Lancaster (William H.) Papers, 1973-1992

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Summary

Title:
William H. Lancaster papers
Dates:
1973-1992
Creators:
Lancaster, William H.
Abstract:
Assembly Member William H. Lancaster, Republican, was elected to the Legislature in a special election in June 1972. The William L. Lancaster Papers consist of 6 cubic feet of records reflecting Lancaster's activities during his time as an Assembly Member from 1972 to 1992. The bill files document his legislative activity during his term as a member of the California State Legislature.
Extent:
6 cubic feet.
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], William H. Lancaster papers, LP[number]:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The William H. Lancaster Papers consist of 6 cubic feet of records reflecting Lancaster's activities during his time as an Assembly Member from 1972 to 1992. The bill files document his legislative activity during his term as a member of the California State Legislature. The bills introduced by William H. Lancaster include a wide array of subjects. He authored bills concerning freeway construction in his district, banking institutions, insurance liability, real estate agents and appraisers, and student loan funding.

Biographical / historical:

Assembly Member William H. Lancaster, Republican, was elected to the Legislature in a special election in June 1972, called to fill a vacancy created when Pete Schabarum resigned to accept an appointment to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. For twenty years, Lancaster represented Assembly District 62, which includes Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties and is comprised of the cities of Claremont, Covina, Charter Oak, Glendora, La Verne, San Dimas, Upland, and portions of Pomona and West Covina.

Lancaster was born in Bakersfield on April 29, 1931 and attended public schools in Sacramento and Southern California, graduating from Palm Springs High School. He worked as a retail clerk for Alpha Beta markets, as a driver and salesperson for Pepsi, and as a salesperson for Sunshine Bakery. Lancaster was elected to the Duarte City Council in 1958, and served three terms as Mayor during his seven-year tenure. He served as president of the Duarte Citizens' Association, as a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Sanitation District, and as Vice President of the League of California Contract Cities. In 1965 Lancaster resigned from the Duarte City Council to serve as field representative for the California Taxpayers' Association, a private non-profit organization located in Sacramento. In 1967, U.S. Congressman Charles E. Wiggins appointed Lancaster as his district representative, where he gained experience in resolving problems between local government and constituents and agencies and jurisdictions of the federal government. He held that position until his election to the Legislature in 1972. In 1991, the California League of Cities named him Legislator of the Year in recognition of his efforts to protect city finances. Lancaster retired from the Assembly in 1992 and died at the age of sixty-eight on January 2, 2000.In 2002, Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy (R-Monrovia) introduced Assembly Concurrent Resolution 2, which named the Foothill Freeway (210) from Duarte to the Interstate 15 Freeway as the "William H. Lancaster Memorial Highway."

According to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks), William L. Lancaster served on the following committees:

  • Standing Committees
  • Banking, Finance, and Bond Indebtedness, 1991-1992
  • Commerce and Public Utilities, 1973-1974
  • Vice-Chair 1973-1974
  • Education, 1975
  • Finance and Insurance, 1983-1989
  • Finance, Insurance, and Commerce, 1975-1982
  • Governmental Efficiency and Cost Control, 1985
  • Governmental Organization, 1979-1982
  • Housing and Community Development, 1989
  • Intergovernmental Relations, 1973-1974
  • Judiciary, 1983-1984
  • Local Government, 1973-1978; 1985-1992
  • Vice Chair 1985
  • Policy Research Management, 1979-1982
  • Public Employees and Retirement, 1985
  • Public Employees, Retirement, and Social Security, 1987
  • Rules, 1976-1982
  • Vice-Chair 1979-1982
  • Transportation, 1983-1992
  • Water, 1973-1974
  • Subcommittees
  • Health and Workers' Insurance, 1989
  • Mobilehomes, 1989
Acquisition information:
California State Archives acquired the William H. Lancaster Papers following his final term in the California State Legislature.
Arrangement:

Bill files are arranged chronologically by legislative session and numerically by bill number.

Physical location:
California State Archives
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Lola Aguilar
Date Prepared:
© 2006
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid created by Lola Aguilar. Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word. Date of source: June 30, 2006.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], William H. Lancaster papers, LP[number]:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Location of this collection:
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814, US
Contact:
(916) 653-2246
reference@sos.ca.gov
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