Purdy (Carl) collection, 1900-1950

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Scope and content:: The collection consists of about ninety sales catalogs for native California bulbs and plants from Carl Purdy’s nursery in Ukiah from 1900 to 1950. The collection also includes a small amount of Purdy’s business correspondence with Susanna Bixby Bryant (founder of California Botanic Garden [Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden]) and the owners of other nurseries, catalogs from other nurseries, announcements to customers from Purdy’s son Elmer, a partial manuscript about Purdy, and a photograph of Purdy.
Biographical / historical:: Carl Purdy was born in Michigan in 1861. In 1870, his family moved to El Robles, California and purchased a ranch, where Purdy began collecting and selling native plants and bulbs to nurseries and herbaria on the east coast and abroad while studying to be a teacher. He began his own business in the 1880s in Ukiah, where he specialized in the sale of native California bulbs and plants, with a particular interest in lilies. He issued his first catalog in 1896. Purdy was also involved in landscaping work and gardening expositions, and published widely in horticultural journals. Purdy died in 1945. His nursery business was continued by his children.

Subjects:: Bulb industry--California
Native plant industry--California
Nurseries (Horticulture)--California
Sales catalogs
Correspondence

Collection Guide Author:: Finding aid created by California Botanic Garden staff.
Date Prepared:: 1900-1950
Date Encoded:: This finding aid was produced using Record Express for OAC5 on July 14, 2025, 2:54 p.m.

Access and use

Restrictions:: The collection is open to research. Contact the repository for access.
Terms of access:: Copyright of some materials in this collection are held by the creator and some are in public domain. Consult the Librarian for details.

Location of this collection:: California Botanic Garden

1500 N College Avenue

Claremont, CA 91711, US