Robert Gillingham Working Papers

Collection

Identifier: SPC-1970-001

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

A majority of this collection is manuscript drafts and copies of sections of The Rancho San Pedro and Yesterdays of Compton. Also included are Gillingham’s notes and correspondence to and from local historians, the Dominguez Estate Company, Compton pioneers, and others.

Dates

1932-1983

Creator

Gillingham, Robert C. (Robert Cameron), 1896- (Person)

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.

Robert C. Gillingham Biography

Robert C. Gillingham was born in Michigan in 1896 and moved to Compton, California in 1906. He attended Compton Union High School, earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Pomona College, and served in the first World War. Gillingham later earned his PhD from the University of Southern California and, in 1927, became Dean of Compton Junior College, a position he held for 35 years. During this time, he also spent 17 years as the chairman of the Compton City Planning Commission. His interest in local history led him to write The Rancho San Pedro, first published in 1961 and financed by the Dominguez Estate Company. He also published over sixty articles on Compton history for the Compton News-Tribune, which were later compiled into the book Yesterdays of Compton.

Extent

1 linear foot

3 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Robert C. Gillingham was a historian who focused on the South Bay, specifically the Rancho San Pedro, the Dominguez family, and Compton. This collection consists of correspondence, drafts, and manuscript copies related to his work on The Rancho San Pedro and Yesterdays of Compton.

Arrangement

Arranged in two series:

Series I. Compton, 1932-1960
Series II. Rancho San Pedro, 1944-1983

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Likely donated by Robert Gillingham in the 1970s or 1980s.

Related Materials

The following related collections can be found in the CSUDH Archives and Special Collections: Compton History Collection; Del Amo Estate Company Collection; Del Amo Nurseries Collection; Dominguez Air Meet Collection; Dominguez Water Company Collection; Rancho San Pedro Collection; Rancho San Pedro Reference Collection; South Bay History Collection; South Bay Photo Collection; Watson Land Company Collection

Separated Materials

A book entitled "The Rancho San Pedro; the story of a famous Rancho in Los Angeles County and of its owners the Dominguez family" has been cataloged separately.

Project Information

This finding aid was created as part of Early Los Angeles/Rancho San Pedro Manuscript Cataloging Project, a CSU Dominguez Hills Library project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project started in 2005. Project Director was Greg Williams. Project Archivists were Thomas Philo and Jennifer Allan Goldman.

Processing Information

Materials in this collection were removed from the Rancho San Pedro Reference Collection and the Compton History Collection. This collection was created in 2006 during the processing of the above collections.