The Register of
Ed Fletcher Papers
1870 - 1955

MSS 0081

Mandeville Special Collections Library
Geisel Library
University of California, San Diego

Extent: 44.60 linear feet (79 archives boxes, 5 card file boxes, 10 flat boxes, 2 mapcase file folders, 4 volumes)

Restrictions

Researchers must use the microfilm. The volumes of newspaper clippings in Box 82, Folders 43-46 of the Ed Fletcher Papers cannot be used without the permission of the Manuscripts Librarian. These contain extremely brittle newspaper clippings.

Abstract

The papers of Ed Fletcher of San Diego, California, consisting primarily of the business records of Ed Fletcher (1872-1955), a noted San Diego land developer, civic leader, and member of the California State Senate. A native of Massachusetts, Fletcher arrived in San Diego in 1888. By the 1920s he had become one of the most influential men in the county. His financial success resulted in large part from his understanding of the importance of water and highway development for urban expansion in Southern California. As the prime mover behind numerous dam and aqueduct projects he promoted the irrigation of large segments of inland and coastal areas, including the El Cajon valley, Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach, and Del Mar. As a champion of highway construction he raised money to build local roads and lobbied for transcontinental motor routes. He began his political career as a Progressive Republican. San Diegans elected him to the California State Senate in 1934 and he served there for twelve years. After his death in 1955 his many sons continued the family tradition of business and civic leadership in San Diego. The papers document all aspects of Fletcher's career but are most complete in regard to his water-related enterprises. Included is correspondence, legal documents, blueprints, reports, and photographs. Although the bulk of the collection consists of business records, a large group of the photographs provide a visual record of the Fletcher family. The bulk of the materials date from 1900 to 1950, with the 1920s through the 1940s heavily represented. The papers are arranged in twelve series: 1) GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 2) REPORTS, FIELD NOTES AND PARTNERSHIPS, 3) VOLCAN LAND AND WATER COMPANY, 4) SAN DIEGO FLUME COMPANY, 5) CUYAMACA WATER COMPANY, 6) LAND COMPANIES, 7) OTHER FLETCHER ACTIVITIES, 8) CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR, 9) WRITINGS AND INTERVIEWS, 10) PERSONAL MEMORABILIA, 11) PHOTOGRAPHS, and 12) SCRAPBOOKS OF NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS. The accession processed in 2003 contains oversized photographs, certificates and ephemera and arranged in three series: 1) PHOTOGRAPHS, 2) CERTIFICATES and 3) EPHEMERA.

Biography

Colonel Edward ("Ed") Fletcher was a noted San Diego businessman, land developer, civic leader, and California State Senator. He worked to develop the county's water resources and highways, and his efforts contributed significantly to the urban development of Southern California.

Born in Massachusetts on December 31, 1872, Fletcher's mother died when he was 4 years old. His father kept the family together for five years, but finally placed the children in foster homes and moved to Florida. In 1888, at the age of 16, Ed took his savings of $126.50 and moved to San Diego to live with his sister Bess, who had come there following her marriage to Jarvis Doyle.

Fletcher claimed that he arrived in San Diego with $6.10. He became friends with M.T. Gilmore, a prominent bank officer, and Gilmore gave Fletcher his first job -- cleaning out Gilmore's yard. Beginning his business career as an agent for a produce merchant, Fletcher travelled by bicycle into remote rural areas of the county. He soon developed a network of loyal customers and a thorough knowledge of San Diego county geography. Through his experiences he quickly realized that the growth of the county's population depended largely on the development of water resources. He established his own produce business, eventually joining his brother-in-law in a partnership, called the Fletcher-Doyle Company.

Fletcher went back to Massachusetts in April 1896 and married his childhood sweetheart, Mary Catherine Batchelder. It was apparently a happy marriage and the couple had ten children -- seven boys and three girls. The families of most of these children still reside in the San Diego area and are still active in the civic and business life of the city.

