Inventory of the California State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records
Processed by Sven Kennedy
California State Archives
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2246
Fax: (916) 653-7363
Email: archivesweb@sos.ca.gov
URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
© 2009
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Inventory of the California State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records
Collection number: R337 and F3444
California State Archives
Office of the Secretary of State
Sacramento, California
- Processed by:
- Sven Kennedyl
- Date Completed:
- December 2007
- Encoded by:
- Sara Kuzak
© 2009 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: California State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records
Dates: 1934-1948
Collection number: R337 and F3444
Creator:
State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission
Collection Size:
29 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Abstract: The State Redevelopment and Reemployment Records consist of 29 cubic feet of material reflecting the activity of the Commission
in the areas of research and fact finding, providing assistance to local leaders, and solving problems dealing with various
social, economic, and planning issues. The records cover the years 1934-1948.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
For permission to reproduce or publish, please consult California State Archives staff. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento as the owner of the physical
items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement that may arise from reproduction or publication
of materials from the California State Archives collections.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records, R337:[series number], [Box number]/[Folder
number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition History
The California State Archives acquired the State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records according to state law.
Agency History
The State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission was established in August, 1943 by the California Legislature (Statutes,
1943, Chapter 631, p. 2250) to prevent postwar problems of reconversion as had occurred following the end of WWI. At the same
time the State Planning Board (Statutes, 1935, Chapter 331, p. 1153) was abolished and its facilities passed to the State
Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission. The California Legislature directed the State Reconstruction and Reemployment
Commission to study California's natural and economic resources for the purpose of creating and implementing plans allowing
for a smooth readjustment of workers, industry, and commerce at the conclusion of WWII. While the State Reconstruction and
Reemployment Commission was clearly responsible for planning functions as the successor to the State Planning Board, the State
Legislature wanted the Commission to diligently focus on the employment problems which could have become severe as the war
effort came to an end. In September, 1947, the State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission was replaced by the Office
of Planning and Research (Statutes, 1947, Chapter 1408, p. 2967), which in turn was to expire ninety-one days after the adjournment
of the 1949 Regular Session of the Legislature. The State Redevelopment Agency (Statutes, 1947, Chapter 1515, p. 3141) was
established to aid in community planning and development, and like the Office of Planning and Research, grew out of the State
Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission to become a separate agency. In many cases major officers were the same in the
later agencies.
Scope and Content
The State Redevelopment and Reemployment Records consist of 29 cubic feet of material reflecting the activity of the Commission
in the areas of research and fact finding, providing assistance to local leaders, and solving problems dealing with various
social, economic, and planning issues. The records cover the years 1934-1948.
Note: because the facilities were passed from successor to successor, many of the files are overlapping, thereby preventing
a distinct separation of the several agencies.
Related Collections at the California State Archives
Earl Warren Papers, Reconstruction and Reemployment Series
Governor's Office of Planning and Research
Oral Histories
Percy C. Heckendorf
William T. Sweigert
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
California. State Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission
California. Office of the Director of Planning and Research
California. State Planning Board
State Planning Board Records
1934-1943
ID F3444:1-35
Series 1
General Files
1935-1943
Physical Description: 35 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
Organization, history, 1935, 1937. (F3444:1-2)
Minutes, January 1, 1936-July 19, 1943. (F3444:3-5)
Agendas, memos, notices of meetings, 1934-1940. (F3444:6-10)
Monthly, Quarterly, and Activity reports, 1935, 1939-1943. (F3444:11-12)
Board members, advisors - correspondence, data, communications, 1934-1935. (F3444:13-35)
ID F3444:36-141
Series 2
Consultant's Office Files
1934-1943
Physical Description: 106 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
General correspondence, 1934-1943. (F3444:36-72)
Outgoing correspondence, 1937-1943. (F3444:73-89)
L. D. Tilton correspondence, memos, itinerary, personal files, 1933-1943. (F3444:90-99)
Federal Agency correspondence, 1937-1943. (F3444:100-109)
National Resources Commission - correspondence, reports (Washington and Berkeley offices), 1934-1943. (F3444:110-114)
