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People's Lumber Company records, 1890-1982.
MVC041  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Preferred Citation
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Processing Information
  • Biographical / Historical
  • Scope and Contents
  • Arrangement

  • Contributing Institution: Museum of Ventura County
    Title: Peoples Lumber Company records
    Identifier/Call Number: MVC041
    Physical Description: 4.5 Cubic Feet (4 boxes)
    Date (inclusive): 1890-1982
    Abstract: The People's Lumber Company was a lumber and construction supply company established in Ventura in 1890. The company was the main supplier of lumber and construction supplies until it reoriented its business to focus on real estate investments in the 1960s. This collection contains the records of the People's Lumber Company in its various forms through the establishment of the Real Estate Investment Trust of California. This includes by-laws, correspondence, meeting minutes, stock certificates, and home plan sample books.
    Physical Location: Stored off-site and advance notice required for timely retrieval. Please contact the Research Library reference desk prior to your visit.
    Language of Material: English .

    Conditions Governing Access

    COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Open for research. All requests to access materials must be made in advance by contacting the Research Library staff.

    Conditions Governing Use

    Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, have not been determined. Contact the Research Library for further information: library@venturamuseum.org.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], People's Lumber Company records, (Collection MVC041]), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    This collection consists of several donations. Frank Sween; gift; 1988. Charles Spraggin; gift; 1990. Leslie Jones; gift; 1995. Donald G. Kelly; gift; 1996. Laura McAvoy (Nordman, Cormany, Hair and Compton); gift; 2001.

    Processing Information

    Processed by staff, 2013. Processing completed by Krystell Jimenez, 2021.
    Our collections are being processed using MPLP so that we may prioritize access for users and identify potential priorities for more detailed processing. If while using our collections you think there is something that should be added or amended in the finding aid, we welcome your input. You can notify staff in the reading room or send us an email at library@venturamuseum.org. Be sure to include the collection number and name and the box number you were working with in your email.

    Biographical / Historical

    The People's Lumber Company was incorporated in Ventura on September 30, 1890. The original board and principal shareholders were C.D. Bonestel (Ventura), F.A. Foster (Ventura), J.M. Sharp (Saticoy), J.B. Robins (Springville), G.W. Faulkner (Santa Paula), J.A. Willouby (Ventura), and F.A. Cook (Ventura). The company started business as a lumber cooperative. Prior to its establishment boats would have to anchor as close to shore as possible to unload lumber onto a raft. Following the construction of a wharf at Hueneme in 1871 and a wharf at Ventura in 1873, The Daly Bros. purchased a lumber boat to convey materials from mills in Northern California.
    C.D. Bonestel was the main force and served as the company's first president and manager. He later turned the business over to his son, W.A. Bonestel, who oversaw the company until 1904. Adolfo Camarillo served as president between 1940 and 1956. The firm's yards gradually increased to eight by the 1950s, including locations in Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Ojai, Moorpark, Camarillo, and Santa Susana. The company had a strict policy of only doing business within the county and they aimed to be one-stop service stations that provided materials for construction from the foundation to finish hardware.
    Following increased competition in the 1950s due to transportation improvements, the company decided it was best to expand its interests. In 1961 Sun Lumber purchased the People's Lumber Company's lumber and building inventories, authority to lease their yards, and the firm's name. The remaining assets, lands, and buildings were retained and the company changed its name to the Anacapa Corporation. It then began to focus on real estate management and investment. In October 1968 the company dissolved Anacapa Corporation and formed the Anacapa Trust in its place. A year later the company adopted the name the Real Estate Investment Trust of California (REIT-CAL). BRE Properties eventually purchased REIT-CAL in 1995. See the MVC Quarterlies Volume 3, No.1 and Volume 30, No. 2 for a more complete history.

    Scope and Contents

    This collection contains the records of the People's Lumber Company through its various forms through the establishment of the Real Estate Investment Trust of California. This includes correspondence, notes, by-laws, minutes of directors', trustees' and shareholders' meetings from 1890-1982 and stock certificates from June 1956-June 1968 for the People's Lumber Company. It also contains the articles of incorporation and declaration of trust for the Anacapa Corporation. There are sample books with home plans created by the People's Lumber Company.

    Arrangement

    This collection has been arranged at the folder level.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Real estate investment -- California -- Ventura County
    Corporate minutes
    Lumber trade -- California -- Ventura County
    Building materials industry -- California -- Ventura County
    People's Lumber Company -- Records and correspondence
    Anacapa Corporation -- Records and correspondence