In his youth Fletcher was involved in a number of military organizations. In 1892 he joined the Naval Militia and was elected Ensign a year later. He organized a regiment of volunteers during the Spanish-American War. In 1904 he received a commission as Ensign in the Naval Militia, and Governor Pardee appointed him Commanding Officer of the unit. In 1906 he went to San Francisco for duty after the earthquake and fire. During World War I he was one of the five members appointed to the District Exemption Board for southern California, serving the entire period of the war. Governor Hiram Johnson appointed Fletcher a "Colonel" on the governor's staff. Fletcher retained this position until his election to the State Senate in 1934, but people continued to use the title in addressing him.

Fletcher's familiarity and appreciation for the San Diego "back country" led to greater involvement in its land and water development. Deciding to focus his efforts on land development, he sold his interest in the produce business to his brother-in-law and founded a real estate enterprise, the Ed Fletcher Company.

One of Fletcher's most important developments involved the Villa Caro ranch, which included present-day Mt. Helix, Grossmont, and parts of El Cajon. Financing for this venture came from William A. Gross, an actor and theatrical producer who had met Fletcher at Yellowstone Park in 1901. Fletcher and Gross conceived of creating an artists colony in what would become Grossmont Park, and they succeeded in attracting the opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink as a resident. They eventually sold lots to a number of prominent people in the arts, including songwriter Carrie Jacobs-Bond, pianist Teresa Carreno, and author Owen Wister. Motion picture companies used the area in the 1910s and 1920s, and Grossmont Studios flourished for a brief period. Fletcher himself established a country residence at the foot of Grossmont.

Fletcher's least successful venture was Fletcher Hills, a large tract north of La Mesa. Fletcher placed the lots on the market immediately prior to the Depression and sales were slow throughout the 1930s. It was not until the late 1940s that the area began to grow, and the development eventually became profitable for Fletcher's heirs.

In many of his land development ventures Fletcher followed a similar pattern. He functioned as the visionary, possessing foresight and knowledge of the local area. His partners were usually wealthy men from outside the San Diego area, content to furnish the financing and leave Fletcher in charge of the logistics. Generally the partner would contribute 5/6 of the cost, with Fletcher adding the remaining. Fletcher would then carry out the work, often without a salary, until the project was finished or the property sold. The partner would then have his money repaid at 7% interest, Fletcher would take 25% of the profits as salary, and 75% Fletcher would re-invest.

Fletcher's many partnerships proved lucrative. With William and Ferdinand Thum, brothers who had become millionaires through the manufacture of ball bearings, Fletcher financed many San Diego building projects. In 1911 he interested William E. Hodges, Vice-President of the Santa Fe Railroad and President of the Santa Fe Land and Improvement Company, in projects such as Rancho Santa Fe, Hodges dam, the San Dieguito water system, and residential developments in Solana Beach and Escondido. Along with William G. Henshaw and William G. Kerckhoff, Fletcher developed Warner Ranch, obtained financing for creation of the Volcan Land and Water Company, and helped to build Warner Dam, which became Lake Henshaw.

Early in his career Fletcher became involved with the development of San Diego County's water resources. In 1903 he conceived of channeling the waters of Pauma Creek near Mount Palomar for irrigation of the Pauma valley. He succeeded in securing financing for this project from William Kerckhoff of the Pacific Light and Power Company in Los Angeles, an associate of transportation magnate Henry E. Huntington.

Fletcher's involvement in the San Diego Flume Company was one of his most important water-related enterprises. Along with his partner James A. Murray, a banker from Butte, Montana, Fletcher improved the flume system substantially and eventually delivered water to the communities of El Cajon, La Mesa, and East San Diego. The system ultimately included the Cuyamaca and Murray dams, both built by Fletcher, Murray, and other associates. Under Fletcher the San Diego Flume Company evolved into what would be known as the Cuyamaca Water Company.

On many occasions Fletcher attempted to sell the Cuyamaca system to the city of San Diego, but political and financial complications prevented the sale from taking place. Negotiations with the city began as early as 1913 and continued through the 1920s. Early opposition came from John D. Spreckels, San Diego's most powerful business leader. Spreckels and his associates had constructed their own water system and succeeded in contracting for the city's water supply. Although Spreckels later supported the acquisition of the Cuyamaca system, further complications ensued. Fletcher finally sold his system to the La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and Spring Valley Irrigation District in 1926.

