Writing Local History

Author(s): W. W. Robinson
Source: California Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 39, No. 3 (Sep., 1960), pp. 209-217
Published by: California Historical Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25155337 .
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 Writing Local History
By W. W. Robinson

In the late 1930s Donald Culross Peattie wrote the of a

biography
squaremile of Illinois landwhere he had spent three happy years. He
his story in times and it up the
began prehistoric brought through
Indian introduced the French missionaries and then
period; explorers,
the first Yankee settlers. He carried the narrative forward to the date
when the owners of the square mile could watch the last flight of

passenger This combination of American and natural

pigeons. history
bore the title, A Prairie Grove. The was Simon & Schuster.
publisher
It attracted the attention of the the entire country?
reading public of
for it really summed up the story of America?and it is still being
circulated and read.

Possibly such an achievement is local history in its ideal form, and

there is only one Donald Culross Peattie. Its coverage
certainly helps
me define local history which, for the purposes of this discussion, is
the history of a county, a or an even smaller unit. Other
community,
definitions, I am aware, an account of awhole state or of an even
place
in the local category. is for the
larger region history My preference
narrower definition.
The man who to the to my
puts his hand writing of local
history,
mind, has an inevitable weakness for this type of exercise. He is con
awareof the past and finds relish in it?wherever he to
stantly happens
be. This localist grubs in hometown soil because he likes to or because
he is hired for the purpose. He is not that other historians use
unhappy
their time for the broad of national events and
only interpretation
trends.
Since I have indulged somewhat in the writing of local history in
California I have been asked to make this story and to tell how
personal
I an and what
approach assignment happens.
209
 2 io California Historical Society Quarterly
First of all, I find out what has been written about the subject chosen
me or to me. I look at the books and in my own
by assigned pamphlets
small I consult the nearest and best institutional libraries?
library. Then
in my case such as the Los Angeles Public Library, the Hunt
places
ington Library, the Los Museum, the Southwest
Angeles County
Museum, the and libraries, and the Los
university college Angeles
Law In addition, I collector friends for
County Library. plague my
to browse in their sacred pastures. Imake note of titles and,
permission
in a of contents, the close for a later
sketchy way, leaving reading
I shall find it easier to these secondary sources
activity. Ultimately study
'
at my convenience and near my home rather than to do research
library
on the and in difficult circumstances.
go
The second is to find a of the area. Sometimes the
step good map
Automobile Club of Southern California has what is needed. Possibly
itwill be necessary to have a sketch made a
preliminary by professional
out of the research, will come a
mapmaker. Finally, completed map
towns, roads, ranchos, and historical landmarks?
showing boundaries,
which should be a definite contribution to the
public.
If a California county is the I consult Owen C.
project, Coy's
California County Boundaries. This valuable book, with its series of

maps, shows county and the various since

origins boundary changes
1850.
So prepared, I drive to the county seat of the under considera
county
tion and establish relations with the leading local historian of
pleasant
the area. Almost every city or county has such a person who takes the
lead, and can in matters historical. He knows
give good advice, every
one of similar interests in the county, is aware of historical
special
resources, and can be counted on to read the first draft of the
finally
written and show where and how the writer has gone
manuscript
Such a person may or
wrong. may not be the secretary of the local
He or she a local museum
historical society. may be connected with
or a local A illustration is Annie R. Mitchell of
newspaper. good
Visalia, secretary of the Tulare Historical and writer
County Society
of distinction, who helped me greatly when Iwas doing The Story of
Tulare County and Visalia. Her interest is in her own
primary county.
In Riverside County, A. G. Paul, historian and former of the
president
 Writing Local History 211

Pioneer Historical of Riverside, is another illustration of an

Society
authority eager to lend assistance. In Ventura County I leaned heavily
on the advice of Charles F. Outland, of Santa
good rancher-bibliophile
Paula, and of J. H. Morrison, curator of the Ventura Pioneer
County
Museum. In San Bernardino it was a and assiduous his
newspaperman
torian, L. BurrBelden, who offered to me on the
generously keep
narrow moun
straight
and path in his overwhelming region of valley,
tain, and desert land. For a rank outsider?a writer?to enter any com
or a resident historian is hard at work year in and
munity county where
year out, is a bit presumptuous. Also, at first this newcomer
glance,
to be Hence the need for establishing
appears competitive. good public
relations at the outset and making clear that the outsider is not
planning
a
competitive job.
Next I get in touch with local authorities, like the public librarian,
school heads, of the chamber of commerce or board of trade,
secretary
the mayor, the county recorder, museum
head, high
newspapermen,
way officials, perhaps industrial leaders, and
definitely the manager of a
local title company. At this early stage I do not seek out the so-called

