Llano del Rio Colony Records: Finding Aid
Processed by Marisa Diehl in July 2002; supplementary encoding and revision by Diann
Benti in 2017.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2002
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Llano del Rio Colony Records
Dates (inclusive): 1896-1967
Bulk dates: 1930s
Collection Number: mssLlano del Rio
Creator:
Llano Colony (Secular community)
Extent:
516 pieces in 4 boxes; 1 oversize folder; 1 oversize volume
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection contains papers pertaining to the socialist cooperative Llano del Rio
Colony, founded by Job Harriman in the Antelope Valley, California, in 1914, and its successor, Newllano, located in Louisiana,
with the bulk dating
from the 1930s. Subjects represented include the Llano
and Newllano colonies, socialism in the United States, and socialist societies.
Language: English.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department.
For more information, contact Reader Services.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Llano del Rio Colony Records, The Huntington Library, San
Marino, California.
Provenance
Gift of Mellie Calvert, 1969-1972, and Knox Mellon, December 1975.
Historical Note
The Llano del Rio Co-operative Colony was incorporated in 1914 by Los Angeles attorney Job
Harriman, the socialist nominee for mayor of Los Angeles in 1911. The settlement was located
in the Antelope Valley of California near Pearblossom, where an agricultural community was
developed. Because of problems with water rights, transportation for produce, and internal
dissension, the colony was discontinued in 1918. One group of the colonists went to
Louisiana and reestablished a community under the name Newllano.
Scope and Content
The collection contains correspondence, documents, minutes, newspaper clippings,
photographs, poetry, and printed materials pertaining to the Llano del Rio Colony and its
successor, Newllano.
Most of the items donated by Mellie Calvert (Box 1) pertain to the history of the Llano del
Rio Colony and the experiences of its colonists. Some of this material looks at the
influence Job Harriman and the Young People's Socialist League of California had upon the
founding of Llano, while other items represent the lives and daily struggles of individual
Llano members.
The vast majority of the Knox Mellon addenda items (Boxes 2-4, plus two oversized items)
pertain to Newllano and its various problems. Although the collection spans from 1896 to
1967, the greatest concentration of items were written in the 1930s, a turbulent time in
Newllano's development. During the mid-1930s a power struggle arose in Newllano between its
elected Board (headed by George T. Pickett, 1876-1959) and a band of individuals who
attempted to revoke Pickett's leadership and declare a new Board. Letters and documents
reflecting each side of the divide exist within the collection, although more of the
materials reflect the pro-Pickett stance. Sidney Young authors many of Pickett's defenses
and is a strong voice throughout the collection. Other Knox Mellon items reflect the
pre-history of Llano, including copies of late nineteenth century letters penned by Job
Harriman and Morris Hillquit (1869-1933).
Subjects represented throughout the collection as a whole include the Llano and Newllano
colonies, socialism in the United States, socialist societies, Job Harriman, Morris Hillquit
(1869-1933), George T. Pickett (1876-1959) and Sidney Young.
Organization and Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following series:
- Materials given to the Huntington by Mellie Calvert (Box 1)
- Materials given to the Huntington by Knox Mellon (Boxes 2-4, plus 2 oversized
items)
Within each series the materials original order has been maintained wherever discernible.
Items in each series have been arranged in chronological order and grouped by format.
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Harriman, Job, 1861-1925.
Hillquit, Morris, 1869-1933.
Pickett, George T., 1876-1959.
Llano Colony (Secular community)
Cooperative societies -- California, Southern -- History -- Sources.
Cooperative societies -- Louisiana -- History -- Sources.
Socialism -- Societies, etc.
Socialism -- United States.
Socialists -- Correspondence.
Forms/Genres
Administrative records -- California.
Administrative records -- Louisiana.
Letters (correspondence) -- California.
Letters (correspondence) -- Louisiana.
Minutes -- California.
Minutes -- Louisiana.