Fletcher was also deeply involved in the building of roads and highways. He became the chairman of the County Road Commission in 1910, was instrumental in building the old plank road to Yuma, Arizona, raised money to build local motorways, and served on the County Highway Commission for many years. But one of his most important road projects was the promotion of a transcontinental highway through the southern states. He was president of the Dixie-Overland Highway Association and the Lee Highway Association, reading a message from President Calvin Coolidge at the dedication of the San Diego terminus in November, 1923.

In 1926 he organized and participated in a record-breaking cross-country motor tour via the Dixie Highway, driving to Savannah, Georgia and back to San Diego from St. Augustine, Florida. In 1929 he travelled in an enormous motorcade from San Diego to Memphis, Tennessee. Through this event -- organized by Fletcher and named "The Broadway of America" -- he intended to publicize the need for a San Diego to New York City motor route.

Always civic-minded, he was a Director of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, and organized both the San Diego Athletic Club (and with George Marston and Fred White lost an enormous amount of money when the Club defaulted during the Depression) and the Commonwealth Club. For several years he chaired the city's Community Chest drive, and he worked closely with the President of the State Teacher's College (precursor of San Diego State University) to upgrade the college's facilities. He gave Solana Beach a mile of waterfront footage for a park. He also provided the County of San Diego with property for Grossmont High School, the Mt. Helix cross, and camps for various youth groups.

Along with other civic leaders, Fletcher was instrumental in promoting military installations in the county. In 1906 he entertained the officers of the Atlantic Fleet at his country home at the Villa Caro ranch. He furnished water for Camp Kearney at a low rate during World War I and he lobbied for the establishment of local Navy and Marine bases.

Fletcher became involved in politics during the rise of Progressivism. A staunch supporter of governor Hiram Johnson, Fletcher was a "reform" Republican and a member of the Lincoln-Roosevelt League -- a group opposed to the influence of the Southern Pacific Railroad in California politics. In 1934 San Diegans elected Fletcher to the State Senate, and he held his seat for 12 years until his retirement. Among his legislative accomplishments were the establishment of the Cabrillo Monument on Point Loma and numerous bills relating to forestry. He co-authored legislation concerning water resources, including bills to fund the Central Valley Water Project and the establishment of the San Luis Rey Water Authority. In the 1945 session he promoted Senate Bill 310, which conveyed state lands around Mission Bay to the city of San Diego for park development. Fletcher ran for Congress in 1940 but lost the election to incumbent Ed Izac.

In 1952 Fletcher published his memoirs, a loosely organized collection of reminiscences intended primarily for his children. The most detailed portions of the book related to the development of San Diego's water resources, a topic on which he wrote frequently.

Ed Fletcher died in San Diego in 1955. Many of his sons continued the family tradition of local business and civic leadership. Steve Fletcher became the manager of the Ed Fletcher company, Charles Fletcher served as president of Home Federal Savings and Loan, and Ferdinand Fletcher was a prominent attorney.

For more details of Ed Fletcher's biography, see Memoirs of Ed Fletcher (1952) in the rare book collection of the Mandeville Special Collections Library at UCSD.

Scope and Content

Accession Processed in 1991

In 1954 the Fletcher family donated a large collection of Ed Fletcher's papers to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). UCLA transferred this collection to UCSD in 1978. The family also gave additional papers to the San Diego Historical Society, and there is much overlap between the two repositories' collections.

The papers at UCSD consist primarily of Ed Fletcher's business records, although a large group of photographs documents the history of the Fletcher family. The bulk of the materials date from ca. 1900 to 1950, with the 1920s through the 1940s best represented. Included is correspondence, legal documents, reports on hydraulics, drafts of articles, copies of interviews, maps, blueprints, photographs, and news clippings. The collection is a rich source of documentation for the history of San Diego County in the early 20th century and for the history of California water development.

At the time of processing in 1990, much of the original order of the collection had been destroyed. A number of alphabetical files remained intact, and these were used as a basis for reconstructing the correspondence. Whenever possible the processor attempted to discern the original arrangement of the materials and restore this arrangement, although it was necessary to create many artificial categories.

Often, the processor removed from subject files correspondence with prominent individuals, bringing this correspondence together within the General Correspondence series. In these cases the processor created cross-reference sheets for the original subject file, so that all letters from the file could be traced.

