This collection is comprised of approximately 1,200 photographs taken by Edward William Cochems, a prominent commercial photographer in Santa Ana, California, between ca. 1919-ca. 1949. The images are principally views of Southern California, primarily Orange County locations. Areas receiving the most coverage include San Juan Capistrano, Del Mar, the Irvine Ranch (80 images), Laguna Beach (120 images), the Rosicrucians monastery (Oceanside, California), San Luis Rey Mission, and Santa Ana (55 images). There are approximately 40 studio portraits by Cochems in the collection. Approximately 130 images are of unidentified subjects. Individual photographs are undated.

Edward W. Cochems was born in Chicago on October 13, 1874 and died in Orange, California, on July 31, 1949 at the age of 74. He married Emma Glaser of Chicago, Illinois, on October 14, 1902; they had one daughter, Adeline, born on July 10, 1904.

8.2 Linear Feet (23 boxes and 1 oversize folder)

Property rights reside with the University of California. Copyrights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

The collection is open for research.