"old-timers," in of being warned constantly that it is high time for

spite
a local to be written since these are so
history pioneers dying rapidly.
time I have a brief with the area involved and
By this acquaintance
have been doing a lot of and over-all
brooding, reading, planning.
So, now, I a outline of the
shape up preliminary proposed history,
in form. I do this even exact knowl
largely chronological though my
is and even I know that the outline will
edge slight though constantly
as I with the writing. A outline is a won
change proceed preliminary
derful guide. It helps me keep on the beam, avoid overemphasis on one
at the expense of another and stay somewhat
topic equally important,
within the limits of the planned book or booklet. Because of my back
in the land title business, I am in the habit of in terms
ground thinking
of a chain of title, of the of owners and users of the land
procession
from Indian to the present. That way of into my
days thinking gets
outline.
it is easier to write the story of a than of a county
Usually community
with many communities. If but one is involved, I
community begin
with the basic pattern and study the first map of the original townsite
 212 California Historical Society Quarterly
as recorded in the county recorder's office. Was the town laid out on a

Spanish or Mexican rancho? Was it on land formerly in the public

domain of the United States?
If the former, I am for then I can present the fascinating,
happy,
pastoral story of rancho days. To do this calls for an examination of the
records of the United States District Court in San Francisco. These
records survived the earthquake and fire of 1906 and are primary source
material for local history when ranchos are concerned. If a to San
trip
is I order a
Francisco impractical, photostatic copy of the proceedings
in the District Court case that to the rancho. These
pertain particular
a
proceedings include copy of all testimony given before the United
States Land Commission in the was
which, early 1850s, assigned the task
of segregating owned land from land in the new state
privately public
of California. They also include a copy of the land grant files?the
rancho's expediente?from the original Mexican archives that had been
from Monterey to the Public in San Fran
transferred Survey Office
cisco. The District Court, California land cases, was a court of
handling
to which decisions of the Land Commission were taken auto
appeal
matically.
Its records present testimony of men long since dead, evi
dence of decades of possession and use, with grants and other
together
documents in the are
affecting ownership pre-American period. They
both and colorful. no rancho's can be told
revealing Actually story
without consulting them?or their counterparts inWashington, D. C,
or how seldom are used. I recall an account
elsewhere?yet they reading
of a certain rancho that appeared a number of years ago in the
excellent of a well-known historical It was
journal society. heavy
with footnotes?so many that the editor referred to it as a
"very
scholarly paper." The author had consulted practically everything
about the rancho but had been unaware of the existence of basic
printed
material in the District Court. There he would have found the answers
to most of the he raised. His available
questions overlooking easily
source material resulted in an article full of holes.
If the map showed the townsite located on land rather than
public
rancho, I would shed a few tears, for then my to write
opportunities
of romantic, be restricted.
interestingly pre-American days will More
can be devoted, of course, to Indians and But I
space early explorers.
 Writing Local History 213
can at least
go to the nearest United States Land Office and find out
when the townsite land first passed to private hands from the Govern
ment, the name of the first owner, and whether this pioneering owner
was under homestead laws or other federal legislation governing
ship
the acquisition of public land. There are A visit
interesting possibilities.
to the Land Office in Los for revealed that the heart
Angeles, example,
area
ofWhittier's original lay within the homestead claim of Jacob F.
Gerkins which he filed in 1868, though itwas not till themiddle of 1874
that the United States issued its patent to him. A check-up on Gerkins

gave
me the information that he was a German farmer who had come
to Los in 1854. His homestead to be the nucleus of the
Angeles proved
Thomas Ranch which later was bought by the Quaker founders of
Whittier. The facts disclosed in the Land Office, gave vital
accordingly,
onWhittier's and I had the
information early history, pleasure of being
the first to give them publication.
of records, the county recorder's office is a
Speaking public place
to which I more than one visit. It so often the exact
always pay gives
information needed. To illustrate: the office of the Recorder of Tulare

