Inventory of the California State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records

Processed by Sven Kennedy

California State Archives

1020 "O" Street

Sacramento, California 95814

Phone: (916) 653-2246

Fax: (916) 653-7363

Email: archivesweb@sos.ca.gov

URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/

Inventory of the California State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records

Collection number: R337 and F3444

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California

Processed by:: Sven Kennedyl
Date Completed:: December 2007
Encoded by:: Sara Kuzak

Descriptive Summary

Title: California State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records

Dates: 1934-1948

Collection number: R337 and F3444

Creator: State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission

Collection Size: 29 cubic feet

Repository: California State Archives

Sacramento, California

Abstract: The State Redevelopment and Reemployment Records consist of 29 cubic feet of material reflecting the activity of the Commission in the areas of research and fact finding, providing assistance to local leaders, and solving problems dealing with various social, economic, and planning issues. The records cover the years 1934-1948.

Physical location: California State Archives

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Administrative Information

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

For permission to reproduce or publish, please consult California State Archives staff. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement that may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records, R337:[series number], [Box number]/[Folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Acquisition History

The California State Archives acquired the State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records according to state law.

Agency History

The State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission was established in August, 1943 by the California Legislature (Statutes, 1943, Chapter 631, p. 2250) to prevent postwar problems of reconversion as had occurred following the end of WWI. At the same time the State Planning Board (Statutes, 1935, Chapter 331, p. 1153) was abolished and its facilities passed to the State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission. The California Legislature directed the State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission to study California's natural and economic resources for the purpose of creating and implementing plans allowing for a smooth readjustment of workers, industry, and commerce at the conclusion of WWII. While the State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission was clearly responsible for planning functions as the successor to the State Planning Board, the State Legislature wanted the Commission to diligently focus on the employment problems which could have become severe as the war effort came to an end. In September, 1947, the State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission was replaced by the Office of Planning and Research (Statutes, 1947, Chapter 1408, p. 2967), which in turn was to expire ninety-one days after the adjournment of the 1949 Regular Session of the Legislature. The State Redevelopment Agency (Statutes, 1947, Chapter 1515, p. 3141) was established to aid in community planning and development, and like the Office of Planning and Research, grew out of the State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission to become a separate agency. In many cases major officers were the same in the later agencies.

Scope and Content

The State Redevelopment and Reemployment Records consist of 29 cubic feet of material reflecting the activity of the Commission in the areas of research and fact finding, providing assistance to local leaders, and solving problems dealing with various social, economic, and planning issues. The records cover the years 1934-1948.

Note: because the facilities were passed from successor to successor, many of the files are overlapping, thereby preventing a distinct separation of the several agencies.

Related Collections at the California State Archives

Earl Warren Papers, Reconstruction and Reemployment Series

Governor's Office of Planning and Research

Oral Histories

Percy C. Heckendorf

William T. Sweigert

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

California. State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission

California. Office of the Director of Planning and Research

California. State Planning Board

State Planning Board Records 1934-1943

ID F3444:1-35

Series 1 General Files 1935-1943

Physical Description: 35 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

Organization, history, 1935, 1937. (F3444:1-2)

Minutes, January 1, 1936-July 19, 1943. (F3444:3-5)

Agendas, memos, notices of meetings, 1934-1940. (F3444:6-10)

Monthly, Quarterly, and Activity reports, 1935, 1939-1943. (F3444:11-12)

Board members, advisors - correspondence, data, communications, 1934-1935. (F3444:13-35)

ID F3444:36-141

Series 2 Consultant's Office Files 1934-1943

Physical Description: 106 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

General correspondence, 1934-1943. (F3444:36-72)

Outgoing correspondence, 1937-1943. (F3444:73-89)

L. D. Tilton correspondence, memos, itinerary, personal files, 1933-1943. (F3444:90-99)

Federal Agency correspondence, 1937-1943. (F3444:100-109)

National Resources Commission - correspondence, reports (Washington and Berkeley offices), 1934-1943. (F3444:110-114)

Works Progress Administration - correspondence, project proposals, reports, 1935-1942. (F3444:115-121)

Federal Works Agency - Public Work Reserve - correspondence, projects, memos, 1941-1942. (F3444:122-133)

State offices and agencies - correspondence, 1934-1943. (F3444:134-141)

ID F3444:142-158

Series 3 Staff Files 1934-1941

Physical Description: 17 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

Staff organization, office records, correspondence, 1937-1941. (F3444:142-144)

Los Angeles office - correspondence, applications, 1934-1937. (F3444:145-152)