Works Progress Administration - correspondence, project proposals, reports, 1935-1942. (F3444:115-121)
Federal Works Agency - Public Work Reserve - correspondence, projects, memos, 1941-1942. (F3444:122-133)
State offices and agencies - correspondence, 1934-1943. (F3444:134-141)
ID F3444:142-158
Series 3
Staff Files
1934-1941
Physical Description: 17 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
Staff organization, office records, correspondence, 1937-1941. (F3444:142-144)
Los Angeles office - correspondence, applications, 1934-1937. (F3444:145-152)
San Francisco office - consultant's instructions, Water Study correspondence, 1936-1937. (F3444:153-158)
ID F3444:159-321
Series 4
Board Committee Surveys
1850-1943
Physical Description: 163 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
Lists of: advisory committees, reports, publications, press releases, 1934-1942. (F3444:159-163)
State and local planning - reports, bills relating to, 1936-1943. (F3444:164-169)
Regional, County and City Planning Commissions - correspondence, 1937-1943. (F3444:170-179)
Army camp sites (by county) - correspondence, 1940. (F3444:180-231)
Housing - correspondence, reports, 1935-1941. (F3444:232-235)
State Building Plans - correspondence, 1940. (F3444:236-237)
Capital Improvement Program - University of California - project proposals, 1942. (F3444:238-247)
Industrial survey - correspondence, 1934-1937. (F3444:248-255)
Land Utilization - correspondence, reports, 1920-1937. (F3444:256-258)
Natural Resources - correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, 1934-1937. (F3444:259-266)
Public Works Inventory - correspondence, reports, 1935-1937. (F3444:267-269)
Population Survey - correspondence, reports, data, 1850-1943. (F3444:270-273)
Reclamation Survey - correspondence, reports, 1934-1935, 1943. (F3444:274-275)
State Institutions - correspondence, reports, 1934-1942. (F3444:276-282)
Transportation - reports, 1931-1940. (F3444:283)
Maps and Surveys - correspondence, reports, 1934-1943. (F3444:284-305)
Water Resources - correspondence, reports, 1931-1937. (F3444:306-321)
ID F3444:322-393
Series 5
Special Files
1934-1943
Physical Description: 72 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
Special Files, A-Z - correspondence, reports, memos, etc., 1934-1943. (F3444:322-393)
ID F3444:394-395
Series 6
Miscellaneous Files
1941-1943
Physical Description: 2 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
State of Jefferson - correspondence, article, newspaper clippings, 1941. (F3444:394)
Miscellaneous material, 1943. (F3444:395)
ID R337.01, Box 1, Folders 1-7
Series 7
Publications
1935-1941
Physical Description: 7 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date of publication.
Scope and Content Note
Publications retained by the State Planning Board are generally related to issues concerning land utilization, planning objectives,
and methodology. Some publications are comprised of reference guides to other publications helpful in solving, understanding,
and deciding planning issues.
Land Utilization: A Bibliography, by the Bureau of Public Administration. University of California. November 1935.
Objectives and Methods of State Planning, by the California State Planning Board. Special Report Number II. July 1935.
Constitutionality of Rural Zoning, reprinted from the California Law Review. Volume XXVI, Number 2. 1938
A Selected List of References on Land Utilization in California, by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Division of Land
Economics. September 1938.
Land Utilization in California: A list of References, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Bureau of Agricultural Economics.
December 1938.
Governmental Research Organizations in the Western United States, by the Bureau of Public Administration. University of California.
January 1939.
A Planning Manual for California. October 1941.
ID R337.02, Box 1, Folder 8
Series 8
Maps
1940-1946
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by county or region.
Scope and Content Note
Maps retained by the State Planning Board were used as a visual aid relating to matters of planning, land use, and land acquisition.
Regions of specific interest to the Board are marked out on the maps. See list below for regions.
Butte County
Central Valley (Kern County, Inyo County, and Tulare County)
Placer County
San Diego County
San Joaquin County
Santa Barbara County
Santa Cruz County
Solano County
Stanislaus County
San Pablo Bay
Yolo County
Yuba County (2 maps)
Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission Records
1943-1948
ID F3444:396-477
Series 1
General Files
1943-1948
Physical Description: 82 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
Laws, objectives, organization, Staff planning, 1943-1948. (F3444:396-398)
Minutes, 1943-1947. (F3444:399-402)
Reporters transcript of Commission meetings, 1943-1947. (F3444:403-436)
Commission meetings - data, correspondence, 1943-1947. (F3444:437-441)
Annual Reports, 1944-1946. (F3444:442-445)
Quarterly Reports, 1945, 1946. (F3444:446-448)
Study Reports submitted to Commission, 1944-1946. (F3444:449-455)
Conferences, Hearings, Meetings under auspices of Commission, 1944, 1945. (F3444:456-461)
Survey Publications, 1943-1947. (F3444:462-477)
ID F3444:478-702
Series 2
Office of the Director Files
1943-1948
Physical Description: 225 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
Application for Directorship - correspondence, 1943. (F3444:478)
A. R. Heron papers - correspondence, biographical sketch, notes, memos, newspaper clippings, 1943-1946. (F3444:479-488)
NOTE: Heron was Director until April, 1946. He was succeeded by A. E. Washburn, Deputy Directory.
