Abstract John Nichols of Santa Paula, California is a local historian, photographer, and writer. Much of his work has focused on the St. Francis Dam disaster and his research on the 1928 dam break led to the 2002 work for Arcadia Publishing titled The St. Francis Dam Disaster. Nichols is also a gallery owner and dealer in vintage photographs. He and his wife own the John Nichols Gallery in Santa Paula. The 1928 St. Francis Dam disaster remains the second-greatest loss of...

Abstract Ventura County historian Charles F. Outland was born in Santa Paula on August 30, 1910. Due to his keen interest in local history, Outland began collecting books and historical materials and later became actively involved in the Ventura County Historical Society. He worked as editor of the Ventura County Historical Society Quarterly, oversaw the society's publications and authored several articles and books. Outland's most well-known book Man-Made Disaster (1963)...

Abstract The Saint Francis Dam disaster took place in the late night and early morning hours of March 12-13, 1928. The concrete gravity dam collapsed and sent a tide of water through the Santa Clara River Valley and out to the coastal plains of Ventura and Oxnard. The death toll was estimated at 431. Jess E. Stephens was a Los Angeles city attorney known for his work on behalf of the city regarding property and injury claims filed by Ventura County residents. This collection contains Stephens' papers...