Shelves and Consultant Recommendations for the Handling and Long-Term Conservation of City Tax Assessment Ledgers, 1898-1950

FAIN: PG-252935-17

City of Whittier (Whittier, CA 90602-1730)
Paymaneh Maghsoudi (Project Director: May 2016 to June 2019)

The purchase of shelving and a conservator’s assessment for historic tax records located in the Whittier History Collection.  The 52 tax assessment ledgers and 24 accompanying indexes cover the years 1898 to 1950 and include names of property owners, dimensions of lots, the amounts of personal property and taxes levied, and notes on sales and purchases.  Volumes from 1898 to 1903 hold particular significance as they contain the only comprehensive record of Whittier residents at that time.  Researchers in genealogy, social and economic history, architectural trends, migration patterns, education, business, and cultural organizations use these materials in tandem with other resources on Whittier and California history.  A 2015 report recommended the proposed activities.

This project provides for the proper storage of an irreplaceable local history resource: 76 volumes of tax assessment ledgers and indexes. Proper storage of these ledgers was identified as a priority by a California Preservation Assessment Project report in 2015. This project also provides expert conservator's assessment, which will include recommendations on safe handling and long-term conservation plans for the ledgers. This resource is significant to the humanities as it encourages people to draw connections between their own history and identity and that of the town, state, and nation. The historical context of researchers' families and homes becomes interesting, and broader themes of the humanities are illuminated. Examples include genealogy and home research leading to reference questions regarding the economic history of Whittier, architectural trends, migration patterns, and the history of area schools, businesses, and cultural organizations.