City of Davis Collection, 1917-1982

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Summary

Creators:
Davis (Calif)
Abstract:
The City of Davis Collection documents life in a Sacramento Valley community during the twentieth century as seen through material related to the city's local government. The collection spans the years 1917-1982, with clusters of material around the periods 1932-1939, 1946-1960, and 1978-1982. Included are correspondence, property assessment records, legal opinions, bids, receipt books for business licenses, contracts, newsletters, bulletins, maps, plans, personnel recommendations, a warrant register, a registry of births, policy statements, regulations, petitions, meeting minutes, tax returns, court decisions, and election documents. Of special note is the personal correspondence file of Norman D. Thomas, the city's third clerk and city attorney, serving at the height of the Great Depression. The collection affords glimpses into local politics, city administration, business activity and licensing, New Deal programs, Prohibition, tax assessment and collection, and development of the University Farm, later known as the University of California, Davis.
Extent:
10.8 linear feet
Language:
Collection materials in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], City of Davis Collection, D-344, Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis.

Background

Scope and content:

The City of Davis Collection spans the years 1917 to 1982, with the bulk of material clustered in three main periods: 1932-1939, 1946-1960, and 1978-1982. The collection is arranged in ten series: 1. Norman D. Thomas Correspondence Files, 2. Financial Management, 3. Administration, 4. Services and Public Works, 5. Ordinances, 6. Planning and Zoning, 7. Property Valuation, 8. Elections, 9. Business Licensing, and 10. Oversize.

Much of the material in this collection touches on functions attached to the clerk of the City of Davis, an appointee who served at the will of the Board of Trustees (later, the City Council) from the city's incorporation in 1917 until 1950, when it adopted an administrative structure that relied on a city manager. Among other responsibilities, the city clerk kept notes of trustee and council meetings, implemented their decisions, published official notices, served as the city's tax assessor, held ex-officio status as clerk for Davis's Board of Equalization, and administered elections. The city clerk also served as city attorney from incorporation through the 1930s.

The City of Davis Collection documents local life, politics, and civic affairs in Davis, California, as seen through a sampling of material related to city government at the height of the Great Depression. This period overlaps the tenure of Forrest A. Plant (1917-1932) and Norman D. Thomas (1933-1939), two of Davis's earliest city clerks and city attorneys. Through its property valuation records, the collection also documents real estate holdings, tax assessments, and building construction in 1933 and during the post-World War II years. In addition, it documents local election practices during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Physical location:
Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17, of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], City of Davis Collection, D-344, Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis.

Location of this collection:
University of California, Davis, Special Collections, UC Davis Library
100 NW Quad
Davis, CA 95616-5292, US
Contact:
(530) 752-1621
speccoll@ucdavis.edu
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