County
has a record 1868, of a patent issued by the Government
dated
to the "Board of inTrust for the of Tulare
Supervisors County County,
California" the 160-acre townsite of Visalia, the county seat.
covering
Visalia was born in 1852, but the townsmen had taken for
Actually
their ownership of the land on which they had settled?
granted
to be more exact. But five years later the woke up
squatted, supervisors
to the fact that had no title and that a certain clever individual
they
was to town's 160 acres an
trying grab the by filing application for

pre-emption.
The supervisors got in touch with Washington and, on
the basis of their possession, were the
fortunately given preferential
to the townsite A at other
right buy acreage. glance early patent records
in the same courthouse revealed other
interesting acquisitions by settlers
of land surrounding the townsite?and now within
city limits. These
were based on warrants issued to men who had served
military bounty
in the Rogue River War, also with the Texas Volunteers, and in Black
Hawk's War. All such information is a basic
part of Visalia's history,
obtained but researchers who on
very easily usually neglected by rely
and books rather than original source material.
legends published
 214 California Historical Society Quarterly
The of research in records is that it makes the story
beauty public
factual. So many local historians seem of courthouses and
frightened
public offices. They prefer libraries.A single day spent in the County
Recorder's office in San Luis
Obispo gave me all the basic facts about
the and Mexican ranchos of San Luis County. These
Spanish Obispo
facts were at variance with the accounts in county
partly published
histories the authors of which had what
merely copied predecessor
historians had written.

Deeds, mortgages, and official maps in the county recorder's office,

as well as lawsuits and in the county clerk's office,
probate proceedings
ordinances in the should likewise be
together with city clerk's office,
consulted. carry data vital to the story of the community or
They
county. If the county's is small, the records will be
population simple
and easily searched through use of available name indexes. If like
large,
Los Angeles the of a title company which maintains
County's, help
indexes may be needed. Land transfers, and the
property litigation,
administration of estates are at least the dry bones of local history. If to
these bones are added the results of a little study and of pleasant talks
with men and women who have take on
good memories, they flesh,
blood, and life. Early official maps, unlike those of current subdivisions,
are to much of the past. often show adobe homes long since
keys They
gone, cienegas that have dried up, first roads, and landmarks that could
not otherwise be located today. ordinances
Early day city give pungent
data about chain gangs, dance halls, fast
prostitution, driving of horses
in the streets or over fact, disclose the whole life of a
bridges?in they
community.
When I have
caught up on my scheduled
reading
I visit every com
munity in the county, if the whole
county is to be covered. I do this to

get the current look and of each town, as well as to locate, when
feeling
old trails,
springs,
and historic sites.
My method is to
possible, persuade
my obliging wife to do the driving while I frantically fill my notebook
with observations, and reactions.
descriptions,
In my research I make a all historic
point of visiting buildings, sites,
and state monuments in the area studied. It is
being quite likely that
research done for a community or
county history will help in the estab
lishment of unmarked or sites of It is even
forgotten importance.
 Writing Local History 215

possible that it will the bronze plaque already adorn

prove?alas?that
some boulder has been misplaced.
ing countryside
I go, also, to the handiest file of for the detail and
early newspapers
color that will add so much to the story
being written. Newspaper
advertisements of a bygone period?like those in early city directories?
also add and humorous notes when used as illustrations.
picturesque
A genealogist-historian likeThomas Workman Temple IIwill also seek
data from mission and records.
baptismal necrological
As a final in hand, I call upon
story is well
activity, when my the
I am able to ask
people
labeled "oldtimers." By this time intelligent
and to evaluate the answers. The stories of pioneers and
questions long
time residents may lend color to facts assembled. On rare occasions
so obtained
information prove vital. When
may gathering material for

