P.J. Walker Construction Company Photographs, 1923-1987, bulk 1923-1960

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Summary

Creators:
P.J. Walker Company
Abstract:
This collection contains photographic prints, film negatives, photo albums, company records, ephemera, and promotional material documenting construction jobs of the P.J. Walker Company, chiefly commercial buildings in the Los Angeles region from the early 1920s to the 1960s.
Extent:
18 boxes
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains photographic prints, film negatives, photo albums, company records, ephemera, and promotional material depicting construction jobs of the P.J. Walker Company, chiefly commercial buildings in the Los Angeles region from the early 1920s to the 1960s. Building types include office buildings, department stores, public utilities, industrial plants, university buildings, banks, hotels, and residences. Many of the construction projects are documented as 8 x 10 in. black-and-white progress photographs by local commercial photographers, and show the building process from the ground up over a period of months or years,. Several important architects are represented in the collection including Morgan, Walls & Clements, John and Donald Parkinson, Edward Durrell Stone, Walker & Eisen, George Kelham, and Gordon Kaufmann, to name a few.

Identified photographers represented in the collection include: the "Dick" Whittington Studio; Dwyer Studios, L.A.; Green & Tillisch; and Mushet Photography.

While the bulk of the collection consists of construction site photographs, there are also manuscripts and ephemera, which chiefly consist of cost reports, business correspondence, and miscellaneous ephemera and magazines and newspaper clippings related to the opening of the building. There is a small group of additional company records including job indexes, promotional booklets, and some photographs, film negatives, photo albums, company records, ephemera, and promotional material documenting construction jobs of the P.J. Walker Company, chiefly of commercial buildings in the Los Angeles region from the early 1920s to the 1960s.

Biographical / historical:

The P.J. Walker Company was founded in San Francisco in 1895. It eventually became one of the largest construction firms in California. In the early 1920s, the P.J. Walker Company came to Los Angeles to construct the William Garland Building at 9th and Spring Street designed by Curlett and Beelman. Many other Southern California projects followed, including the Subway Terminal Building, the Richfield Oil building, Bullock's Wilshire, the Los Angeles Times building, the Doheny Library at the University of Southern California, the Stock Exchange Building and Title Guarantee and Trust buildings. Few builders had a greater impact on the region. In later years, the company was headquartered at 3900 Whiteside Street in Los Angeles, and Fred C. Walker, Jr. (died 2011) served as president.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Fred C. Walker Jr., 1989.
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in the following 3 series:

  • Job photographs (14 boxes)
  • Job manuscripts and ephemera (4 boxes)
  • P.J. Walker Company job lists, photographs, and ephemera (3 folders, 5 volumes)

Oversize items are housed in separate boxes listed at the end of the Project photographs and manuscript and ephemera series.

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

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