Clemens (Gordon) Collection of Albert Leon Van Houtte, 1900s-1950s

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Summary

Title:
Gordon Clemens Collection of Albert Leon Van Houtte Materials
Dates:
1900s-1950s
Creators:
Van Houtte, Albert Leon, 1883-1950
Abstract:
Albert Leon Van Houtte (1883-1950) was born in Monterey in 1883 to Charles and Sarah Van Houtte, one of many children. Albert was an author, actor, and lecturer, traveling throughout the country lecturing on psychological subjects. He lived in the South Pacific and Mexico for a number of years and was considered an able authority on the art of both places. This collection contains manuscripts, B&W photographs of various sizes, sepia photographs of various sizes, and a scrapbook which contains newspaper clippings, lecture brochure, playbill, research notes, article about A.L. Van Houtte, government patent card, and sheet music.
Extent:
3 archival boxes (photographs, manuscripts, scrapbook), 1 folder of collected papers
Language:
Preferred citation:

Gordon Clemens Collection, Henry Meade Williams Local History Room, Harrison Memorial Library, Carmel, CA

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains manuscripts, B&W photographs of various sizes, sepia photographs of various sizes, and a scrapbook which contains newspaper clippings, lecture brochure, playbill, research notes, article about A.L. Van Houtte, government patent card, and sheet music. This collection was donated to the Harrison Memorial Library by Gordon L. Clemens.

Biographical / historical:

Albert Leon Van Houtte was born in Monterey in 1883 to Charles and Sarah Van Houtte, one of many children. Albert was an author, actor, and lecturer, traveling throughout the country lecturing on psychological subjects. He lived in the South Pacific and Mexico for a number of years and was considered an able authority on the art of both places. He came back to Carmel in the 1920s and lived there until his death in 1950. Interested in the theater, he took part in many activities of local drama groups and was a member of the casts of both “Joan of Lorraine” and “Dream Girl.” Albert was the author of the 1923 novel "The bells of El Carmelo : a romance of California of today," and several unpublished books.

Acquisition information:
Donated by Clemens Gordon
Processing information:

Inventoried 2019

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid created by Harrison Memorial Library staff.
Date Prepared:
1900s-1950s
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using Record Express for OAC5 on July 14, 2025, 2:55 p.m.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Materials are open for research.

Terms of access:

The Henry Meade Local History Room, Harrison Memorial Library does not hold copyright to these items. Permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder by the user.

Preferred citation:

Gordon Clemens Collection, Henry Meade Williams Local History Room, Harrison Memorial Library, Carmel, CA

Location of this collection:
P.O. Box 800
Mission St & 6th Ave
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921, US
Contact:
(831) 624-1615
hml.localhist@gmail.com
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