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Nathan W. Blanchard papers

 Collection
Identifier: MVC034

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of photographs, illustrations, papers, diaries, letters, and ephemera regarding the Blanchard family from the 1860s to the present. There are also some items of a genealogical nature and family tree as well as news clippings chronicling family births and deaths.

Dates

  • circa 1846-1976

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

COLLECTION STORED ON-SITE: Open for research. Advance requests can be made to Research Library staff via email.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the museum does not hold the copyright.

Biographical / Historical

Nathan Weston Blanchard was born to Merrill Blanchard and Eunice Weston Blanchard on July 24, 1831. In 1873, Blanchard and E. L. Bradley established the town of Santa Paula, which was later incorporated in 1902. After several successes plants and harvesting orange trees around the Santa Paula area, N. W. B. partnered with Union Oil Company founder Wallace Hardison to establish the Limoneira Company in 1893. By the time Blanchard retired in 1898, the company had successfully planted over 50,000 citrus trees in the county. Nathan Weston Blanchard died on October 23, 1917.

Extent

5.13 Cubic Feet : (4 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Nathan W. Blanchard collection consists of photographs, illustrations, papers, diaries, letters and other ephemera regarding the Blanchard family from the 1860s to the 1970s. Nathan W. Blanchard (1831-1917), who would later be a co-founder the Limoneira Company and oversee the successful planting and harvesting of over 50,000 citrus trees in the county, is best known for establishing the town of Santa Paula with E. L. Bradley in 1873. This collection also contains genealogical maps and family trees produced by and for the Blanchard family.

Arrangement

This collection does not have any series and has been described at the item level.

Physical Location

Stored at the MVC Research Library. All requests to access special collections can be made in advance by emailing the Research Library reference desk.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Dean Hobbs Blanchard; gift; 2006

Processing Information

Processed by Library Staff, 2010.

Title
Finding aid for Nathan W. Blanchard papers, circa 1846-1976.
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by Library Staff, 2010. Finding aid updated by Nicholas Lawrence, 2021.
Date
2010
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Sponsor
This finding aid was made possible in part through funding from the County of Ventura and the Heritage Fund at the Ventura County Community Foundation.

Revision Statements

  • 2021-07: Finding aid update for DACS compliance by Nicholas Lawrence.

Repository Details

Part of the Museum of Ventura County Repository

Contact:
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 653-0323