The papers are now organized in twelve series: 1) GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 2) REPORTS, FIELD NOTES AND PARTNERSHIPS, 3) VOLCAN LAND AND WATER COMPANY, 4) SAN DIEGO FLUME COMPANY, 5) CUYAMACA WATER COMPANY, 6) LAND COMPANIES, 7) OTHER FLETCHER ACTIVITIES, 8) CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR, 9) WRITINGS AND INTERVIEWS, 10) PERSONAL MEMORABILIA, 11) PHOTOGRAPHS, and 12) SCRAPBOOKS OF NEWS CLIPPINGS.

SERIES 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE

The GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE is the largest series and has been arranged alphabetically by name. Where possible, each correspondent has been identified as to his relationship to Ed Fletcher or to a Fletcher company. As a rule, correspondents with less than three letters present in the collection are grouped at the end of each letter, under "A Miscellaneous", "B Miscellaneous," etc.

Notable among correspondents are Fletcher's business partners and financial backers, including E. O. Faulkner, William G. Henshaw, William E. Hodges, H. W. Keller, William G. Kerckhoff, James A. Murray, Frank Salmons, Charles F. Stern, William and Ferdinand Thum, and John Traenor. There is very little correspondence with William Gross, although there is some with Nels Gross, apparently William's nephew. Papers relating to some of these partners can be found in the series REPORTS, FIELD NOTES AND PARTNERS.

Local businessmen and civic leaders represented in the correspondence include Burt Anthony, Frank Belcher, Arthur and Stanley Bent, George S. Burnham, Claude L. Chambers, Charles T. Chandler, Ira Copley, G. Aubrey Davidson, John and Florence Dupee, James D. Forward, Samuel Fox, E. B. (Jay) Gould, Jr., Robert Hart, Mathias Heller, J. P. Johnson, Jr., H. H. Jones, Melville Klauber, George W. Marston, A. V. Mayrhofer, W. F. Raber, Ray Sauer, Joseph Sefton, Kate Sessions, John and Claus Spreckels, Clarence Sprigg, Jerry Sullivan, A. J. Sutherland, J. C. (Jack) Thompson, Julius Wangenheim, O. B. Wetzell, Sherwood Wheaton, Walter Whitcomb, and Fred M. White. There are also letters from San Diego pioneers such as Cave Couts, Rufus Choate, and T. S. Van Dyke. A letter from newspaper magnate E. W. Scripps relates to the development of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Also included in the correspondence are the files of various officials of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad; members of the California State Railroad Commission; San Diego mayors and councilmen; State governors and officials; and U.S. and California senators and congressmen, including Carl Hayden, Jacob Javits, William F. Knowland, William G. McAdoo, and Samuel Shortridge. U.S. Presidents Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower, and Richard Nixon (then vice-president) are represented by brief letters, as well as Secretary of State Charles E. Hughes, Harold Stassen, Alf Landon, and Chief Justice Earl Warren. Included in the Warren file is a legal opinion from Warren establishing order of priority for two Fletcher grandchildren born on the same day.

Foreign dignitaries represented include Jose Lugo and A. L. Rodriguez, governors of Baja California, Pascual Ortiz-Rubio, president of Mexico, and A. Somoza, president of Nicaragua. Also included is correspondence with various commanding officers of Camp Pendleton and the Eleventh Naval District.

Letters are also included from these nationally known figures: J. G. Bullock of Bullock's Department Stores, banker F. L. Crocker of New York City, film personalities Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, transportation magnate Henry E. Huntington of Los Angeles, and C. R. Smith of American Airlines. Correspondence with Joseph Strauss of Chicago, who built the Golden Gate Bridge, relates to a prospective bridge to Coronado. Letters from the secretaries to the Duke of Windsor and President Woodrow Wilson can also be found.

There is much correspondence relating to the Grossmont subdivision, including letters from people prominent in the arts and entertainment fields. These include opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink, author Owen Wister, pianist Teresa Carreno, songwriter Carrie Jacobs-Bond, and a poem by John Vance Cheney dedicated to Fletcher and Grossmont. Correspondence concerning motion picture enterprises at Grossmont include letters from Arthur Sawyer and Herbert Lubin of S-L Studios, Richard Thomas of Sennett Studios, and Mrs. Wallace Reid.

