Metropolitan History Project. When Judge Bowron passed away in 1968, the project continued under the supervision of Mrs. Bowron and reached its fruition in the publication of the bibliography of Los Angeles history, Los Angeles and Its Environs in the Twentieth Century, with Doyce B. Nunis, Jr., as editor.

Scope and Content

The collection contains letters, documents, manuscripts, photographs and ephemera related to the life and career of Los Angeles mayor and Superior Court judge Fletcher Bowron. It includes official correspondence kept during Bowron's term as mayor of Los Angeles, reports, and information on his election campaigns. There is also source material gathered for his Metropolitan Los Angeles History Project, particularly in the fields of public housing, city planning, and transportation. The papers are divided into three main sections. The first consists of carbon copies of Bowron's letters while he was mayor of Los Angeles, personal correspondence (1934-1965), reports, and information on the election campaigns of 1945, 1947, 1949, and 1950. The second section pertains to Bowron's Metropolitan Los Angeles History Project. The source material he gathered is filed alphabetically by subject and contains information on city planning and zoning, public housing, sanitation, transportation, water and power and many other topics. Following this are the notes, outlines, drafts, bibliographical material, card index files, etc., for the project. The third main section consists of boxes of clippings which are arranged in folders in chronological order, some with listings of subjects. There are also three photograph albums and some memorabilia. In the addenda there are 38 bound volumes containing addresses by Mayor Bowron from Sept. 1938-July 1953 as well as oversize awards, albums and maps.

Arrangement

Arranged in six series: Series: 1. Correspondence and papers of Fletcher Bowron; Series 2. Metropolitan Los Angeles History Project; Series 3. Clippings; Series 4. Photograph albums; Series 5. Oversize albums; Series 6. Addenda.

Bibliography

Nunis, Doyce Blackman, Jr. ed., Los Angeles and Its Environs in the Twentieth Century, Ward Ritchie Press, Los Angeles, 1973. (With Foreward by Mrs. Fletcher Bowron)

Subjects and Indexing Terms

City planning -- California -- Los Angeles.

Judges -- California -- Los Angeles County -- Archives.

Mayors -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archives.

Public housing -- California -- Los Angeles.

Public works -- California -- Los Angeles.

Sanitation -- California -- Los Angeles.

Transportation -- California -- Los Angeles.

Water -- California -- Los Angeles.

Water-supply -- California -- Los Angeles.

Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.

Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Politics and government.

Clippings

Letters (correspondence)

Photographs

Research (documents)

California. Superior Court (Los Angeles County)

Los Angeles Metropolitan History Project.

Correspondence and papers

Box 1

Carbon copies of letters from mayor's office. 1939-1946

Box 2

Carbon copies of letters from mayor's office. 1947-1948

Box 3

Carbon copies of letters from mayor's office. 1949-1953

Box 4

Personal correspondence. 1934-1938

Box 5

Personal correspondence. 1939-1942

Box 6

Personal correspondence. 1943-1965

Box 7

Commendations (Index numbers 1-500). Jan. 1939-June 1940

Box 8

Commendations (Index numbers 501-775). Jan. 1941-July 1951

Box 9

Greetings (Index numbers 1-200). 1939-1943

Box 10

Greetings (Index numbers 201-500). 1943-1948

Box 11

Greetings (Index numbers 501-725). 1948-1950

Box 12

Index cards to Invitations

Box 13

Index cards to Invitations (continued)

