Derrah (Robert Vincent) papers, circa 1922-circa 1946

Collection context

Summary

Title:
Robert Vincent Derrah papers
Dates:
circa 1922-circa 1946
Creators:
Derrah, Robert Vincent, 1895-1946
Extent:
18.0 Linear feet (4 record storage boxes and 5 flat file drawers)
Language:
Preferred citation:

Robert Vincent Derrah papers, Architecture and Design Collection. Art, Design & Architecture Museum; University of California, Santa Barbara.

Background

Scope and content:

The Robert Vincent Derrah papers span 18 linear feet and date from circa 1922 to circa 1946. The collection is primarily composed of architectural drawings, reprographic copies, and presentation boards of commercial and residential buildings, including a house and a studio for the actor Charlie Chaplin, and many apartment buildings, in the Los Angeles area.

The collection also includes clippings, correspondence in the form of letters and telegraphs, architectural pamphlets, black-and-white photographs and negatives of Derrah’s Coca-Cola buildings, the Crossroads of the World commercial complex, residential buildings, and the 1941 Southern California Gas Company building in downtown Los Angeles.

Biographical / historical:

Robert Vincent Derrah was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 14, 1895. Derrah was a graduate of both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University with degrees in architecture. He came to Southern California in 1924 and established his firm Derrah and Associates in Beverly Hills. His most notable Los Angeles projects include: the Southern California Gas Company building # 1 in downtown Los Angeles, Crossroads of the World, Acme Brewery, and the streamline modern style Coca Cola Company Plant on Central Avenue. Derrah died in Los Angeles on October 9, 1946, at the age of 51.

Custodial history:

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Jensen, 1992.

Physical location:
Boxes 1-3/ADC - regular Box 4/ADC - oversize** 5 Flat File Drawers/ADC - flat files
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Jocelyn Gibbs, Jillian O'Connor, Chris Marino, and Julia Lawson
Sponsor:
The processing of this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources “Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives” Project.
Date Prepared:
08/15/2011
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2017-10-18T14:48-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

Partially processed collection, open for use by qualified researchers.

Preferred citation:

Robert Vincent Derrah papers, Architecture and Design Collection. Art, Design & Architecture Museum; University of California, Santa Barbara.

Location of this collection:
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-7130, US
Contact:
(805) 893-2724