Guide to the Julius Wangenheim Papers
MS 41
Finding aid prepared by Jody Valente
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
San Diego History Center Document Collection
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
November 28, 2011
Title: Julius Wangenheim Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MS 41
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
0.5 Linear feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1859-1942
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English and German.
Abstract: This collection contains Julius Wangenheim’s personal and professional papers that pertain to his involvement in local banking
and politics, and his interests in book collecting and sundials.
creator:
Wangenheim, Julius
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Preferred Citation
Julius Wangenheim Papers, MS 41, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Jody Valente on November 28, 2011.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Biographical / Historical Notes
Julius Wangenheim was born on April 21, 1866 in San Francisco to businessman Sol Wangenheim and Fannie Newman. He received
his B.S. in civil engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1887. Upon graduation, Julius began working
with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, where he remained until 1889. In 1889, he began working for the family business,
the Simon Newman Firm. He married Laura Klauber in 1892. He had one surviving daughter, Alice, who later married George Heyneman,
and a son Richard (1893-1894).
In 1896 he moved to San Diego from the San Francisco area and began work at the newly established Klauber Wangenheim Company,
a wholesale grocer. In 1903, he bought the controlling interest in the Bank of Commerce and Trust Company of San Diego which
grew to be the largest bank in San Diego. The bank was consolidated with the Southern Trust and Commerce Bank in 1917; it
was at this point that he retired at the age of 51, but he remained board chair of the Southern Title and Trust Company until
his death.
Julius Wangenheim was also actively engaged in civic development and was a member of many committees. In 1915, he served as
the head of the finance committee for the Panama-California Expedition and was also a founder of the San Diego Historical
Society. At various times he served as the board chair for the Park Commission, Planning Commission, Water Commission, Harbor
Committee, Civic Improvement Committee, as well as the Fine Arts Society and the English Speaking Union. He was also very
interested in education. He served as President of the University of California’s Alumni Association from 1927-28, was the
treasurer of the Marine Biological Association of San Diego (now Scripps Institution of Oceanography), and was a trustee of
Scripps College in Pomona.
He had a keen interest in the literary arts and was a known bibliophile, collecting rare books and also loaning out mathematical
books to students. Additionally, he designed a sundial that provided accurate readings within one minute. The sundials were
recreated and placed in various areas of San Diego and California. Julius Wangenheim died on March 10, 1942 from a stroke.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into three series:
Series I: Personal and Family Papers
Series II: Civic and Professional Activities
Series III: Book Collecting and Sundials
Items in each series are arranged by subject.
Scope and Content
This collection documents Julius Wangenheim’s family, business and civic affairs, and personal hobbies. Family papers include
biographies, correspondence with his parents, and obiturary tributes. Items in the collection highlight Wangenheim’s involvement
in banking as well as the Jitney Bus Controversy, which resulted from a public disagreement with John Spreckels over the buses.
Correspondence, articles and speeches document his civic interests at the local and national level, including involvement
in local higher education. His personal interests in book collecting and sundials are also included in the collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Bank of Commerce and Trust.
Howard, John Galen
Sinclair, Upton
Spreckels, John Diedrich, b. 1853
Wangenheim, Fanny
Wangenheim, Julius
Wangenheim, Sol
Banks and banking
Book collecting
Civics
Education
Grocery trade
Literature
San Diego (Calif.)
Sundial makers
Writing
Series I:
Personal and Family Papers
Box-folder 1:1
Biographical information,
1908 and undated
Includes:
Biographical information on Julius Wangenheim and official document from Willmars, Germany regarding his mother, Fanny Newman.
Box-folder 1:2
Family correspondence,
1859–1909
Includes:
Letters between Julius Wangenheim’s parents, Sol Wangenheim and then fiance, Fanny Newman
Letters to Julius from Sol and Fanny Wangenheim
Box-folder 1:3
Family correspondence,
1912–1918
Includes:
Letters to Julius from Sol and Fanny Wangenheim.
Letter noting Julius Wangenheim's decline of an invitation to run for mayor, March 19, 1915.
Letter advising Julius Wangenhiem not to antagonize John Spreckels, July 10, 1918.
Box-folder 1:4
Miscellaneous correspondence,
1891–1940
Includes:
Correspondence from New York Public Library, Upton Sinclair, E.W. Scripps, and Alexander C. Robinson, regarding travels to
the Taj Mahal.
Box-folder 1:5
Tributes and obituaries for Julius Wangenheim,
1940–1942
Box-folder 1:6
Tributes and obituaries for Julius Wangenheim,
1942
Box-folder 1:7
Personal miscellanea,
1887–1941
Includes:
Diploma from University of California (in Oversize Collections D3)
Receipt from Hotel Coronado
Credit from Bodley Book Shop
Drawing of road trip from Phoenix to Charleston
U.S. map with route of cross-country trip (in Oversize Collections D3)
Booklet celebrating Julius’ 75th birthday and accomplishments
Series II:
Civic and Professional Activities
Box-folder 1:8
Banking,
1903 March 24–1928 December 17
Includes:
List of shareholders for The National Bank of Commerce of San Diego
Share certificate for Panama-California Exposition
Box-folder 1:9
Jitney Bus Controversy,
1915 August 28–1919 May 7
Includes:
Correspondence between Julius Wangenheim and William Clayton at Spreckels Companies regarding their opinions on the jitney
buses
Box-folder 1:10
Correspondence: local civic activities,
1909 August 14–1933 June 30
Includes:
Letter from Mayor decommissioning Wangenheim from City Planning Commission
Letter to San Diego Union regarding location of city and county building
Box-folder 1:11
Correspondence: national politics,
1940 September 21-October 7
Box-folder 1:12
Education,
1926 February 1-July 20
Includes:
Correspondence regarding relocation of State Teachers College
Goals and priorities of Scripps College, and relations with Pomona College
Box-folder 1:13
Articles, essays and speeches,
1929 August 16 and undated
Includes:
Essays on education, civilization and democracy
Box-folder 1:14
Civic and professional miscellanea,
1926 April–1940 May 14
Includes:
University of California publication noting Julius Wangenheim’s nomination for president of Alumni Association
Rotary publication, noting speech by Julius Wangenheim
English Speaker Union’s dinner program, hosting Marquess of Lothian, Britain’s Ambassador to the U.S.
Series III:
Book Collecting and Sundials
Box-folder 1:15
Book collecting,
1930 October 3–December 17
Includes:
Speech on book collecting
Correspondence regarding book theft and recovery of book that was housed at the Fine Arts Gallery
Box-folder 1:16
Sundial information and correspondence,
1919 February 15-1940 October 5
Includes:
Sketch of sundial
Notes on the Michelson Morley experiment
Sundial blueprints, created by John Galen Howard, dated July 24, 1923 (in Oversize Collection D3)