Box 14

Invitations (Index numbers 3320-4200). Dec. 1944-May 1946

Box 15

Invitations (Index numbers 4201-4500). July 1946-Feb. 1947

Box 16

Invitations (Index numbers 4501-4800). Feb. 1947-Aug. 1947

Box 17

Invitations (Index numbers 4801-5075). June-Dec. 1947

Box 18

Invitations (Index numbers 5076-5350). Nov. 1947-May 1948

Box 19

Invitations (Index numbers 5351-5650). Apr.-Aug. 1948

Box 20

Invitations (Index numbers 5651-5850). Aug.-Nov. 1948

Box 21

Invitations (Index numbers 5851-6125). Nov. 1948-Feb. 1949

Box 22

Invitations (Index numbers 6126-6325). Feb.-May 1949

Box 23

Invitations (Index numbers 6476-6750). July-Sep. 1949

Box 24

Invitations (Index numbers 6751-7025). Oct. 1949-Mar. 1950

Box 25

Invitations (Index numbers 7026-7375). Mar.-Sep. 1950

Box 26

Invitations (Index numbers 7376-7675). Aug. 1950-Jan. 1951

Box 27

Invitations (Index numbers 7676-7950). Jan.-May, 1951

Box 28

Invitations (Index numbers 7951-8150). May - Sep. 1951

Box 29

Invitations (Index numbers 8151-8400). Sep. 1951-Feb. 1952

Box 30

Invitations (Index numbers 8401-8700). Jan.-Sep. 1952

Box 31

Invitations (Index numbers 8701-8925). Sep. 1952-Jan. 1953

Box 32

Invitations (Index numbers 8926-9200). Jan.-June 1953

Box 33

Speeches and Press Statements (with index at front). 1938-1941

Box 34

Speeches and Press Statements. 1942-1945 & 1946

Box 35

Speeches and Press Statements. 1946-1949

Box 36

Speeches and Press Statements (and miscellaneousness speeches). 1950-1953

Box 37

Elections - Correspondence, campaign literature, etc. 1945, 1947, 1949

Box 38

Elections - Letters of congratulation. 1949

Box 39

Election - Letters of congratulation and acknowledgment. 1949

Box 40

Election - Letters of congratulation and acknowledgment. 1949

Box 41

Election Campaigns. 1938-1956

Box 42

Election - Book of Precinct Boards. 1953

Box 43

Special reports and speeches by Los Angeles County Counsel, Harold Woodworth Kennedy. 1955-1957

Metropolitan Los Angeles History Project

Part 1 - Research material (including printed items)

Box 44

Master Index and Subjects: Agriculture-Aviation

Master Index

Agriculture

Air pollution (see Pollution, also Smog)

Architects

The Arts - Music - Theatre-Radio-Motion Pictures

Automobile Club of Southern California - Minutes of Board of Directors. 1900-1924

Automotive History

Box 45

Subjects: Aviation (continued)

Aviation

Aviation - Douglas Aircraft Co. (printed book, Flight Plan for Tomorrow

Aviation - Garrett Corporation

Aviation - Lockheed Aircraft Corporation

Aviation - Los Angeles - Department of Airports - Report

Aviation - Los Angeles Airways

Box 46

Subjects: Aviation (continued)-Chamber of Commerce

Aviation - North American Aviation, Inc.

Aviation - Northrop Corporation

Aviation - United Airlines (printed book, High Horizons by Frank J. Taylor

Beaches, Parks, Recreation

Bench & Bar (see also Legal)

Building

Chamber of Commerce

Box 47

Subjects: Charter-City Planning

Charter

Charter - Claude E. Hawley

Charter - Mayor

Chronological Lists of Events

Chronological Record of City Officials

Citizens Committee - Revenue & Taxation. 1948

Citizens Committee - Zoning. 1968

City Government - Information

City News Service

City Planning (see Planning & Zoning)

Box 48

Subjects: Civil Service-Fish & Wildlife

Civil Service

Climate

Consolidation

County Boundaries

County-City Officials (Correspondence)

Court (Early)

Court - Superior

Crime & Corruption

Economy

Education

Electricity

Engineering

Financial Institutions (Banking)

Fish & Wildlife

Box 49

Subjects: Flood Control-Hollywood

Flood Control

Flora - Native

Freeways

Grand Juries

Griffith, Van M. (Police Union)

Harbor

Haynes Foundation

Historic Preservation

Hollywood

Box 50

Subjects: Housing (mainly Public Housing)

Box 51

Subjects: Housing (including Elections on Prop. No. 10, etc.)

Box 52

Subjects: Housing (City Attorney's Opinions, etc.)

Box 53

Subjects: Industry-Los Angeles (magazine)

Industry

Japan

Japanese

Japanese American

Law

Legal (see also Bench & Bar)

Library

Los Angeles (printed magazine). 1964-1967

Box 54

Subjects: Los Angeles History-Mayors of Los Angeles

Los Angeles History (Misc.)

Los Angeles History (Misc. printed bulletins, etc.)

Los Angeles Bar Bulletin (printed). 1960-1968

Los Angeles High School

Los Angeles Year Book (printed). 1940-1962

Mayors of Los Angeles

Box 55

Subjects: Metropolitan Government

Metropolitan Government (printed material)

Metropolitan Government (miscellaneous reports)

Box 56

Subjects: Metropolitan Government - A Study in Integration (printed series)

Box 57

Subjects: Municipal League-Petroleum

Municipal League

Names to Contact

Oil

Oil Drilling

Personalities

Petroleum (see Oil)

Box 58

Subjects: Planning & Zoning (printed brochures)

Box 59

Subjects: Planning & Zonning (cont.)-Planning, Regional

Planning & Zoning

Planning & Zoning - Problem

Planning Commission - Accomplishments (printed). 1945-1960

Planning, Regional

Box 60

Subjects: Police-Public Housing

Box 61

Police (see also Griffith, Van M.)

