Photographs of California Botanic Garden, Santa Monica Mountains, approximately 1928

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Summary

Creators:
Dick Whittington Studio
Abstract:
Photographs of the California Botanic Garden, which operated 1928-1935 in Mandeville Canyon, Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County.
Extent:
2.34 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Photographs of California Botanic Garden, Santa Monica Mountains, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of 63 photographic prints and 87 black-and-white transparencies documenting the California Botanic Garden in approximately 1928, the year it opened to the public in Los Angeles County. The prints are 8 x 10 inches and are stamped with the credit of the "Dick" Whittington Studio, and depict overviews of the garden, walking paths, a waterfall, and a variety of plantings throughout the canyon, along with administrative offices, visitors, and a portrait of president Elmer D. Merrill. The film transparencies appear to show opening day festivities, 1928, with tree plantings, speakers and guests, and students with posters promoting the garden. The actress Mary Pickford, a supporter, poses in a few images. Contact prints of the transparencies were made by the Library and are available to view in Box 1.

Biographical / historical:

The California Botanic Garden was an 800-acre botanical garden and plant laboratory established in 1928 in the Mandeville Canyon area in the Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County. The garden was founded by businessman and naturalist H. C. Oakley, who along with partners, established a non-profit foundation to purchase the land. Elemer D. Merrill, the University of California dean of the College of Agriculture, served as director and president of the foundation. Facing financial setbacks after the crash of 1929, the garden closed in 1935. Much of the property would later become part of the city of Brentwood and be developed for real estate.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Dawson's Book Shop, 1979.
Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library staff, circa late-20th century. In 2020, Suzanne Oatey created a finding aid derived from a collection file.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

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]. Photographs of California Botanic Garden, Santa Monica Mountains, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2129
reference@huntington.org
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