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Dominguez Land Company

 Collection
Identifier: SPC-2009-004

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the sale of individual plots of land in the city of Torrance, CA. The collection is organized according to contract numbers assigned to each sale by the Dominguez Land Corporation, which they have termed "agreements". Each agreement contains either a contract for the sale of land (residential, business, industrial, oil, or undeveloped land, though later documents are simply noted as "sales contracts" without delineating the type of land being sold) or a grant deed for land, though usually both documents are found in each agreement. The sales contracts include details on mortgage arrangements and restrictions on building (for unimproved properties), as well as ledgers detailing payments made on the property. Each agreement may also contain correspondence relating to the agreement (both hand-written and typed), as well as company memos (generally orders to draw up grant deeds). Finally, additional legal documents, such as quitclaim deeds and affidavits, may be included in the agreements.

Within the second series, there are four subseries included. The first subseries includes other land agreements, including the lease agreement between the Dominguez Land Corporation and the Standard Oil Company and the sales agreement between the Dominguez Land Corporation and the Chanslor-Canfield Midway Oil Company, as well as a sales contract with the Pacific Electric Railway Company. Another subseries includes the By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation for both the Dominguez Land Company and the Dominguez Land Corporation. A third subseries details the dissolution and sale of the Dominguez Land Corporation to Remco-Real Estate Management Co., and a fourth subseries includes stockholder and bond holder information on the Dominguez Land Corporation

Dates

  • 1911-1950

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection material is in English.

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

History

The Dominguez Land Company was originally formed in 1911 under the leadership of Jared Sidney Torrance, who was company president. Original stockholders included Merris Hellman, Joseph F. Sartori, John S. Cravens, Dr. W. Jarvis Barlow, and Torrance. In 1911, they purchased 2,792 acres of land (at $350 per acre) from the Dominguez Estate Company and 730 acres from the Del Amo Estate Company (each owned by the daughters of Manuel Dominguez). That land was broken up into lots and sold off, eventually forming the city of Torrance, CA. In 1912, the Dominguez Land Company incorporated and became known as the Dominguez Land Corporation.

Torrance was originally envisioned as a town where residence, business, and industrial lands coexisted. Workers in the town's factories and businesses could find a home close to their place of employment. Jared Torrance believed that a man who enjoyed his work and owned his own home would remain in the community and contribute to the community. This philosophy of mixed development is evident in the variety of land contracts sold by The Dominguez Land Company, which included contracts for business, industrial, and residential property.

In 1921, oil was discovered in Torrance, and the Dominguez Land Company soon began offering oil land for sale. In 1922, the Dominguez Land Corporation formed a lease agreement with the Standard Oil Company, allowing the Standard Oil Company sole rights to drill for oil in the city of Torrance. In 1926, the Dominguez Land Company also sold a large portion of oil land to the Chanslor-Canfield Midway Oil Company.

By 1941, the Dominguez Land Corporation had liquidated much of its assets. The remains of the company, including office furniture, records, and any future assets which may be found, were purchased by Remco-Real Estate Management Company, a company founded in 1927 by former Dominguez Land Corporation president, Donald Findley.

Extent

35 boxes

17.5 Linear Feet

Abstract

Records of the Dominguez Land Company (1911-1941). Included in the collection are contracts and grant deeds detailing the sale of land throughout the city of Torrance, CA, as well as related correspondence and legal documentation. Also includes documentation of the history of the Dominguez Land Corporation, and details of its sale to Remco-Real Estate Management Company in 1941.

Arrangement

Arranged in two series:

  1. Series I: Agreements, 1912-1927
  2. Series II: Corporate Documents, 1911-1950

Physical Location

First floor storage.

Request Options

Please allow additional time for this collection to be paged.

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Erin Kurinsky and Kim Cameron, 2010.

Title
Inventory of the Dominguez Land Company Collection
Status
Under Revision
Author
Erin Kurinsky
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson CA 90747
310-243-3895