Collection Guide
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Allyn, (Merrill Carr) collection of negatives, circa 1937-1958
MVC085
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Contributing Institution:
Museum of Ventura County
Title: Merill Carr Allyn collection
Creator:
Allyn, Merrill Carr
Identifier/Call Number: MVC085
Physical Description:
1.46 Cubic Feet
(2 boxes)
Date (inclusive): circa 1937-1958
Abstract: Merrill Carr Allyn, born in 1904, moved to Upper Ojai with his family when he was four years old. After graduating from Ventura
High School in 1922, he developed a lifelong interest in boating and sea life. He started working as a deckhand for a local
boater and eventually opened a boat-building business. He also served as commissioner of the Ventura Port District several
times in the 1950s and 1960s. Allyn was an amateur photographer and this collection consists entirely of his negatives. The
images include boats, the Ventura Pier and its environs, trips to the Channel Islands and along the California coast, marine
life, fishing catches, and friends and family of Allyn.
Physical Location: COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Stored off-site and advance notice is required for timely retrieval. Please request materials
2-3 days in advance. Researchers MUST make a research appointment on the Research Library website."
Research Library website . Please make a note of the box numbers or container you are requesting.
Language of Material:
English
.
Open for research. Advance requests can be made to Research Library staff via email.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, have
not been determined. Contact the Research Library for further information: library@venturamuseum.org.
[Identification of item], Merrill Carr Allyn, (Collection MVC085), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Robert Dana Teague; gift; unknown donation date.
Processed by Krystell Jimenez, 2023.
Our collections are processed using MPLP methods so that we can 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.
Merrill Carr Allyn was born in Los Angeles on August 4, 1904. When he was four years old, his family moved to a ranch in the
upper Santa Ana Valley, now more commonly known as Upper Ojai. He graduated from Ventura High School in 1922. He soon began
to work as a deckhand for H. Bay Webster, a seaman who had a business offering tourists excursions to the Channel Islands.
He also ran a sport fishing boat for a while.
During the Great Depression he spent 2 winters on Anacapa Island living in a cabin and tending to lobster traps. At one point
he purchased a 40-foot charter boat that he used to earn a living through light hauling, tourism, fishing, and lobstering.
Following World War II, Allyn launched a boat building business, producing 8- and 10-foot dinghies. His shop was originally
located at the pier and eventually moved to Front Street. His boats were called "Allyn boats" and were known for their sturdiness
and ability to withstand harsh conditions. Allyn's boat shop would become a place for boaters to gather, exchange news and
information, and hold informal meetings.
He was a supporter of a small-boat marina in Ventura. Prior to the opening of the Ventura Marina, boaters had to keep their
craft at Santa Barbara. He was appointed to the board of the Ventura Port District on April 26, 1955 and served as commissioner
three times. He was also a writer and amateur photographer. He wrote several manuscripts including
Three Old Kings of Anacapa Island and the article "The Ever Changing Islands" in
Boats Magazine (1958).
Allyn died at the age of 62 in Santa Paula on February 23, 1967 with family.
This collection consists entirely of negatives created by Allyn during the course of his life. The images include boats, boat
wrecks, the Ventura Pier, trips to Anacapa, Santa Cruz and San Miguel Islands, boat trips along California's coast, marine
life around the Channel Islands, fishing catches, social gatherings, local events, and friends and family of Allyn.
There are no series in this collection. Original order of materials has been maintained. The negatives were originally housed
in four wooden trays. The original order and grouping of these negatives have been maintained.
Some envelopes have been replaced due to being severely damaged; however, we have maintained the original labels as they were
written. All labels are original unless they appear in brackets []. Description in brackets was created by the archivist in
order to clarify or better describe the materials. The inventory listed envelopes that appear to be missing. These are noted
in both the boxes and the inventory.
There is an inventory for this collection. It contains envelope labels and any other description that is included on the envelopes.
The inventory can be viewed in this
Merrill Carr Allyn Negatives Inventory document.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Boats and boating
Fishing -- Channel Islands
Nature photography -- Channel Islands
Shipwrecks
Marine fishes
Allyn, Merrill Carr -- Archives