Another extensive part of the correspondence consists of exchanges between Fletcher and his managers and engineers, including William Post, Thomas P. Ellis, Thomas A. King, F. M. Faude, Chester Harritt, Lou B. Mathews, William B. Shropshire, and F. H. Tolle. Less extensive is the correspondence with Edmond A. Bartl, Eugene C. Batchelder, E. W. Case, Fred E. Green, Hofflund, and Don Walter.

Fletcher maintained correspondence files with his many attorneys. These were Charles C. Crouch and Hugh A. Sanders of Crouch and Sanders; Judge William A. Sloane and Harrison Sloane of Sloane and Sloane; and Frederick W. Stearns and A. H. Sweet of Sweet, Stearns and Forward. Less extensive is the correspondence with others Fletcher lawyers such as Percy C. Black, Albert J. Lee and Henry J. Stevens.

SERIES 2: REPORTS, FIELD NOTES AND PARTNERSHIPS

The REPORTS, FIELD NOTES AND PARTNERS series is arranged in three subseries: A) Reports, B) Field Notes and C) Partnerships.

A) The Reports subseries, arranged alphabetically by author, largely contains typescript engineering and land survey reports, hydrologic reports, water supply studies, cost estimation, and descriptions of physical conditions for the Volcan and Cuyamaca Water Systems. Materials include final reports, blueprints, data, legal descriptions, and photographs. Of particular interest are W. L. Huber's two reports entitled "Engineering Report Upon Proposed San Luis Rey Irrigation District" and "Engineering Report Upon La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Spring Valley Irrigation District," which summarize and illustrate, using tipped-in photographs, those early systems. W. S. Post's "Report on Water Systems and Projects in San Diego County" also provides photographic documentation on Lake Henshaw and other projects.

B) The Field Notes subseries contains typescript survey descriptions of township sections, including references to previous surveys and bearings of structures, features and corner markers. Of interest are transcriptions of surveys for numerous ranchos including Rancho Guajome, Canada de San Vicente, Agua Hedionda, Pauma, San Jose de Valle, Bernardo, San Vicente, Santa Margarita y las Flores (Camp Pendleton), and Santa Isabel.

C) The Partnerships subseries contains documents related to Fletcher's financial activities with William B. Gross, William Henshaw, James A. Murray, Charles F. Stern, Ferdinand and William Thum, and John Traenor.

SERIES 3: VOLCAN LAND AND WATER COMPANY

The VOLCAN LAND AND WATER COMPANY series is arranged in two subseries: A) General and B) San Dieguito System.

A) The General subseries contains records about the company, including articles of incorporation, directors' meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous materials.

B) The San Dieguito System subseries documents dam building, damsites, water distribution, and irrigation districts in north San Diego County on the watershed from Warner Dam to the ocean. Water companies include the San Dieguito Mutual Water Company, the Volcan-Escondido Mutual Water Company, Pamo Mutual Water Company, and the San Diego County Water Company. There is extensive documentation of the planning and construction of Lake Hodges Dam (Carroll Dam) and Carroll Conduit, especially, riparian rights, calculations, blueprints, and progress reports. San Dieguito Dam, Pamo Dam, and Warner Dam are also represented, as well as the San Dieguito Irrigation District, Cardiff Irrigation District, Santa Fe Irrigation District, and San Luis Rey Irrigation District.

SERIES 4: SAN DIEGO FLUME COMPANY

The SAN DIEGO FLUME COMPANY series is arranged in three subseries: A) General, B) Correspondence and C) Linda Vista Irrigation District.

A) The General subseries contains board of directors' meeting minutes, legal documents, water contracts, and physical descriptions of properties. Also included are the bylaws and meeting minutes of the El Cajon Valley Interurban Company, as well as files related to the Linda Vista Irrigation District.

B) The Correspondence subseries comprises administrative correspondence.

C) The Linda Vista Irrigation District subseries materials relate to the formation of the district and it's bond sale.

SERIES 5: CUYAMACA WATER COMPANY

The CUYAMACA WATER COMPANY series is arranged in nine subseries: A) General, B) Cuyamaca Customers, C) Miscellaneous, D) State Railroad Commission, E) Case Resulting from Hamilton Filing, F) El Capitan Dam, G) City of San Diego vs. Cuyamaca Water Company, H) Mission Gorge #3, and I) Sale of System.