Llano del Rio Colony's Board of Commissioners minutes and correspondence
Folder 1
1915 February-March
Physical Description:
19 pieces
Folder 2
1915 April
Physical Description:
13 pieces
Folder 3
1915 May
Physical Description:
12 pieces
Folder 4
1915 June
Physical Description:
14 pieces
Folder 5
1915 July-August
Physical Description:
26 pieces
Llano del Rio Colony documents
Folder 6
Agreement to purchase stock and agreement of employment
Physical Description:
1 piece
Folder 7
Constitution of the Llano del Rio Community
Physical Description:
1 volume
Folder 8
Statement and purpose of Wellfare League of Llano del Rio
Colony
Physical Description:
1 piece
Folder 9
To the General Assembly and Commission - Survey and Inventory
Physical Description:
1 piece
Llano Colonists - Correspondence
Folder 10
Gentry Purviance McCorkle to Mellie Calvert
Physical Description:
1 piece
Folder 11
Mr. and Mrs. F. W. (Frank W.) Miller to
Mellie and Herbert S. Calvert
Physical Description:
33 pieces
Llano Colonists - Manuscripts
Folder 12
Mellie Calvert - The Llano del Rio Co-operative Colony
Physical Description:
1 piece
Folder 13
Experiences of F. W. (Frank W.) Miller during the
first three months at Llano
Physical Description:
1 volume
Folder 14
Undated correspondence and documents
Physical Description:
16 pieces
Folder 15
Photographs and miscellaneous items
Physical Description:
13 pieces
Folder 1
1915-1933
Physical Description:
6 pieces
Folder 2
1934
Physical Description:
3 pieces
Folder 3
1935 April-May
Physical Description:
19 pieces
Folder 4
1935 June
Physical Description:
21 pieces
Folder 5
1935 July
Physical Description:
28 pieces
Folder 6
1935 August
Physical Description:
23 pieces
Folder 7
1935 September
Physical Description:
6 pieces
Folder 8
1935 November-December
Physical Description:
10 pieces
Folder 9
1936 January-June
Physical Description:
12 pieces
Folder 10
1936 September-December
Physical Description:
6 pieces
Folder 11
1937
Physical Description:
4 pieces
Folder 12
1938
Physical Description:
6 pieces
Box 3
Documents; Newspaper Clippings; Photographs
Box 3, Folder 1
Crisis at Llano Colony
Physical Description:
1 piece
Box 3, Folder 2
The Crisis at Llano Colony: In Lighter Vein
Physical Description:
1 piece
Box 3, Folder 3
Legal Documents
Physical Description:
5 pieces
Box 3, Folder 4
Llano Colony Documents and Notices
Physical Description:
21 pieces
Box 3, Folder 5
Llano Poetry
Physical Description:
12 pieces
Box 3, Folder 6
Morris Hillquit Papers
Physical Description:
1 piece
Box 3, Folder 7
Report of Meeting of George T. Pickett and a portion of his Board with the Board of Advisors to the Receiver
Physical Description:
1 piece
Box 3, Folder 8
Reports on Fogman No. 1
Physical Description:
3 pieces
Box 3, Folder 9
Sidney Young - Diary and Statements
Physical Description:
3 pieces
Box 3, Folder 10
Miscellaneous notes and documents
Physical Description:
67 pieces
Folder 11
Newspaper Clippings on Los Angeles mayoral election of 1911
Physical Description:
7 pieces
Folder 12
Photographs
Physical Description:
5 pieces
Folder 1
1896-1901
Physical Description:
21 pieces
Folder 2
1935 October
Physical Description:
17 pieces
Folder 3
1936 July-August
Physical Description:
24 pieces
Folder 4
The Class War in Idaho by Job Harriman [excerpt]
Physical Description:
2 pieces
Folder 5
Llano mailing lists and reunion information
Physical Description:
14 pieces
Folder 6
Report on the Llano del Rio Co. of Nevada
Physical Description:
1 piece
Newspaper Clippings and Ephemera
Folder 7
Newspaper clippings and printed materials
Physical Description:
8 pieces
Oversize Folder
Photographs
Physical Description:
4 pieces
Volume
Llano del Rio Board of Directors Minutes.
1917 April 1-1918 March 1
