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Guide to the Stuart Family Mount Laguna Collection
MS 218
MS 218
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Table of contents
Title: Stuart Family Mount Laguna Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 218
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
2.0 Linear feet
(4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1915-1995
Abstract: This collection contains personal and business papers pertaining to the Stuart family of Mount Laguna from 1915 to 1995. The
collection includes personal correspondence, lodge and cabin rentals and sales, and papers regarding their involvement in
the Mount Laguna Post Office, Mount Laguna Improvement Association and Mount Laguna Protective Association.
creator:
Stuart family
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Carrier’s Route Directory and Address Book cover partially detached from binding, as well as some pages completely detached
from binding.
Stuart Family Mount Laguna Collection, MS 218, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Collection processed by Aimee Santos on January 24, 2012.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
This collection is open for research. Original photographs previously separated to the SDHC Photograph Collection.
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Biographical / Historical Notes
Arthur Clay Stuart was born in Carthage, Missouri. He quit school after the sixth grade then left home at the age of thirteen.
Despite his early departure from school, daughter Sue Martin expressed that “he read everything he got his hands on.” Eventually
he would come to California during the depression to seek work. In 1936, Clay found employment with the Works Progress Administration
Forest Service and was sent to a remote tent cabin in Mount Laguna, located in the Cleveland National Forest, to build a water
system. Mrs. Ruth Marie Stuart followed as soon as she could. One of the original families in the area, Clay and Ruth made
it home for the next fifty years. They were considered pioneers, devoting their time to develop and improve Mount Laguna.
In 1942, Clay bought the Laguna Mountain Lodge store and the Post Office building. In time he owned the Laguna Mountain Lodge,
the Blue Jay Lodge, and the Pine House Café. He also ran the Blue Jay Dine and Dance Lounge, and Pine House Dining room and
recreation center. Ruth, who was a licensed real estate broker, helped run the Lodge. She also served as Postmaster for the
Mount Laguna Post Office from January 1942 to October 1965. Clay would serve as Postmaster from October 1965 to June 1972.
Clay was involved in the Mount Laguna Improvement Association, also known as the Burnt Rancheria – El Centro Improvement Association,
which was responsible for the development and implementation of a water pipeline. The pipeline became known to the community
as the “miracle well” because it brought a reliable source of water to the area. Clay also took part in the construction of
the Mount Laguna Community Church, a one-room school house. For fifteen years, he served as chairman on the board of directors
for the Mountain Empire Electric Company Rural Electrification Administration (REA). For an equal amount of time, Clay served
as trustee and chairman on the board of the Mountain Empire School District. In the 1950s and early 1960s, he was chairman
of the San Diego County Committee for School Reorganization. At different times, Clay and Ruth acted as secretary for the
Mount Laguna Protective Association which dealt with electricity and the construction of the Laguna Highway.
Clay and Ruth lived with their two children above the Mount Laguna Lodge until Clay went into retirement and sold all his
property in 1967.
This collection contains personal and business papers pertaining to the Stuart family of Mount Laguna dated from 1915 to 1995.
Significant documents include records of cabin sales and rentals as well as papers demonstrating daily functions of the Mount
Laguna Post Office. There are also records from the Mount Laguna Improvement Association, responsible for drafting and operation
of the water pipeline, and Mount Laguna Protective Association, involved in electricity and construction of the Laguna highway,
including lists of permittees and subscribers, correspondence and finances.
Collection is arranged into five series:
Series I: Stuart Family Personal Papers
Series II: Laguna Mountains Lodge and Cabins
Series III: Mount Laguna Post Office
Series IV: Mount Laguna Improvement Association
Series V: Mount Laguna Protective Association
Items in each series are arranged by subject.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number 990601A.
Original photographs separated to the SDHC Photograph Collection, Accession number 2002/050.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Blue Jay Dine and Dance Lounge.
Blue Jay Lodge.
Burnt Rancheria – El Centro Improvement Association.
Cleveland National Forest (Agency : U.S.).
Laguna Mountain Lodge.
Mount Laguna Community Church.
Mount Laguna Improvement Association.
Mount Laguna Protective Association.
Mountain Empire Electric Company.
Mountain Empire School District.
Pine House Cafe.
Pine House Recreation Center.
San Diego County Committee for School Reorganization.
Stuart family
Stuart, Arthur Clay
Stuart, Ruth Marie
United States. Works Progress Administration.
Building
Church
Cleveland National Forest (Calif.)
Electricity
Lodging-houses
Mount Laguna (Calif.)
Mountains -- California
Post-office
Postmasters
REA bulletin
Real property
Roads
San Diego (Calif.)
Water
Water-pipes