A) The General subseries includes articles of incorporation, monthly reports, personnel lists, and other operational records.

B) The Cuyamaca Customers subseries contains correspondence files, arranged alphabetically, with customers regarding billing and complaints.

C) The Miscellaneous subseries comprises subject files.

D) The State Railroad Commission subseries contains files related to the regulation of the Cuyamaca Water Company as a public utility, including applications for rate increases and annual reports to the Commission.

E) The Case Resulting From Hamilton Filing subseries contains documentation of the "Hamilton Filing" Hearing. In this case Fletcher had dismissed C. T. Sacket, an engineer briefly hired to survey the water holdings of the company in the San Diego River valley. Sacket then stole documents from the Fletcher company and filed on the lands through one of his friends named Hamilton. The Land Office in Los Angeles decided against Hamilton, and instead of appealing, Hamilton gave his filings, free of charge, to the City of San Diego, which then applied to have the case re-opened before a Committee of Congress. Included are exhibits for the hearings along with correspondence with U.S. Senators Henry H. Ashurst, Henry L. Myers, James D. Phelan, and Thomas J. Walsh; U.S. Representatives J. A. Elston, Scott Ferris, William Kettner, John H. Stephens; Secretary of Interior Franklin Lane; Cato Sells, E. B. Meritt and C. R. Olberg of the Indian Affairs Commission; attorneys Bordwell and Mathews, Brittan and Lane, and O. R. W. Robinson; and engineer Walter L. Huber.

F) The El Capitan Dam subseries contains files related to water projects on or across the El Capitan Indian Reservation, especially the right-of-way of the flume and attempts to build the El Capitan dam.

G) The City of San Diego vs. Cuyamaca Water Company documents the company's response to the City's condemnation suit for ownership of the damsite for the proposed El Capitan dam. Materials include court documents and exhibits.

H) The Mission Gorge #3 (Boulder Creek) subseries contains legal documents related to Fletcher's bid to appropriate water from the San Diego River.

I) The Sale of System subseries relates to the sale of the Cuyamaca Water Company to the La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Spring Valley Irrigation District.

SERIES 6: LAND COMPANIES

The LAND COMPANIES series is arranged in nine subseries: A) Stone and Timber Act Applications, B) Del Mar / Oceanside, C) Grossmont Park Company, D) Avocado Acres, E) Solana Beach, F) Madrid Gardens Apartments, G) Miscellaneous Land Companies, H) Ed Fletcher Company, and I) Lake Cuyamaca Lodge.

A) The Stone and Timber Act Applications subseries contains mining claims and timber applications for properties filed by Ed Fletcher or associates. The properties often adjoin watersheds for dam projects.

B) The Del Mar / Oceanside subseries includes a 1916 list of landowners from Carlsbad to Del Mar containing the owner's name, a property description and acreage; descriptions of South Coast Land Company properties, and blueprint maps of Leucadia and Eatonville.

C) The Grossmont Park Company subseries documents Fletcher's land transactions in the El Cajon Valley along the Cuyamaca Water Company right-of-way. Included are files related to property deeded to S-L Studios, a motion picture film company producing wild west movies that lasted only six months. Also included are business records of the El Cajon Raisin Company.

D) The Avocado Acres subseries largely contains correspondence, trust deed documents and property descriptions for Avocado Acres, a land project in Encinitas. Of particular interest is the typescript transcription of a radio interview with Avocado Man at his avocado grove in Encinitas.

E) The Solana Beach Seaside Camp subseries documents a trailer camp developed by Fletcher and contains correspondence, receipt books and business records.

F) The Madrid Garden Apartments subseries contains business records related to the management of the Glendale property, especially correspondence with the manager, Mrs. Ira Craft.

G) The Miscellaneous Land Companies subseries documents numerous small land development projects, especially in San Diego County. Included are files for Pine Hills, Rancho Santa Maria, Poway, Palomar Mountain, and Santa Margarita Ranch, later Camp Pendleton. The Torrey Pines Company, a Fletcher fruit and produce supply company, contains business records for labor and equipment. Several files related Camp Kearny, a World War I Army training camp, document Fletcher's development of the camp's water supply. Also included is a typescript claim for damages to Fletcher's property illustrated with photographs.

