Finding Aid for the A. E. Hanson papers, circa 1924-circa 1986 0000139
Finding aid prepared by Jillian O'Connor and Chris Marino
Architecture and Design Collection, Art, Design & Architecture Museum
Arts Building Room 1434
University of California
Santa Barbara, California, 93106-7130
805-893-2724
adc@museum.ucsb.edu
Title: A. E. Hanson papers
Identifier/Call Number: 0000139
Contributing Institution:
Architecture and Design Collection, Art, Design & Architecture Museum
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
8.0 Linear feet
(5 record storage boxes and 1 flat file drawer)
Date (inclusive): circa 1924-circa 1986
creator:
Hanson, A. E., 1893-1986
Partially processed collection, open for use by qualified researchers.
A. E. Hanson papers, Architecture and Design Collection. Art, Design & Architecture Museum; University of California, Santa
Barbara.
A. E. Hanson landscape architect and land developer was born in Chino, California on December 20, 1893. After two years of
high school, Hansen left to assist his family monetarily, and begun working for landscape architect Theodore Payne and then
in 1915 for landscape architect Paul Howard in Los Angeles. Despite his lack of formal training, Hansen started his own firm
in 1916 and by the end of the 1920’s he was designing and constructing many of the largest private gardens in Southern California.
During the 1930s he developed Rolling Hills in Rancho Palos Verde, California as well as Hidden Hills, California in the San
Fernando Valley. In 1932, Hansen became the general manager of the Palos Verdes Corporation and held this position until 1944.
His more notable projects include the Harold Lloyd estate in Beverly Hills, the Kirk Johnson residence, and the Spanish Andalusian
garden of A. B. Young in Pasadena. Archibald E. Hanson died on February 21, 1986 in Los Angeles, at the age of 93.
The A. E. Hanson papers span 8 linear feet and date from circa 1924 to circa 1986. The collection consists primarily of black-and-white
photographs of Hanson’s landscape designs, organized by project; and Hanson’s travel photographs, organized by location, loose
in folders and in four leather bound scrapbooks labeled Spain, Italy, France, and Rome. The collection also consists of transcripts
of A. E. Hanson’s oral history done by the Palos Verde Library District, an annotated draft of
Yesterday’s Garden (the story behind the planning and execution of the Harold Lloyd garden), and Hanson’s presentation boards organized by project.
Related Archival Materials note
Lutah Maria Riggs papers, Architecture and Design Collection. Art, Design & Architecture Museum; University of California,
Santa Barbara.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Hanson, A. E., 1893-1986
Landscape architects -- California
Landscape architecture drawings
Negatives
Photographic prints
Presentation drawings (proposals)