Collection Guide
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California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Rose Float Records
0020
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Title: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Rose Float Records
Creator:
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Rose Float Club
Creator:
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Rose Float Committee
Creator:
Cal Poly Pomona Rose Float Alumni Association
Identifier/Call Number: 0020
Contributing Institution:
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Special Collections and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
70.55 Linear Feet
(144 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1948-2016
Abstract: The Cal Poly Rose Float has been jointly created students of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and California
Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo every year since 1949. These "floral entries," as the floats are known, take
part in the world famous Rose Parade held on New Years' Day in Pasadena, California. The collection includes administrative
records that document the activities of the Rose Float Club, Rose Float Committee, and Rose Float Alumni Association; materials
from and correspondence with the Tournament of Roses Association; financial records for the Rose Float Club, Rose Float Committee,
and Rose Float Alumni Association; materials documenting the design, construction, and decoration of the Cal Poly Floats,
including renderings and models; photographs of the floats, the parade, Club and Committee members, and related events; publicity
materials to promote the Cal Poly floats and news clippings; audiovisual materials including recordings of the Cal Poly floats
in the Tournament of Roses Parade and sound effects used for the floats; memorabilia; and awards won by the Cal Poly Rose
Float program.
Advance notice required for access.
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository
and the copyright holder.
[Box/folder# or item name], California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Rose Float Records, Collection no. 0020, University
Archives, Special Collections and Archives, University Library, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Cal Poly Pomona Rose Float Alumni Association transferred the majority of the collection to the University Library in
2002. The Cal Poly Pomona Rose Float Committee continues to periodically transfer materials to the University Library.
The Cal Poly Rose Float has been jointly created students of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and California
Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo every year since 1949. These "floral entries," as the floats are known, take
part in the world famous Rose Parade held on New Years' Day in Pasadena, California.
The first Rose Parade was staged by the Valley Hunt Club in 1890 as a way to showcase mild Southern California winters. In
junction with the parade, the Valley Hunt Club organized foot races, polo matches, and a game of tug-o-war. The parade, along
with these other events, became known as the Tournament of Roses. The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association was formed
in 1895 to oversee the growing Tournament, which was becoming a Southern California tradition. The parades soon began to incorporate
marching bands and equestrian units, and the first Rose Bowl Game was held in 1902. The Rose Bowl Game is the oldest of the
college football bowl games.
Rose Parade Floats have evolved from horse-drawn carriages decorated with flowers to large, complicated creations covered
completely in natural materials and mounted on a metal chassis with a drive train and animated with computer-controlled robotic
mechanisms. Private companies, community organizations, and various municipalities sponsor rose floats, however most of these
are built by professional float building companies. The Cal Poly Universities, along with a handful of other entrants, has
the distinction of creating "self-built" floats—floats designed, constructed, and decorated solely by volunteers.
From the beginning, the Rose Float has been a student-led effort. Cal Poly Voorhis (as the Pomona campus was then known) student
Don Miller proposed that the students build their first float in 1948 and served as the first chairman of the Rose Float Committee.
The entry—"Childhood Memories"—was built in only ninety days with a budget of $250 and won an Award of Merit from the parade's
judges.
The Cal Poly Rose Float program continued to grow after this initial success. Over the years the floats became larger, more
mechanically complex, and decorated with a wider variety of flowers. The vast majority of these flowers were grown on the
Pomona and San Luis Obispo campuses; no other self-built float furnished its own flowers. In addition, the Cal Poly Rose Float
program has pioneered a number of technological innovations in float design, including the first use of hydraulics in animation
in 1968, the first use of computer-controlled animation in 1978, the first use of fiber optics in 1982, and the first use
of animated deco in 2014 to create an ocean wave effect on the float "Bedtime Buccaneers." Cal Poly's innovation and creativity
in float design has won over forty awards including Princess Trophies for best display animation, Founder's Trophies for most
outstanding self-decorated float, Humor Trophies, Theme prizes, and Viewer's Choice Awards.
The Rose Float Committee continues to organize the design, construction, and decoration of the float every year. The Rose
Float Club was founded in the fall of 1969 as the auxiliary support group to the Rose Float Committee. A "Concept Contest"
is held at both campuses early in February; anyone can submit a drawing of their concept. Once a concept is selected, construction
begins. Students at each campus construct half of the float at their respective Rose Float Labs. In the fall, the San Luis
Obispo half is transported to Pomona where construction is completed. Rose Float Committee members can continue their involvement
after graduation by joining the Rose Float Alumni Association.
The Cal Poly Rose Float Records include administrative records that document the activities of the Rose Float Club, Rose Float
Committee, and Rose Float Alumni Association; materials from and correspondence with the Tournament of Roses Association;
financial records for the Rose Float Club, Rose Float Committee, and Rose Float Alumni Association; materials documenting
the design, construction, and decoration of the Cal Poly Floats, including renderings and models; photographs of the floats,
the parade, Club and Committee members, and related events; publicity materials to promote the Cal Poly floats and news clippings;
audiovisual materials including recordings of the Cal Poly floats in the Tournament of Roses Parade and sound effects used
for the floats; memorabilia; and awards won by the Cal Poly Rose Float program.
The collection is organized into the following series: Series 1. Administrative Records; Series 2. Financial Records; Series
3. Floats; Series 4. Photographs; Series 5. News and Publicity; Series 6. Audiovisual Materials; and Series 7. Memorabilia.
Special Collections staff and volunteers created a preliminary inventory of the collection in 2015.
Portions of the collection underwent further processing in 2017 by Emily Chavarria, Eilidh Cogswell, Rodney Cox, Alex Dan,
Patricia Delara, Elizabeth Gomez, Caryn Romo, and Marilyn Salazar under the supervision of Alexis Adkins to enhance findability
and access.
Processing of the collection was completed in 2018 by Neelam Patel. The finding aid was revised by Alexis Adkins and the collection
number changed from UA2002/8 to 0020.
Float parts, duplicate memorabilia, and Viewers' Choice Awards were deaccessioned and returned to the Cal Poly Pomona Rose
Float program in September 2019.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Tournament of Roses
Tournament of Roses Association
Parade floats -- Design and construction
Photographs
Slides (Photographs)
Drawings (visual works)
Models (representations)