H) The Ed Fletcher Company subseries contains payroll records (1951-1954) and miscellaneous correspondence and financial records.

I) The Lake Cuyamaca Lodge subseries documents the sale of that property from Army trench building.

SERIES 7: OTHER FLETCHER ACTIVITIES

The OTHER FLETCHER ACTIVITIES series is arranged in three subseries: A) Yuma Mesa Grapefruit Syndicate, B) Highways and C) Miscellaneous Projects.

A) The Yuma Mesa Grapefruit Syndicate subseries contains business records for the development of twenty acres of reclamation land.

B) The Highways subseries documents Fletcher's participation and promotion of numerous highway projects beginning with the 1911 plank road section of the San Diego to Phoenix road. Other overland highway projects include the Southern National Highway, the Lee Highway, the Dixie-Overland Highway, and the Broadway of America motorcade.

C) The Miscellaneous Projects subseries comprises other California water projects in which Fletcher was involved.

SERIES 8: CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR

The series CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR contains materials relating to topics and projects of concern to Fletcher during his terms in the Legislature. These are not in any way comprehensive files from his Senatorial office. Much of the series relates to Fletcher's efforts to establish the Cabrillo Monument.

SERIES 9: WRITINGS AND INTERVIEWS

The WRITINGS AND INTERVIEWS series is arranged in two subseries: A) Water History and B) Miscellaneous.

Within the series are many documents dealing with the history of San Diego county and its water supply, including papers assembled for Fletcher's planned "water history" of San Diego. Included is correspondence between U. S. Grant, Jr. and E. S. Babcock relating to Grant's development of a water system. Other letters concerning the early development of water are those from John and Claus Spreckels and M. C. Healion. There are also letters concerning the history of the San Diego area, including those from George F. Gray.

SERIES 10: PERSONAL MEMORABILIA

The PERSONAL MEMORABILIA series contains items that document some aspects of Fletcher's personal life. These include materials relating to his travels, such as an illustrated diary of his 1919 motor trip through Baja California and a program for the dedication of the cross atop Mt. Helix.

SERIES 11: PHOTOGRAPHS

The PHOTOGRAPHS series is arranged in seven subseries: A) Business, B) Assembled for Memoirs and Miscellaneous Photos, C) Family, D) Photo Albums and Memorabilia, E) Small Photos and Memorabilia, F) Photograph Albums, and G) Large Photographs and Memorabilia.

The PHOTOGRAPHS are extensive and include both business and family materials. Here can be found a detailed visual record of dam construction in San Diego county. Also included are views of San Diego buildings and geography, numerous albums relating to travels and land developments, and portraits of Fletcher's friends and associates (many of them autographed). The family photographs document many generations of both Fletcher's extended family and his immediate family.

SERIES 12: SCRAPBOOKS OF NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

Fletcher's SCRAPBOOKS OF NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS are large bound volumes containing thousands of articles from a wide variety of newspapers. Most date from the 1930s and 1940s. They relate primarily to legislative affairs, although two large volumes are devoted to the activities of the Ed Fletcher Company from 1909-1919.

Accession Processed in 2003

The accession processed in 2003 consists mostly of oversized photographs from throughout Fletcher's adult life. There is also numerous oversized certificates from 1895 to 1954 and some ephemera. These materials supplement the larger collection without adding significant new themes. The materials are arranged in three series: 1) PHOTOGRAPHS, 2) CERTIFICATES, and 3) EPHEMERA.

SERIES 1: PHOTOGRAPHS

The PHOTOGRAPHS series contains a variety of images of Fletcher's projects, family, and acquaintances. The images are arranged topically.

SERIES 2: CERTIFICATES

The CERTIFICATES series consists of one folder containing certificates of election, military recognition, as well as acknowlegements from a variety of private service organization. The certificates are in chronological order.

SERIES 3: EPHEMERA

The final series, EPHEMERA, contains a variety of items including artwork sent to Fletcher, reproductions of colonial documents, and photographs of significant letters and checks.