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William Hammond Hall collection of photographs on irrigation and hydrology in California
PC 036  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Scope and Contents
  • Biographical / Historical
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Preferred Citation
  • Related Materials

  • Language of Material: English
    Contributing Institution: California Historical Society
    Title: William Hammond Hall collection of photographs on irrigation and hydrology in California
    Creator: Fryett, F.C.
    Creator: Hall, Wm. Ham. (William Hammond)
    Creator: Mathews, H.E.
    Creator: Parker Photo
    Creator: Rhea Brothers
    Creator: San Diego View Company
    Creator: Waite, C.B. (Charles Betts), 1861-1927
    Creator: Watkins, Carleton E., 1829-1916
    Creator: Wesner, H.B.
    Identifier/Call Number: PC 036
    Physical Description: 4.06 Linear Feet 1 half legal document box; 1 legal document box; 2 flat boxes
    Date (inclusive): 1868-1917
    Abstract: Consists of photographs depicting irrigation and water projects throughout California and other western locations collected by William Hammond Hall. The photographs were probably collected while Hall acted as California's first State Engineer (1878-1888) and while he worked in the private sector as a civil engineer. The photographs span the years 1868 to 1917 and depict various water projects throughout California. The photographs comprise a variety of formats including albumen silver prints; gelatin silver print; and cyanotype. Photographers represented in the collection include Carleton E. Watkins; H.B. Wesner; H.E. Mathews; C.B. Waite; Rhea Brothers; San Diego View Company; Parker Photo (Francis Parker) and F.C. Fryett.
    Language of Material: Collection materials are in English.

    Scope and Contents

    Consists of photographs depicting irrigation and water projects throughout California and other western locations collected by William Hammond Hall. The photographs were probably collected while Hall acted as California's first State Engineer (1878-1888) and while he worked in the private sector as a civil engineer. While the State Engineer, Hall developed the first state-wide water resource plan and he continued to work on irrigation and hydroelectric projects throughout his life. The photographs span the years 1868 to 1917 and depict various water projects including the Golden Gate Dam on the Feather River in Butte County; agriculture and irrigation projects in Kern County; the flooding of the New River (San Gabriel River) in Los Angeles County; the Yuba Dam in Bear Valley, Nevada County; the Donner Dam and Lake in Donner Valley, Nevada County; the Mill Dam and Truckee River in Nevada County; the Yuba River in Placer County; the Lake Hemet Dam in Riverside County; the Bear Valley Dam in San Bernardino; the San Diego Flume and Sweetwater Dam in San Diego County; construction of the Santa Ana Canal by the Bear Valley Irrigation Company in San Bernardino County; and other unidentified water and irrigation projects in unidentified locations. The collection also contains three panoramas, a six plate panorama showing the city of Redlands looking east toward the San Bernardino Mountains; a two plate panorama showing a reflecting pool and garden in Redlands; and finally a six plate panorama showing the Santa Ana Canal in San Bernardino County. The photographs comprise a variety of formats including albumen silver prints; gelatin silver print;and cyanotype. Photographers represented in the collection include Carleton E. Watkins; H.B. Wesner; H.E. Mathews; C.B. Waite; Rhea Brothers; San Diego View Company; Parker Photo (Francis Parker) and F.C. Fryett. Most photographs have stamp on back that reads: Collection of William Hammond Hall, C.E., San Francisco, California, 1846-1934.

    Biographical / Historical

    William Hammond Hall was born in Hagerstown, Maryland in 1846. He joined the Army Corps of Engineers in 1865 as a draftsman, but later worked in Oregon and California preparing topographical surveys. In 1870 he was commissioned by the San Francisco Park Commission to prepare a topographical survey for what would become Golden Gate Park. He was then commissioned to design the park and became the park's superintendent in 1871. Hall resigned from the position in 1876, but continued to serve as Consulting Engineer to the San Francisco Park Commission. In 1878 Hall became California's first State Engineer. He developed the first state-wide water resource plan. He served until 1888. In 1890 Hall entered the private sector as a civil engineer, where he continued to work on hydroelectric and irrigation projects. He died in San Francisco in 1934.

    Conditions Governing Access

    CHS is not taking appointments for research at this time. Please check the Library's website updates: https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/collections/north-baker-research-library/ 

    Conditions Governing Use

    Materials in this collection, which were created in 1868-1917, are in the public domain in the United States. Permission to publish or reproduce is not required.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    Materials found in collection; provenance is unknown.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item, date]; William Hammond Hall collection of photographs on irrigation and hydrology in California, PC 036; [box number, folder number]; California Historical Society.

    Related Materials

    William Hammond Hall Papers, 1878-1914 (MS 913) William Hammond Hall letter books, 1870-1883 (MS 914) William Hammond Hall Papers and Scrapbooks, 1873-1911 (MS 915)

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Agriculture -- California -- Pictorial works
    Albumen prints
    Aqueducts -- California -- Pictorial works
    Butte County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Cyanotypes
    Dams -- California -- Pictorial works
    Donner Lake (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Feather River (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Floods -- Los Angeles County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Flumes -- California -- Pictorial works
    Gelatin silver prints
    Irrigation -- California -- Pictorial works
    Juab County (Utah) -- Pictorial works
    Kern County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Kern River (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Lake Hemet (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Los Angeles County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Nevada County (Calif.)
    Panoramic photographs
    Photographic prints
    Placer County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Riverside County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Redlands (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    San Bernardino County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    San Bernardino Mountains (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    San Diego County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    San Gabriel River (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Santa Ana Canal (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Sweetwater Dam (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Truckee (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Truckee River (Calif. and Nev.) -- Pictorial works
    Yuba River (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
    Bear Valley Irrigation Company
    Mt. Nebo Land and Irrigation Company
    Lake Hemet Water Company