my Lawyers of Los Angeles I had many talks with Oscar Lawler, dis
and venerable Los attorney. He came to Los An
tinguished Angeles
in 1888 and became a call at the California Club
geles boy frequented
then as now by the more affluent of the local lawyers. From then on to
the present Mr. Lawler, a could tell
possessing near-perfect memory,
me what any named looked like, how he dressed, what his
lawyer
and in what
habits were, cases he He
personal important participated.
reconstructed the past with ease and accuracy. Yes, "oldtimers" can be
to a local historian?when he is to ask the
very important ready right
questions.
During all this period of research on the community or
county his
I have also been I have been various versions
tory writing busily. doing
of my story; trying to give it logical direction, form, and unity; pushing
it toward a climax or climaxes; and always
attempting
to make it a part
of the larger story of California, theWest, and possibly the nation. I try
to in mind Frank Dobie's recent and rather extreme statement that
keep
a
if book about a local habitation does not transcend the local in interest
it has no reason for being published. Already I have fallen in love with
it was not a love affair?and have allowed
my assignment?if first-sight
enthusiasm to show in the I
my through discreetly manuscript, enough,
to infect my audience.
hope,
The first finished draft goes tomy local historian friend and counsel
lor. The second, his corrections and goes to a
improved by suggestions,
 216 California Historical Society Quarterly
group of chosen readers some of whom have been asked for their names'
sake?for are influential?others because a considerable
they they have
of local at least is made,
knowledge history. Another draft including
in fact and and the transformation of sluggish prose into
changes fancy
smooth-flowing narrative. Now it goes to the and designer?
printer
to illustrate the text. The have been chosen
along with pictures pictures
because have as well as historic
they good reproduction possibilities
importance. Some of them, it is hoped, have never been published
before. They have come from or collections,
largely public private
some to a fam
including perhaps prized photograph belonging pioneer
ily and perhaps prints from old lithographs such as appear inThompson
&West's county histories.
After the publication of a of local
history, many satisfactions
piece
come to the writer, whether or not money is made out of the venture
or not the author is on the a a
and whether payroll of university, college,
a a individual or is
private corporation, generous sponsor, merely doing
the job as a self-employed person. His audience encircles the local

historian, and the is to be audible, for it comes at least from

applause apt
fellow townsmen and fellow Californians. Then, too, by getting so close
to a the local historian comes new material,
subject, inevitably upon
with discoveries that are satisfying. Speaking personally, I felt happy
when I found substantial that California's first rancho was the
proof
San Pedro in Los Angeles County. It was to be the first to
pleasant
uncover the story of and Culver to tell
Inglewood's City's first settlers;
for the first time how Pershing Square in Los Angeles got its start;
to new and information about the McNamara Times
present important
dynamiting case; to first publish the chain of title of Santa Catalina

Island; to draw upon untapped sources in the actual story of

revealing
San Fernando Valley's subdivision preceding the
immediately comple
tion of the Los Angeles and to disclose new facts about the
Aqueduct;
of the rancho known as the Malibu. A close of the
granting study
minutes of the of the Ayuntamiento or council of the
proceedings city
Pueblo of Los Angeles enabled me, happily, to offer in small book form
the story of the Indians of Los Angeles, to
disprove much of what had
been written about the village of Yang-na, and to tell what
really hap
to the These minutes, in the present day City
pened villagers. preserved
 Writing Local History 217
Hall, unfolded for me, in went
dignified and delightful language, what
on in the Pueblo of Mexican
simple days.
The writer of local can feel, too, that he has made a useful
history
and sometimes contribution to the or the
exciting community county.
If he has avoided provincial viewpoints and if he has remained fully
aware of the or role in the state or nation, he has
community's county's
made an contribution. That history of the United States is
important
most and convincing which is in part of the
interesting compounded
details furnished by a small army of local historians.
lively
in local California is on the
The worker history today ground floor.
Unlike his on the Atlantic seaboard or in he can
compatriot Europe,
still talk to first settlers, the sons or at least the grandsons of first settlers.
He can to first records. He can do a fundamental
easily get job and help
be and read hundreds
shape the story that will accepted of years from
now.

The local historian will feel grateful not only to his sponsor but to his
has taken a chance, to get fame rather
publisher who, perhaps, hoping
than fortune from the publishing venture.
It is that any one of us will do what Donald Culross
improbable
Peattie did: take a minute area and so write its story that it
symbolizes
the whole story of America. Nevertheless, if a broad perspective is
maintained and the quality of writing kept high, the history of the
a of the history of the state, the United
locality becomes part States,
and the world.