The Judson Grenier Collection (1812 – 2014, undated) documents Dr. Judson Grenier's research into families connected to the Rancho San Pedro. Located in the South Bay of Los Angeles County, the Rancho San Pedro is one of the first great land grants, held by Juan Jose Dominguez and his heirs from 1874 into the 21st century. The materials in this collection focus largely on the Watson family and the Carson family, who are among the later heirs to the Rancho San Pedro lands. This collection gathers Grenier's research for two books, >California Legacy: the Watson Family and George Carson: Los Angeles Pioneer. It also includes materials about Robert Gillingham, the main historian of the Rancho San Pedro, the Banning Family, and California State University, Dominguez Hills, where Grenier served as founding professor of the History Department. The collection includes personal notes, letters within and between families, financial materials, photographs, maps, publications, and more.

Dr. Judson Grenier was born in Indiana in 1930. His education includes a Bachelor's Degree at the University of Minnesota (1951), a Master's Degree at the University of Southern California (1952), and Doctorate in History at University of California, Los Angles (circa 1956). During his academic training he interviewed author Upton Sinclair. After a few years as a journalist for the Los Angeles Mirror-News, he began his teacher career at El Camino College in Torrance, CA in 1956. In 1966 he began working at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) as the first chairman of the History Department. He taught at CSUDH for 27 years where he co-directed the California State University Oral History Project. At CSUDH he conducted research on several topics including the Dominguez Family lands on the Rancho San Pedro, the 1910 International Aviation Meet at Dominguez Field, the California State University and several other topics. He published the first history of CSUDH entitled "The Rainbow Years (1960-1985). With Donald R. Gerth, he published A History of the California State University and Colleges (ca. 1982). Additionally, he published works included the following: California Legacy: The Watson Family and George Carson: Los Angeles Pioneer (2014). Dr. Grenier was also edited the second edition of Robert Gillingham's 1961 book, The Rancho San Pedro in 1983. In 1981 he published the pamphlet, Reminiscences of the Dominguez Ranch and the Carson family : an oral history.

1.25 Linear Feet

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There are no access restrictions on this collection.