Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Nathan W. Blanchard papers
- Dates:
- circa 1846-1976
- Creators:
- Blanchard, Nathan W.
- Abstract:
- The Nathan W. Blanchard collection consists of photographs, illustrations, papers, diaries, letters and other ephemera regarding the Blanchard family from the 1860s to the 1970s. Nathan W. Blanchard (1831-1917), who would later be a co-founder the Limoneira Company and oversee the successful planting and harvesting of over 50,000 citrus trees in the county, is best known for establishing the town of Santa Paula with E. L. Bradley in 1873. This collection also contains genealogical maps and family trees produced by and for the Blanchard family.
- Extent:
- 5.89 Cubic Feet
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Nathan W. Blanchard papers, (Collection MVC034), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection consists of photographs, illustrations, papers, diaries, letters, and ephemera regarding the Blanchard family from the 1860s to the present. There are also some items of a genealogical nature and family tree as well as news clippings chronicling family births and deaths.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Nathan Weston Blanchard was born to Merrill Blanchard and Eunice Weston Blanchard on July 24, 1831. In 1873, Blanchard and E. L. Bradley established the town of Santa Paula, which was later incorporated in 1902. After several successes plants and harvesting orange trees around the Santa Paula area, N. W. B. partnered with Union Oil Company founder Wallace Hardison to establish the Limoneira Company in 1893. By the time Blanchard retired in 1898, the company had successfully planted over 50,000 citrus trees in the county. Nathan Weston Blanchard died on October 23, 1917.
- Acquisition information:
- Dean Hobbs Blanchard; gift; 2006. Nathan W. Blanchard, IV; gift; 2014.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Library Staff, 2010. Additional boxes processed by Marcia Stock, 2025.
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.
- Arrangement:
-
This collection does not have any series and has been described at the item level.
- Physical location:
- Stored at the MVC Research Library. All requests to access special collections can be made in advance by emailing the Research Library reference desk.
- Physical facet:
- (5 boxes)
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Sponsor:
- This finding aid was made possible in part through funding from the County of Ventura and the Heritage Fund at the Ventura County Community Foundation.
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-12-09 22:15:45 +0000 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
COLLECTION STORED ON-SITE: Open for research. Advance requests can be made to Research Library staff via email.
- Terms of access:
-
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the museum does not hold the copyright.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Nathan W. Blanchard papers, (Collection MVC034), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
100 East Main StreetVentura, CA 93001, US
- Contact:
- (805) 653-0323, ext 320