Judson Grenier Research Collection

Collection

Identifier: SPC-1900-011

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Grenier Research Collections contains the research material used by Dr. Judson Grenier for his many books including: California Legacy: The Watson Family and George Carson: Los Angeles Pioneer. It also includes research material for Reminiscences of the Dominguez Ranch and the Carson Family: An Oral History by John Victor Carson and interviewed by Judson Grenier. Materials include biogaphical information, estate maps, invitations, letters, maps, notes, photographs, publications, sketches, and more.

Content Alert

The materials in this collection help create a valuable historical record, but they often reflect the times in which they were created, and they may use disturbing racial language and exhibit racist attitudes, including: Documents and photographs in the collection that note a site on Rancho San Pedro lands with an offensive, racist term is its name. Though the site no longer exists, the name appears throughout the collection.

Dates

1812-2014; undated

Creator

Grenier, Judson (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.

Biographical / Historical

Dr. Judson Grenier was born in Indiana in 1930. His education includes a Bachelor's Degree at the University of Minnesota (1951), a Master's Degree at the University of Southern California (1952), and Doctorate in History at University of California, Los Angles (circa 1956). During his academic training he interviewed author Upton Sinclair. After a few years as a journalist for the Los Angeles Mirror-News, he began his teacher career at El Camino College in Torrance, CA in 1956. In 1966 he began working at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) as the first chairman of the History Department. He taught at CSUDH for 27 years where he co-directed the California State University Oral History Project. At CSUDH he conducted research on several topics including the Dominguez Family lands on the Rancho San Pedro, the 1910 International Aviation Meet at Dominguez Field, the California State University and several other topics. He published the first history of CSUDH entitled “The Rainbow Years (1960-1985). With Donald R. Gerth, he published A History of the California State University and Colleges (ca. 1982). Additionally, he published works included the following: California Legacy: The Watson Family and George Carson: Los Angeles Pioneer (2014). Dr. Grenier was also edited the second edition of Robert Gillingham’s 1961 book, The Rancho San Pedro in 1983. In 1981 he published the pamphlet, Reminiscences of the Dominguez Ranch and the Carson family : an oral history.

A longtime Manhattan Beach resident, Dr. Grenier also wrote or edited several pamphlets relating to Manhattan Beach including A Capsule History of Manhattan Beach, 1912-1976, The Streets of Manhattan Transportation at the Beach and Manhattan Beach Yesterdays . In 2005 he was honored for his research with a Fellows Award by the Historical Society of Southern California. Dr. Grenier was instrumental in promoting and advancing the Gerth Archives and Special Collections in the University Library at CSUDH. This work included locating and preserving many Dominguez Family Collections that remain in the Archives.

Extent

1.25 Linear Feet

3 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Judson Grenier Collection (1812 – 2014, undated) documents Dr. Judson Grenier’s research into families connected to the Rancho San Pedro. Located in the South Bay of Los Angeles County, the Rancho San Pedro is one of the first great land grants, held by Juan Jose Dominguez and his heirs from 1874 into the 21st century. The materials in this collection focus largely on the Watson family and the Carson family, who are among the later heirs to the Rancho San Pedro lands. This collection gathers Grenier’s research for two books, >California Legacy: the Watson Family and George Carson: Los Angeles Pioneer. It also includes materials about Robert Gillingham, the main historian of the Rancho San Pedro, the Banning Family, and California State University, Dominguez Hills, where Grenier served as founding professor of the History Department. The collection includes personal notes, letters within and between families, financial materials, photographs, maps, publications, and more.

Arrangement

Contains 7 Series:

Series I: Banning Family Research
SSeries II: California State University, Dominguez Hills Research
Series III: Carson Family Research
Series IV: Dominguez Family Research
Series V: Personal Materials
Series VI: Publications
Series VII: Other Reference Material

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Judson Grenier.

Related Materials

For related material please consult the Judson Grenier Photograph Collection, Rancho San Pedro Collection, Rancho San Pedro Reference Collection, and Robert Gillingham Papers.

Separated Materials

Contains materials that have been catalogued separately that relate to the materials within this collection such as California Legacy: The Watson Family and George Carson: Los Angeles Pioneer.