San Francisco office - consultant's instructions, Water Study correspondence, 1936-1937. (F3444:153-158)

ID F3444:159-321

Series 4 Board Committee Surveys 1850-1943

Physical Description: 163 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

Lists of: advisory committees, reports, publications, press releases, 1934-1942. (F3444:159-163)

State and local planning - reports, bills relating to, 1936-1943. (F3444:164-169)

Regional, County and City Planning Commissions - correspondence, 1937-1943. (F3444:170-179)

Army camp sites (by county) - correspondence, 1940. (F3444:180-231)

Housing - correspondence, reports, 1935-1941. (F3444:232-235)

State Building Plans - correspondence, 1940. (F3444:236-237)

Capital Improvement Program - University of California - project proposals, 1942. (F3444:238-247)

Industrial survey - correspondence, 1934-1937. (F3444:248-255)

Land Utilization - correspondence, reports, 1920-1937. (F3444:256-258)

Natural Resources - correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, 1934-1937. (F3444:259-266)

Public Works Inventory - correspondence, reports, 1935-1937. (F3444:267-269)

Population Survey - correspondence, reports, data, 1850-1943. (F3444:270-273)

Reclamation Survey - correspondence, reports, 1934-1935, 1943. (F3444:274-275)

State Institutions - correspondence, reports, 1934-1942. (F3444:276-282)

Transportation - reports, 1931-1940. (F3444:283)

Maps and Surveys - correspondence, reports, 1934-1943. (F3444:284-305)

Water Resources - correspondence, reports, 1931-1937. (F3444:306-321)

ID F3444:322-393

Series 5 Special Files 1934-1943

Physical Description: 72 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

Special Files, A-Z - correspondence, reports, memos, etc., 1934-1943. (F3444:322-393)

ID F3444:394-395

Series 6 Miscellaneous Files 1941-1943

Physical Description: 2 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

State of Jefferson - correspondence, article, newspaper clippings, 1941. (F3444:394)

Miscellaneous material, 1943. (F3444:395)

ID R337.01, Box 1, Folders 1-7

Series 7 Publications 1935-1941

Physical Description: 7 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date of publication.

Scope and Content Note

Publications retained by the State Planning Board are generally related to issues concerning land utilization, planning objectives, and methodology. Some publications are comprised of reference guides to other publications helpful in solving, understanding, and deciding planning issues.

Land Utilization: A Bibliography, by the Bureau of Public Administration. University of California. November 1935.

Objectives and Methods of State Planning, by the California State Planning Board. Special Report Number II. July 1935.

Constitutionality of Rural Zoning, reprinted from the California Law Review. Volume XXVI, Number 2. 1938

A Selected List of References on Land Utilization in California, by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Division of Land Economics. September 1938.

Land Utilization in California: A list of References, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Bureau of Agricultural Economics. December 1938.

Governmental Research Organizations in the Western United States, by the Bureau of Public Administration. University of California. January 1939.

A Planning Manual for California. October 1941.

ID R337.02, Box 1, Folder 8

Series 8 Maps 1940-1946

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by county or region.

Scope and Content Note

Maps retained by the State Planning Board were used as a visual aid relating to matters of planning, land use, and land acquisition. Regions of specific interest to the Board are marked out on the maps. See list below for regions.

Butte County

Central Valley (Kern County, Inyo County, and Tulare County)

Placer County

San Diego County

San Joaquin County

Santa Barbara County

Santa Cruz County

Solano County

Stanislaus County

San Pablo Bay

Yolo County

Yuba County (2 maps)

Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records 1943-1948

ID F3444:396-477

Series 1 General Files 1943-1948

Physical Description: 82 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

Laws, objectives, organization, Staff planning, 1943-1948. (F3444:396-398)

Minutes, 1943-1947. (F3444:399-402)

Reporters transcript of Commission meetings, 1943-1947. (F3444:403-436)

Commission meetings - data, correspondence, 1943-1947. (F3444:437-441)

Annual Reports, 1944-1946. (F3444:442-445)

Quarterly Reports, 1945, 1946. (F3444:446-448)

Study Reports submitted to Commission, 1944-1946. (F3444:449-455)

Conferences, Hearings, Meetings under auspices of Commission, 1944, 1945. (F3444:456-461)

Survey Publications, 1943-1947. (F3444:462-477)

ID F3444:478-702

Series 2 Office of the Director Files 1943-1948

Physical Description: 225 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

Application for Directorship - correspondence, 1943. (F3444:478)

A. R. Heron papers - correspondence, biographical sketch, notes, memos, newspaper clippings, 1943-1946. (F3444:479-488)

NOTE: Heron was Director until April, 1946. He was succeeded by A. E. Washburn, Deputy Directory.

