Owen C. Coy Collection

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
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007-4057
(213) 763-3359
seavercenter@nhm.org
https://nhm.org/research-collections/departments/history/seaver-center-western-history-research
2022


Descriptive Summary

Title: Owen C. Coy Collection
Dates: 1925-1950
Collection Number: GC 1003
Creator/Collector: Coy, Owen Cochran, 1884-1952
Extent: (Boxes: 157 legal, 12 letter, 7 record storage, 1 oversize)
Repository: Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles, California 90007-4057
Abstract: The bulk of the collection consists of newspaper clippings arranged by county and by topic. Subjects covered include the Gold Rush, transportation, and biographies. There is a strong emphasis on the California parlors of the Native Sons of the Golden West, Native Daughters of the Golden West, Daughters of the American Revolution, and women's clubs. The WPA survey work sponsored by the California State Historical Association includes a compilation of materials on California place names and landmarks. There are also many term papers written by Coy's students and arranged by subject. ca. 1925-1950
Language of Material: English

Access

Research is by appointment only

Publication Rights

Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item]. Owen C. Coy Collection. Collection Number: GC 1003. Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Biography/Administrative History

Owen Cochran Coy (1884-1952) had a long career in the field of history. He taught at Eureka High School in Northern California (1909-1913). He served as the secretary and subsequently as director for the California Historical Survey Commission from 1915-1923. He was a professor of history at the University of Southern California from 1925-1950. Following the commission’s administrative restructuring, he served as director of the California State Historical Association (CSHA) from 1923 to 1950. He served as a state technical director of the Historical Records Survey, W.P.A. in 1936. His publication work included editing Pictorial History of California and serving as editor for the CSHA serial publication, California History Nugget.

Scope and Content of Collection

The bulk of the collection consists of newspaper clippings arranged by county and by topic. Subjects covered include the Gold Rush, transportation, and biographies. There is a strong emphasis on the California parlors of the Native Sons of the Golden West, Native Daughters of the Golden West, Daughters of the American Revolution, and women's clubs. The WPA survey work sponsored by the California State Historical Association includes a compilation of materials on California place names and landmarks. There are also many term papers written by Coy's students and arranged by subject. ca. 1925-1950