Research Guides: Special Collections Access Guide: Local History Resources

Navigate Local History Resources

The resources on this page will help you discover and access local history resources in Special Collections. If you have questions along the way, please Ask Special Collections.

Archival collections relating to Claremont and surrounding environs

Below is a sampling of what you can find in the archives. Visit the Archival Collections page for guidance and step-by-step instructions for discovering and accessing archival collections.

Matt Garcia Papers
This collection contains the research, writing, and teaching materials created by author, educator, and historian Matthew J. Garcia. The materials document Dr. Garcia's work on topics related to agriculture, labor, food, immigration, ethnicity, and popular culture in California. Primary subjects of interest include the citrus industry and Mexican-American laborers in Southern California as well as materials on the Arbol Verde neighborhood in Claremont.
California Citrus Industry
This collection contains documents relating to the citrus industry from various vendors and growers associations in Southern California. It was collected by Claremont Heritage and gifted to Special Collections in 2015. Although the dates range from 1891-1973 the bulk of the collection is material from the early twentieth century pertaining to the College Heights, Etiwanda, and Covina Orange Growers Associations. Notable materials in this collection includes information about the citrus laborers such as fruit pickers, what materials the growers used, and industrial machinery blueprints and patents.
Scaff Claremont League of Women Voters Water Study Collection
Unprocessed collection contains maps, reports, and other materials on Thompson Creek spreading grounds and other Claremont area water issues.
Water Resources Collection
The Water Resources Collection was developed in the 1930s by then Librarian Willis Holmes Kerr and Claremont Colleges Trustee John Treanor when water issues of the period interested both men, and they began to collect materials on the subject of water, its distribution, augmentation, and use in Southern California. By traveling to the Hoover Dam, the Imperial Valley, into Arizona, and to the San Joaquin Valley, they assembled literally tons of records: reports of engineers, annual reports and minute books of boards of directors of water companies, documents of federal and state governments, promotional pamphlets, newspaper clippings, and a host of other materials.

Books about Claremont and surrounding environs

Below is a sampling of books related to Claremont's history found in Special Collections. Visit the Books and More page for guidance and step-by-step instructions for discovering and accessing books.

Claremont: A Pictorial History by Judy Wright
Publication Date: 1980
Claremont Women, 1887-1950: They Created a Culture by Judy Wright
Publication Date: 2007
History of Pomona Valley, California, with Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men and Women... by Frank Parkhurst Brackett
Publication Date: 1920
A World of Its Own by Matt Garcia
ISBN: 9780807826584
Publication Date: 2002-01-28
Tracing the history of intercultural struggle and cooperation in the citrus belt of Greater Los Angeles, Matt Garcia explores the social and cultural forces that helped make the city the expansive and diverse metropolis that it is today. As the citrus-growing regions of the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys in eastern Los Angeles County expanded during the early twentieth century, the agricultural industry there developed along segregated lines, primarily between white landowners and Mexican and Asian laborers. Initially, these communities were sharply divided. But Los Angeles, unlike other agricultural regions, saw important opportunities for intercultural exchange develop around the arts and within multiethnic community groups. Whether fostered in such informal settings as dance halls and theaters or in such formal organizations as the Intercultural Council of Claremont or the Southern California Unity Leagues, these interethnic encounters formed the basis for political cooperation to address labor discrimination and solve problems of residential and educational segregation. Though intercultural collaborations were not always successful, Garcia argues that they constitute an important chapter not only in Southern California's social and cultural development but also in the larger history of American race relations.

Digital collections relating to Claremont and surrounding environs

Below is a sampling of what you can find in the digital collections at The Claremont Colleges Library. Visit the Digital Collections page for guidance and step-by-step instructions for discovering and accessing digital collections.

Boynton Collection of Early Claremont
The Boynton Collection offers a view of early Claremont through the eyes of an amateur photographer. This collection of glass plate negatives captures aspects of life in Claremont and at Pomona College around the turn of the twentieth century. As well as documenting local buildings and landscape, they present a candid glimpse of Pomona College student life, including athletic events, theatrical productions, college outings, and residence halls.
City of Claremont History Collection
The City of Claremont History Collection documents the development of Claremont from its boom years at the end of the nineteenth century to the present day. Composed of photographs taken by various amateur and professional photographers over a one hundred year span, the collection provides a glimpse of Claremont’s past through photographs of its buildings, neighborhoods, local landscape, and daily life.
Larry Oglesby Collection
The Larry Oglesby Collection consists of 35 mm color slides of flora and fauna taken by Professor Larry Oglesby, Professor Emeritus of Biology at Pomona College. The most frequent subject of Oglesby's slides is the Bernard Field Station located in Claremont.
Maps and Mapping at The Claremont Colleges
Maps and Mapping at The Claremont Colleges offers digital access to printed maps available at The Claremont Colleges Library Special Collections, as well as those available at Ella Strong Denison Library at Scripps College. Mostly historical maps (1600s-1800s) but includes early maps of Claremont and Pomona, a 1941 map of San Bernardino County, and a couple of Claremont Chamber of Commerce maps.
Wheeler Scrapbook Collection
The Wheeler Scrapbooks were a gift of Frank Wheeler, a real estate businessman, to The Claremont Colleges, and they chronicle life at Pomona College and in the city of Claremont from 1884 to 1938.

Newspapers

Claremont Courier
Publication Date: 1908-

Subject Files

Special Collections holds a variety of materials relating to the history of The Claremont Colleges and its affiliates. Many resources can be found in Library Search, the Online Archive of California (OAC), and Archives at TCC (ASpace). The subject files complement these resources.

The Claremont Colleges Special Collections and Archives Subject Files
A spreadsheet of subjects relating to all seven Claremont Colleges institutions and affiliated institutions. This ever-growing collection of documents, flyers, newspaper clippings, and more is organized at the folder-level.

Search Tips

Open the spreadsheet to browse tabs arranged by institution.
Use CTRL+F to search individual tabs or change your search to include the entire spreadsheet.
Since this is a folder-level collection, not item-level, you may need to think in terms of broad categories (e.g., if you're looking for a particular student event, you might look within folders labeled student activities).
If you find something of interest, place a request in your Special Collections Account with the folder title and the drawer number.

Other local archives and resources

California Botanic Garden
Since 1927, California Botanic Garden has been at the forefront of California native plant conservation, research, horticulture and celebration.
City of Claremont
Click on links to see General Plan, Land Use Code, Municipal Code, Sustainable City Plan and Zoning Maps.
City of Claremont Document Archive
An online archive (Laserfiche) of many City documents, which includes past City Council agendas, resolutions, minutes, and ordinances of the City. Documents are available as far back as 1907.Documents for the general public on a variety of topics including Land Use Planning & Development. Explore the links on the landing page such as "All Categories," "Commissions," "General Plan," and "Zoning."
Claremont Heritage
Claremont Heritage, a non-profit organization, was formed in 1976 by citizens of Claremont to carry out a mission to advance, preserve and celebrate the historic architectural, natural and cultural resources of our community through collaboration, education and advocacy.