Guide to the Owens Valley Collection, Water Resources Collection
Jamella Gow
Special Collections, The Claremont Colleges Library
800 North Dartmouth Ave
Claremont, CA 91711
Email: specialcollections@claremont.edu
URL: https://library.claremont.edu/scl/
© 2021
The Claremont Colleges Library. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Owens Valley collection, Water Resources Collection
Inclusive Dates: 1907-1981
Bulk Dates: 1927-1933
Collection number: H.Mss.0595
Extent:
0.8 linear feet
(2 document boxes)
Repository:
Claremont Colleges. Library. Special Collections, The Claremont Colleges Library. Claremont, CA 91711.
Abstract: Collection consists of newspaper
clippings, government publications, reports, a map, and other documents related to the Los
Angeles Aqueduct and conflict with Owens Valley residents. Papers represent the voices of
Los Angeles County government officials, disgruntled Owens Valley residents, engineers, and
individuals writing about the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Materials detail the water battle
between Owens Valley residents and Los Angeles officials through newspapers, propaganda, and
other publications. Also included are later publications on the environmental impact of the
Los Angeles Aqueduct as well as written histories of the Owens Valley project and Los
Angeles Aqueduct.
Physical Location: Please consult repository.
Language of Material: Languages represented in
collection: English
Administrative Information
Access
Collection open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in writing to
Special Collections.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Owens Valley Collection (H.Mss.0595). Special Collections, The
Claremont Colleges Library, The Claremont Colleges Services.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Portions of collection have been purchased from Dawson's bookstore in 1946. Additional
items have been culled from a variety of sources by Special Collections staff.
Accruals
No additions to the collection are anticipated.
Processing Information
Arranged and Processed by Russell Michalak in 2008. Collection rearranged and re-catalogued
by Jamella Gow in 2013.
Scope and Content of the Collection
Materials consist of a multitude of newspaper sources from the Los Angeles and Owens Valley
region. Collection also includes government reports from the Los Angeles Department of Water
and Power, propaganda, and published papers from committees supporting Owens Valley
residents and the region. Includes association reports such as those from the Association of
American Portland Cement Manufacturers and American Society of Civil Engineers as well as a
map of the Owens Valley region by the United States Geological Survey. Travel brochures
created by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, magazine articles, a typewritten
correspondence, a speech, and other materials tell of the Los Angeles Aqueduct's
construction and value as well as its impact on Owens Valley residents.
- Series 1: City of Los Angeles versus Owens Valley residents
- Subseries 1.1: Los Angeles Government publications
- Subseries 1.2: Owens Valley Citizens Committees
- Subseries 1.3: Newspaper clippings
- Series 2: Environmental concerns
- Series 3: History of the Owens Valley Project
- Subseries 3.1: Single author manuscripts
- Subseries 3.2: Magazine articles
- Series 4: Map of Owens Valley
- Series 5: Reports on Owens Valley Project
- Subseries 5.1: Associations/groups/etcetera
- Subseries 5.2: Individuals
- Series 6: Travel brochures
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library’s online public access catalog.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Los Angeles (Calif.). Dept. of Water and Power
Owens Valley (Calif.)
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Water-supply -- California
Geological Survey (U.S.)
California. Legislature
Los Angeles Aqueduct (Calif.)
Inyo County (Calif.)
Genre and Form of Materials
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Government publications
Manuscripts
Pamphlets
Series 1:
City of Los Angeles versus Owens Valley residents
1923-1980
(bulk 1924-1930)
Subseries 1.1:
Los Angeles Government publications
1930-1933
Box 1, Folder 1
Board of Water and Power Commissioners, reprinted letter
1930 June
Box 1, Folder 2
California State Legislature reports
1931-1933
Box 1, Folder 3
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, "Facts"
Subseries 1.2:
Owens Valley Citizens Committees
1926-1980 and undated
(bulk 1980)
Box 1, Folder 4
Concerned Citizens of Owens Valley propaganda
1980
Box 1, Folder 5
The League of Women Voters propaganda
1980 October
Box 1, Folder 6
Owens Valley Businessmen broadsides
undated
Box 1, Folder 7
Owens Valley Reparations Association report
1926 September
Subseries 1.3:
Newspaper clippings
1923-1933 and undated
(bulk 1924-1927)
Box 1, Folder 8
Evening Express
1930 July and October
Box 1, Folder 9
Evening Herald
1930 October
Box 1, Folder 10
Inyo Independent
1930 October and November
Box 1, Folder 11
Inyo Register
1923 November
Box 1, Folder 12
Los Angeles Daily Times and Los Angeles Times
1924 November to 1930
September
Box 1, Folder 14
San Francisco Call
1930 April
Box 1, Folder 15
Unidentified newspaper sources
1925-1929 and undated
Series 2:
Environmental concerns
1978-1979
Box 2, Folder 1
Environmental Impact Report documents and response by Inyo
residents
1978-1979 and undated
Box 2, Folder 2
Mono Lake Committee documents
1979 and undated
Series 3:
History of the Owens Valley Project
1907-1981
Subseries 3.1:
Single author manuscripts
1978 and undated
Box 2, Folder 3
Koblick, Steven speech
1978 April
Box 2, Folder 4
Shoemaker, Ralph manuscript
Subseries 3.2:
Magazine articles
1907-1981
Box 2, Folder 5
Collier's Magazine
1908 October
Box 2, Folder 6
Harper's Magazine
1981 March
Box 2, Folder 7
Out West Magazine
1909 April
Box 2, Folder 8
Steelways Magazine
1948 July
Box 2, Folder 9
West Coast Magazine
1907 June
Series 4:
Map of Owens Valley
undated
Box 2, Folder 10
United States Geological Survey map
undated
Series 5:
Reports on Owens Valley Project
1912-1932
Subseries 5.1:
Associations / groups / etcetera
1912-1928
Box 2, Folder 11
American Society of Civil Engineers report
1928 December
Box 2, Folder 12
Association of American Portland Cement Manufacturers
1912
Subseries 5.2:
Individuals
1930-1932
Box 2, Folder 13
Yeatman, W. C. report on request of Municipal League
1932 June
Box 2, Folder 14
Guillou, A. V. correspondence
1930 July
Series 6:
Travel brochures
undated
Box 2, Folder 15
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
undated