Police - Deputy Auxiliary Program

Political History

Pollution

Population

Public Housing (see Housing)

Box 62

Subjects: Public Works-Sewer

Public Works

Publicity, Press

Real Estate

Religion

Retail Trade (see also Industry)

Rubbish Report

Sanitation & Refuse Disposal

Sewer

Sewer - Hyperion Report

Box 62

Subjects: Smog-Southern California Research Council

Smog

Southern California Research Council - Reports. 1961-1964

Box 63

Subjects: Street Railways (Manuscript)

Box 64

Subjects: Street Railways (Manuscript, continued)

Box 65

Subjects: Taxes-Transportation

Taxes

Telephone

Tourism

Towns & cities

Traffic (see also Freeways)

Transportation

Physical Location: (see also Street Railways)

Box 66

Subjects: Union Bank-Water and Power

Union Bank

Water and Power (Utilities)

Box 67

Subjects: Water and Power (continued)-Z and miscellaneous

Box 67

Water and Power - Metropolitan Water Department (printed brochures)

Whitnall, Gordon

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous Information - Historical

1880 History of Los Angeles County

Part 2 - Bibliographic Section, etc.

Box 68

Index; Bibliography

Box 69

Research: Needs and accomplishments (correspondence, publicity, etc.)

Box 70

Some Approaches to the Study of Urban History - Notes, Memos, historical data by Judge Bowron

Box 71

Interviews

Box 72

City History: Suggestions on Methodology; Outline; Chapter Outlines; Drafts of Chapters, etc.

Box 73

Card index - Subject file

Box 74

Card index - Subject file

Clippings

Box 75

Clippings 1943

Box 76

Clippings 1944 January-April

Box 77

Clippings 1944 May-September

Box 78

Clippings 1944 October-December

Box 79

Clippings 1945 January-March

Box 80

Clippings 1945 April-June

Box 81

Clippings 1945 June-August

Box 82

Clippings 1945 November-December

Box 83

Clippings 1946 January-February

Box 84

Clippings 1946 March-April

Box 85

Clippings 1946 May-December

Box 86

Clippings 1946 June-July

Box 87

Clippings 1946 August-September

Box 88

Clippings 1946 October-November

Box 89

Clippings 1946 December

Box 90

Clippings 1947 January-May

Box 91

Clippings 1947 February-March

Box 92

Clippings 1947 April-May

Box 93

Clippings 1947 June-July

Box 94

Clippings 1947 August

Box 95

Clippings 1947 September-October

Box 96

Clippings 1947 October-December

Box 97

Clippings 1948 January

Box 98

Clippings 1948 February

Box 99

Clippings 1948 March-April

Box 100

Clippings 1948 May

Box 101

Clippings 1948 June-July

Box 102

Clippings 1948 September

Box 103

Clippings 1948 October

Box 104

Clippings 1948 November

Box 105

Clippings, subjects: Mayor, Executive Dept., Civil Defense, Council 1951

Box 106

Clippings, subjects: Council, City Clerk, Airports, Art, City employees 1951

Box 107

Clippings, subjects: Fire Department-Finance 1950-1951

Box 108

Clippings, subjects: Finance-Rent control 1950

Box 109

Clippings, subjects: Rent control-Special events 1950

Box 110

Clippings, subjects: Special events, private construction, Los Angeles Armed Services Organization 1950-

Box 111

Clippings, miscellaneous 1950-1951

Box 112

Clippings, miscellaneous (and some printed material)

Photograph albums

Box 113

Trips to Argentina and Japan; Water System for Lerma, Mexico

Physical Description: 3 photograph albums

Oversize Items

Box 114

Oversize material

Scope and Contents

Contains campaign placards and photographs.

Box 115

Oversize material

Scope and Contents

Contains Los Angeles Planning Commission map, campaign cartoons, citations, honors, and certificates and honors related to the Superior Court.

Box 116

Roll map of Los Angeles (printed by Thomas Bros.)

Addenda

Box 117

Correspondence; Recall campaign

Box 118

Campaigns, elections, speeches

Box 119

Administrative issues as mayor

Box 120

Awards, honors, special events

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