A. E. Washburn papers - correspondence, memos, meetings, biographical sketch, 1945-1947. (F3444:489-502)
Engagements, 1944-1947. (F3444:503-511)
General correspondence, 1943-1944. (F3444:512-514)
General correspondence - chronological, 1944-1947. (F3444:515-524)
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1944-1947. (F3444:525)
State offices, agencies - correspondence, 1944-1947. (F3444:526-538)
U. S. agencies, other states - correspondence, 1944-1947. (F3444:539-557)
Coded Files - correspondence, reports, 1944-1947. (F3444:558-570)
Legislative Materials - correspondence, Bills, hearings, 1944-1947. (F3444:571-582)
Subject File (alphabetical) - correspondence, 1942-1948. (F3444:583-702)
NOTE: much of the material in the Subject File relates to the activities of the Citizens Advisory Committees. See below: files
-(F3444:782-822).
ID F3444:703-772
Series 3
Commission and Staff Files
1943-1947
Physical Description: 70 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
Applications, referrals, attendance, 1943. (F3444:703-705)
Staff, Commission - meetings, reports, misc., 1943-1947. (F3444:706-718)
Staff records - correspondence, memos, inter-office., 1943-1947. (F3444:719-754)
Miscellaneous staff records, 1944-1947. (F3444:755-759)
Office records (Los Angeles and San Francisco), 1944-1947. (F3444:760-764)
Miscellaneous Commission Records - members, meetings, misc., 1943-1947. (F3444:765-772)
ID F3444:773-999
Series 4
Citizen's Advisory Committees (CAC) Files
1943-1947
Physical Description: 227 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
CAC meetings and general correspondence, 1943-47. (F3444:773-778)
Reconversion Conference, Oct. 16-17, 1945 - correspondence, minutes, 1945. (F3444:779-781)
Committees (Public Works, Industry, Trade and Service Establishments, Research, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Welfare, Readjustment
Education, Production and Employment Estimates, and Demobilized Men and Women) - 1944-1947. (F3444:782-822)
Project Committees (alphabetical). 1943-1947. (F3444:823-951)
NOTE: files -(823-826) contain information relative to the organization and membership of the various project committees.
See file -(823) for list of project committees.
Newspaper clippings, 1944-1947. (F3444:952-999)
NOTE: For list of subjects to newspaper clippings see D517.
ID R337.03, Box 1, Folder 9-11
Series 5
Commission Meeting Files
1943-1947
Physical Description: 3 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
Commission meeting files include meeting agendas and minutes, commission correspondence, memorandums, and reports. Some of
these meeting files, while relating to the Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission, appear to have originated from the
Department of Natural Resources.
ID R337.04, Box 1, Folder 12-15
Series 6
Committee Files
1944-1946
Physical Description: 4 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by name of committee.
Scope and Content Note
Committee files reflect the ideas formulated by the committees overseen by the Reconstruction and Reemployment Commission.
Furthermore, committee files include interdepartmental correspondence and reports related to problems undertaken by the Committees
listed below.
Project Committee on Arial Mapping, 1944-1946.
Advisory Committee on the Development of Natural Resources (oil industry), 1944-1945.
Advisory Committee on Mining, 1944-1945.
Advisory Committee on Parks and Monuments, 1944-1945.
ID R337.05, Box 1, Folder 16-20
Series 7
Planning Files
1946
Physical Description: 5 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by name of city or county.
Scope and Content Note
Planning Files contain correspondence and reports submitted by a city or county to the State Reconstruction and Reemployment
Commission. Records reflected plans for future development in California cities and counties and cover all relevant aspects
of public planning.
ID R337.06, Box 1, Folder 21
Series 8
Correspondence
1943-1944
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
Correspondence related to advisory committees and projects overseen by the commission.
Office of Planning and Research Records
1944-1948
ID F3444:1000-1017
Series 1
General Files
1944-1948
Physical Description: 18 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
Director: meetings, engagements, correspondence, memos, misc., 1947-1948. (F3444:1000-1006)
Coded correspondence, 1944-1948. (F3444:1007-1017). NOTE: file -(1007) contains the key to the coded material.
State Redevelopment Agency Records
1947-1948
ID F3444:1018-1021
Series 1
General Files
1947-1948
Physical Description: 4 file folders
Arrangement
Files are organized as below:
Scope and Content Note
Minutes, agendas, correspondence, misc., 1947-1948. (F3444:1018-1021)