Fritz Family Collection1996.M.1.Fritz
Chinese Historical Society of Southern California
Contributing Institution:
Chinese Historical Society of Southern California
Title: Fritz Family Collection
Creator:
Fritz
Creator:
Fritz, Fred
Creator:
Fritz-Whiting, Louise
Creator:
Whiting, Otta
Identifier/Call Number: 1996.M.1.Fritz
Physical Description:
11.375 Linear Feet
4 Bankers boxes, 4 Flat boxes, 1 File box, 15 loose objects
Date (inclusive): 1930-1980
Abstract: The Fritz Family collection consists of photographs, papers, and artifacts left behind by three generations of the Fritz Family
in Los Angeles. It is arranged at a series level. This collection is importatnt to CHSSC because it gives a glimpse into the
life of Angelenos who lived in the area of Chinatwon before it was known as such, revaling hidden connections between French
American and Chinese American communities in Los Angeles.
French immigration was at a high during the 1850s to 1860s, making the French the fastest-growing immigrant population in
L.A. at the time. Many of these immigrant French Angelenos settled east and southeast of the Pueblo Plaza. Around the same
period, the Chinese immigrant communtiy also grew in response to poor conditions in China, and America's demand for cheap
labor. The construction of Union Station in the 1930s destoryed the city's original Chinatown and many French boarding houses
and hotels around Alameda and Aliso streets. Many Chinese-Americans moved into the old French quarter, and the area soon transformed
into today's Chinatown.
Language of Material:
English
, German
.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged on a series and subseries level. It is seperated into eight (8) series: Financial records, personal
records, property documents, photographs, aartifacts, clippings, ephemera, and miscellaneous. Both the Photography series
and Artifacts series are arranged on a subseries level: personal and professional photographs, and household items, appliances
and decuration, and assorted.
Series I. Financial records
Series II. Personal records
Series III. Property documents
Series IV. Photographs
Subseries IV.A: Personal
Subseries IV.B: Professional
Series V. Artifacts
Subseries V.A: Household Items
Subseries V.B: Appliances and Decoration
Subseries V.C: Assorted
Series VI. Clippings
Series VII. Ephemera
Series VIII. Miscellaneous
Biographical / Historical
The Fritz Family is a French family who lived in the French Quarter of Los Angeles prior to it becoming New Chinatown. Philip
Fritz was born in 1844 in Alsace, France, and immigrated to America in 1873. A few years later, he brought over his wife Louise
Schnaffer and their sons. He was a carpenter and worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad, eventually reaching the position
of Foreman in the S.P.'s Bridges and Buildings. Philip and Louise had three sons- Philip William, born in 1868, George C.,
born in 1870, and Fred Henry, born in 1872.
He purchased the Bernard lots from Jean (Juan) Bernard, a Freach-Swiss immigrant, in 1886 for $1,050. The 411 Bernard Street
home was built in 1886, and the 415 Bernard Street home was built six years later in 1892.
The eldest son, Philip William Fritz, married and had one cild, Louise Madeleine Fritz born in 1891. Louise Fritz married
three times and eventually inherited the entire Bernard property. She continued to live at the Fritz family home for the rest
of her life. She lived the remainder of her life as Louise Whiting, taking her 3rd husband's last name. She died as a centenarian
in 1992. Her heirs sold the Bernard properties to CHSSC in 1994.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to researchers and to the public for access. Please contact the Chinese Historical Society of Southern
California for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Fritz Collection was passed on to the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California upon the purchase of the property
located at 411 and 415 Bernard Street in Los Angeles in 1994.
Preferred Citation
[Item], Fritz Collection, Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
Processing Information
The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California purchased the Fritz Family Property located at 411 and 415 Bernard Street
in Los Angeles in 1994, and inherited the Fritz Family Collection.
As part of the CHSSC Archive's mission to pursue, preserve, and communicate knowledge of the history of Chinese Americans
in Southern California, the Fritz Collection serves as a valuable addition for future resesarchers, scholars, and community
members who are intersted in the historical transition of New Chinatown and some of the original French immigrants in this
area. In addition, this collection serves as a backbone for CHSSC's own history, where these properties are now our main headquarters.
Kristy Phan primarily processed the collection circa 2017, with the starting point of categorizing the items into loose groups
that eventually became our series headings. She developed 8 series and placed most materials into numbered folders inside
the boxes where they were originally found. Intern, Amanda Galvez, continued processing the collection in 2021, to complete
the series and subseries organization by creating more numbered folders and processing two boxes of materials previously labeled
"uncategorized." With Collections Manager, Coryn Hardison's help, we decided to move two photographs from this box into Box
5, where all the other photographs are stored, as well as moved a small chalkboard into Box 8, where other artifacts are stored.
Once all the materials were identified, the boxes underwent a labeling and numbering process, and were moved accordingly.
Many of the documents are housed in their original order, which is important to the integrity of the collection.
Scope and Contents
This collection includes photographs, artifacts, newspaper and magazine clippings, maps, letters, and other ephemera from
the Fritz Family. There is a large amount of documents revolving around the Los Angeles Fritz property including papers on
construction, renovation, expenses, and reports; and other financial documents personal to the family inclduing taxes, expenses,
and employment records. Three-dimensional objects found inside the Fritz household or used as decoration are also included.
