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Harris (Philip B.) photographs of Los Angeles railway surveys and World War I France
photCL 187  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Preferred Citation
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Biographical / Historical
  • Scope and Contents
  • Processing Information
  • Custodial History

  • Contributing Institution: The Huntington LibraryPhoto Archives
    Title: Philip B. Harris photographs of Los Angeles railway surveys and World War I France
    Identifier/Call Number: photCL 187
    Physical Description: 2.76 Linear Feet (3 boxes)
    Date (inclusive): 1901-1920s
    Abstract: A collection of photographs compiled or created by Philip B. Harris of railroad construction and survey work in the Los Angeles area, 1901-1920s, and photographs of soldiers, ruins, and other scenes in World War I France.
    Language of Material: Materials are in English.

    Conditions Governing Access

    Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

    Conditions Governing Use

    The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item]. Philip B. Harris photographs of Los Angeles railway surveys and World War I France, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    Gift of Roger S. Rees, August 1967.

    Biographical / Historical

    Philip B. Harris (1879-1955) studied civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and in 1901 started working for the Pacific Electric Railway Company. In 1903, he became Assistant Engineer of the Los Angeles Railway, where he would spend almost his entire career. In 1906, he transferred briefly to the San Bernardino Traction Company and the Los Angeles & Redondo Railway Company. In 1910, he returned to the Los Angeles Railway as Superintendent of Construction and Maintenance. During World War I he left to serve as a captain with the U.S. Army's 22nd Engineers in France. After the war he returned to the Los Angeles Railway as Chief Engineer, then eventually rose to President and General Manager from 1939 until his retirement in 1945.

    Scope and Contents

    This collection contains photographs taken or compiled by Philip B. Harris, related to his 42-year career with the Los Angeles Railway and his service as a captain in the U.S. Army Engineers, World War I. The majority of railroad construction scenes are related to the Los Angeles Railway, approximately 1905-1920s. Images include: construction and engineering work on railroads in the Los Angeles area; Harris and other men working on surveying projects, 1902, in Mount Lowe and Garvanza; survey parties in the California Sierras and San Bernardino Mountains. Some images appear to depict the Pacific Electric Railway construction surveying party that Harris was put in charge of soon after he graduated, in 1901. A photograph album, 1901-approximately 1919, includes views of Redondo Beach; personal images of Harris and family members; San Pedro Harbor; and railroad tracks being laid for a streetcar line. Several images show Latino workers digging and laying tracks, approximately 1903. The album has handwritten captions for several photographs, but many scenes are unidentified. The images of World War I France include 52 photographs by Harris, with some commercial photographic postcards. Images show war ruins; decorated graves; battlefields; soldiers; people at train stations; countryside scenes, and a group portrait of Harris and other uniformed soldiers at Roymeaux Field, May 21, 1919. There are also photographic postcards of various tourist scenes in France and war-damaged buildings. Box 3 contains a rolled panoramic photograph of over 100 soldiers, including Harris, of the U.S. Army 22nd Corps of Engineers, 1918, at Fort Harrison, Indiana. The collection also includes a typewritten biographical sketch of Harris and a list of names and addresses of engineers and railroad workers from Harris' address book.

    Processing Information

    Processed by Huntington Library staff, circa late-20th century. In 2020, Suzanne Oatey created a finding aid derived from a collection file.

    Custodial History

    The donor's mother, Edna Rees, was Philip B. Harris' executor. Donor Roger S. Rees was an employee in the Power Department of the Los Angeles Railway.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Railroad construction workers
    Railroads -- California -- Los Angeles -- History
    Railroads -- Design and construction
    Redondo Beach (Calif.)
    San Pedro (Los Angeles, Calif.)
    Street-railroads -- California -- Los Angeles -- History
    World War, 1914-1918 -- France
    Panoramic photographs
    Photograph albums
    Photographs
    Los Angeles Railway
    Pacific Electric Railway Company