Los Angeles Motor Car Company Business Records
Finding aid created by Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County staff using
RecordEXPRESS
Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
2018
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007-4057
(213) 763-3359
seavercenter@nhm.org
http://www.nhm.org/site/research-collections/seaver-center
Title: Los Angeles Motor Car Company Business Records
Dates: 1908-1912
Collection Number: GC 1375
Creator/Collector:
Leavitt, Ralph J.
Cotton, Charles M.
Los Angeles Motor Car Company (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Locomobile Company of America (Bridgeport, Conn.)
Extent: 3.5 linear feet (9 legal size archival boxes)
Repository:
Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles, California 90007-4057
Abstract: The Los Angeles Motor Car Company Business Records consists of correspondence, telegrams, work orders, invoices, sales receipts,
and minutes for the business dating between 1908 – 1912.
Language of Material: English
Research is by appointment only
Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder
Los Angeles Motor Car Company Business Records. Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los
Angeles County
Biography/Administrative History
The Los Angeles Motor Car Company (LAMCC) was incorporated in Los Angeles County on 3rd of October 1908. The Incorporation
records list the following people as the original directors of the company: Ralph J. Leavitt, LaBree (LaBrae) Leavitt and
Nathan P. Bundy. According to the Incorporation records the primary purpose of the company was “…To own, sell, manufacture,
transfer, lease and deal in automobiles and vehicles of all descriptions.”
The business was located at the corner of Hill and Pico Streets in Los Angeles (1301 S. Hill Street), in a building that previously
housed the Success Automobile Corporation. The Los Angeles Motor Car Company was the Southern California distributor for Locomobile
of America, headquartered in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Los Angeles Motor Car Company’s main line of business was selling the various models of Locomobiles in Los Angeles, Fresno,
Santa Barbara, and San Diego. They also sold Locomobiles to various mining companies including Gold Star Mines Company in
Dome, Arizona and Imperial Development Company Hechicera, B.C. Mexico. As part of their business the company serviced the
cars, assisted with car insurance, ordered and distributed parts for the Locomobiles.
Officers: Ralph J. Leavitt (1908-1910), LaBee or LaBae Leavitt (1908-1909), Nathan P. Bundy (1908), Samuel MacConnell (1908),
H,.M. Cain (1908), Charles M. Cotton (General Manager 1910-1912), Valentine Peyton (President 1910-1912), Robert C. Peyton
(Sec.-Treasurer 1909-1912)
Scope and Content of Collection
The Los Angeles Motor Car Collection is comprised of 9 legal sized archival boxes of documents, correspondence and telegrams,
ledger books, minute books, invoices and sales slips. The collection is divided into the following series:
Series 1. Business Correspondence, 1908-1912
Series 2. Business and Legal Records, 1908 - 1912
Automobile dealerships -- California -- Los Angeles
Automobile dealerships -- California -- San Francisco
Auto industry and trade -- California
Auto industry and trade -- History
Leavitt, LaBrea
Leavitt, Ralph J.
Cotton, Charles M.
Huron, Rock
Page, J. Murray
Nares, L. A.
Naylor, F. B.
Motor Car Dealers Association
Locomobile Company of America