Mainly correspondence of Anita Day (Symmes) Blake relating to the family ranch in Napa County and to her interest in horticulture. A few letters, mss. of writings, notebooks and clippings also concern Anson S. Blake, her husband, Edwin T. Blake and other members of the Blake, Stiles and Symmes families.

Anson Blake was born in San Francisco in 1870. In 1891 he was graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and became secretary of the Oakland Paving Company owned by his father Charles T. Blake. From 1897, the year of his father's death, to 1913 he was president of the company and from 1904 until his retirement, he also served as president of Blake Brothers Company. In 1894 he married Anita Day Symmes, daughter of a prominent San Francisco merchant and a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, class of 1894. Their first home, located on Piedmont near Bancroft, was razed in the early 1920's in order to build the California Memorial Stadium. They then built a home on Rincon Road which they deeded to the University of California in 1957 and which is now the residence of the University president. The Blakes were interested in the University all of their lives. Mr. Blake's association with Stiles Hall (a gift from his grandmother) spanned more than fifty years. He received an honorary LL.D. degree in 1958, the year before his death. Anita Blake died in 1962.

Number of containers: 4 boxes, 1 carton, and 1 portfolio

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Collection is open for research.