Personal medical, administrative, and education records, as well as Otta Whiting's masonic materials, and personal correspondences
are also a part of the collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Employment
Cost and standard of living
Income tax deductions for taxes
Medical records
Education
Correspondence
Social security records
Freemasonry
Property
Construction
Chinatowns
Buildings- repair and reconstruction
Renovation (architecture)
Photographs
Family vacations
Family
Landscapes
Nature
Firemen
Dwellings- maintenance and repair
Garden tools
Home furnishings
Household appliances
Decoration
Notebooks
Clippings
Newspapers
Los Angeles (Calif.)- Newspapers
Death notices
Newspapers- sections, columns, etc.- Front pages
Maps
Roads- California- Los Angeles Metropolitan Area- Maps
Historical geography- maps, Los Angeles (Calif.)- maps
Business cards
Voting- United States
Membership cards
Bank notes
Textbooks
German language
box 1, folder 6-11, box 2, folder 1, box 3, folder 1, box 4
Financial records
Circa1920-1982
Creator: Fritz-Whiting, Louise
Creator: Whiting, Otta
Physical Description: 1.48 Linear Feet4 boxes, 8 folders
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of Louise Whiting and Otta Whiting's taxes, expenses, and employment records.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Employment
Cost and standard of living
Income tax deductions for taxes
box 1, folder 1, 2, 18, 19, 20, box 2, folder 2, box 3, folder 2, box 4
Personal records
Circa 1930
Creator: Fritz-Whiting, Louie
Creator: Whiting, Otta
Physical Description: 1.18 Linear Feet4 boxes, 7 folders
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of medical records, social security. edaction, masonic materials, etc.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Medical records
Social security records
Education
Correspondence
Freemasonry
box 1, folder 12-16, box 2, folder 3, box 3, folder 3
Property documents
Circa 1910-1978
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: .35 Linear Feet3 boxes, 7 folders
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of documents pertaining to constructions and renovations of the Los Angeles Fritz property.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Property
Construction
Chinatowns
Renovation (architecture)
Buildings- repair and reconstruction
box 5, folder 1-11, box 5, box 6, folder 1
Photographs
Circa 1910-1970
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: 1.43 Linear Feet2 box, 12 folders
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series is compirsed of photographs taken of or by the Fritz family. Photos of work (firemen), cation/nature/scenery,
and family photos.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photographs
Family vacations
Family
Nature
Landscapes
Firemen
Freemasonry
box 5, folder 1-11, box 5
Personal
Circa 1910-1960
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: 1.38 Linear Feet1 box, 1 folder
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This sub-series level contains photos of family members.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photographs
Family
Family vacations
Nature
Landscapes
box 6, folder 1
Professional
1939
1948
Creator: Whiting, Otta
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet1 box, 1 folder
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This sub-series is comprised of photos related to work and occupation.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Firemen
Freemasonry
box 7, box 7, carton 1-7, box 8, carton 1-4, box 8, object 9, object Wood burning stove, object Rocking chairs, object Spinning wheel, object Oil paintings, object Framed certificates of employment, object Above sink, object Frames
Artifacts
Circa 1930-1992
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: 4.39 Linear Feet3 boxes, 11 record containers, plus 15 objects (located at repository).
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains three-dimensional objects found in the Fritz household or used in its repair/upkeep.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Dwellings- maintenance and repair
Garden tools
Home furnishings
Household appliances
Decoration
Notebooks
Freemasonry
box 7, box 7, carton 1-7
Household items
Circa 1930-1992
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: 1.18 Linear Feet1 box, 7 record containers
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This sub-series is comprised of three-dimensional objects used in the Fritz home, often relating to repairs and maintenance.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Dwellings- maintenance and repair
Garden tools
Home furnishings
object Wood burning stove, object Rocking chairs, object Spinning wheel, object Oil paintings, object Framed certificates of employment, object Above sink, object Frames
Appliances and Decoration
1930-1992
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: 57 (estimated) Cubic Feet15 objects
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This sub-series is comprised of three-dimensional home furnishing obejcts, from decoration to appliances.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Home furnishings
Household appliances
Decoration
box 8, carton 1-4, box 8, box 9
Assorted
1930-1992
Creator: Fritz
Creator: Whiting, Otta
Physical Description: 3.21 Linear Feet2 boxes, 4 record containers
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This sub-series is comprised of three-dimensioanl objects important in the Fritz family's lives, including their dog's leash,
leather goods, wallets, notebooks, and Otta Whiting's masonic materials.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Notebooks
Freemasonry
box 1, folder 17, box 2, folder 5, box 3, folder 4
Clippings
Circa 1930-1950
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: .15 Linear Feet3 boxes, 3 folders
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of newspaper and magazine clippings.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Clippings
Los Angeles (Calif.)- Newspapers
Newspapers
Death notices
Newspapers- sections, columns, etc.- Front pages
box 1, folder 4, box 2, folder 6, box 3, folder 5, box 3
Ephemera
Circa 1937
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: .98 Linear Feet3 boxes, 3 folders
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of maps, business cards, voting stubs, and other ephemera.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Maps
Roads- California- Los Angeles Metropolitan Area- Maps
Historical geography- maps, Los Angeles (Calif.)- maps
Business cards
Voting- United States
box 1, folder 3, 5, box 2, folder 7, box 3, folder 6
Miscellaneous
Circa 1930
Creator: Fritz
Physical Description: .2 Linear Feet3 boxes, 4 folders
Language of Material: English, German.
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of appliance instructions, membership cards, German banknotes, ect.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Household appliances
Dwellings- maintenance and repair
Membership cards
Bank notes
Textbooks
German language