A. E. Washburn papers - correspondence, memos, meetings, biographical sketch, 1945-1947. (F3444:489-502)

Engagements, 1944-1947. (F3444:503-511)

General correspondence, 1943-1944. (F3444:512-514)

General correspondence - chronological, 1944-1947. (F3444:515-524)

Miscellaneous correspondence, 1944-1947. (F3444:525)

State offices, agencies - correspondence, 1944-1947. (F3444:526-538)

U. S. agencies, other states - correspondence, 1944-1947. (F3444:539-557)

Coded Files - correspondence, reports, 1944-1947. (F3444:558-570)

Legislative Materials - correspondence, Bills, hearings, 1944-1947. (F3444:571-582)

Subject File (alphabetical) - correspondence, 1942-1948. (F3444:583-702)

NOTE: much of the material in the Subject File relates to the activities of the Citizens Advisory Committees. See below: files -(F3444:782-822).

ID F3444:703-772

Series 3 Commission and Staff Files 1943-1947

Physical Description: 70 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

Applications, referrals, attendance, 1943. (F3444:703-705)

Staff, Commission - meetings, reports, misc., 1943-1947. (F3444:706-718)

Staff records - correspondence, memos, inter-office., 1943-1947. (F3444:719-754)

Miscellaneous staff records, 1944-1947. (F3444:755-759)

Office records (Los Angeles and San Francisco), 1944-1947. (F3444:760-764)

Miscellaneous Commission Records - members, meetings, misc., 1943-1947. (F3444:765-772)

ID F3444:773-999

Series 4 Citizen's Advisory Committees (CAC) Files 1943-1947

Physical Description: 227 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

CAC meetings and general correspondence, 1943-47. (F3444:773-778)

Reconversion Conference, Oct. 16-17, 1945 - correspondence, minutes, 1945. (F3444:779-781)

Committees (Public Works, Industry, Trade and Service Establishments, Research, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Welfare, Readjustment Education, Production and Employment Estimates, and Demobilized Men and Women) - 1944-1947. (F3444:782-822)

Project Committees (alphabetical). 1943-1947. (F3444:823-951)

NOTE: files -(823-826) contain information relative to the organization and membership of the various project committees. See file -(823) for list of project committees.

Newspaper clippings, 1944-1947. (F3444:952-999)

NOTE: For list of subjects to newspaper clippings see D517.

ID R337.03, Box 1, Folder 9-11

Series 5 Commission Meeting Files 1943-1947

Physical Description: 3 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

Commission meeting files include meeting agendas and minutes, commission correspondence, memorandums, and reports. Some of these meeting files, while relating to the Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission, appear to have originated from the Department of Natural Resources.

ID R337.04, Box 1, Folder 12-15

Series 6 Committee Files 1944-1946

Physical Description: 4 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of committee.

Scope and Content Note

Committee files reflect the ideas formulated by the committees overseen by the Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission. Furthermore, committee files include interdepartmental correspondence and reports related to problems undertaken by the Committees listed below.

Project Committee on Arial Mapping, 1944-1946.

Advisory Committee on the Development of Natural Resources (oil industry), 1944-1945.

Advisory Committee on Mining, 1944-1945.

Advisory Committee on Parks and Monuments, 1944-1945.

ID R337.05, Box 1, Folder 16-20

Series 7 Planning Files 1946

Physical Description: 5 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of city or county.

Scope and Content Note

Planning Files contain correspondence and reports submitted by a city or county to the State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission. Records reflected plans for future development in California cities and counties and cover all relevant aspects of public planning.

ID R337.06, Box 1, Folder 21

Series 8 Correspondence 1943-1944

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence related to advisory committees and projects overseen by the commission.

Office of Planning and Research Records 1944-1948

ID F3444:1000-1017

Series 1 General Files 1944-1948

Physical Description: 18 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

Director: meetings, engagements, correspondence, memos, misc., 1947-1948. (F3444:1000-1006)

Coded correspondence, 1944-1948. (F3444:1007-1017). NOTE: file -(1007) contains the key to the coded material.

State Redevelopment Agency Records 1947-1948

ID F3444:1018-1021

Series 1 General Files 1947-1948

Physical Description: 4 file folders

Arrangement

Files are organized as below:

Scope and Content Note

Minutes, agendas, correspondence, misc., 1947-1948. (F3444:1018-1021)