Finding Aid for the N.J. "Bud" Goldstone Collection on Simon Rodia's Towers, 1959-2002

Series I: City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Dept. microfiche, ca. 1988-2001.

Physical Description: 0.5 box.

Scope and Content Note

Microfiche transparencies documenting the restoration of Simon Rodia's Towers.

Box 1, Folder 1

Assorted views and details. no date.

Scope and Content Note

Microfiche: East Tower; Floor 0-1 to 0-13, and A Tower; Gazebo levels A, B, and C- with house and chimney; North Wall interior, BBQ, oven and canopy; South Wall interior levels A-C, with ship of Marco Polo and B Tower; South Wall outside levels A-C, and B Tower.

Box 1, Folder 2

Repairs. no date.

Scope and Content Note

Microfiche: Center Tower 01-82 repair, 83-137 repair, and 138-155 repair; East Tower 1 05-28 repair.

Box 1, Folder 3

Three tall towers. no date.

Scope and Content Note

Microfiche of the three tall towers: Levels A-X.

Series II: Photographs by N.J. "Bud" Goldstone, ca. 1994-2002.

Physical Description: 2.5 boxes.

Scope and Content Note

Photographs and negatives documenting Simon Rodia's Towers and the restoration project following the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. The photographs are arranged according to Goldstone's original index to the collection, which abscribed a unique number to each set of photographs.

Box 1, Folder 10

Index number 7. Spires and supports details. 1999 May.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 1, Folder 11

Index number 8. Details. 1999 May.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 1, Folder 12

Index number 9. Details. 1999 September.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 1, Folder 13

Index number 10. Details. 2000 February.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with index print.

Box 1, Folder 14

Index number 11. Details. 2000 February.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with index print.

Box 1, Folder 15

Index number 12. Work on Watts Towers and Levis advertisement (view from 10 Santa Monica freeway). 1999 July.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs,with negatives.

Box 1, Folder 16

Index number 13. Wall detail. 1999 September.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 1, Folder 4

Goldstone Collection Index. no date.

Scope and Content Note

Doners Index Number Guide

Box 1, Folder 5

Index Number 1. Rainstorm effects on the South and North walls. 1997 November-December.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 1, Folder 6

Index Number 2. Watts Towers Amphitheater opening ceremonies. 1999 February-March.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 1, Folder 7

Index number 3. Overhead view, and details. 1999 May.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs. Three rolls of negatives.

Box 1, Folder 8

Index number 4. Supports details. 1995 December-1996 January.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 1, Folder 9

Index numbers 5-6. Supports details, wall, and plaque. 1998 October-November.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 1

Index number 14. Wall and tower details. 2001 October.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 10

Index number 23. Details and view from scaffold. 1997 January.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 11

Index number 24. Details. 1996 December.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 12

Index number 25. Details. 1996 December.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 13

Index number 26. House reconstruction. 1994 November.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 14

Index number 27. Repairs and details. 1995 August.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 15

Index number 28. Details of tall towers. 1997 March.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 16

Index number 29. Details. 1997 February.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 17

Index number 30. Details. 1999 September.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 18

Index number 31. Wall excavation. 1999 August.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 19

Index number 32. Details and view from street. 2000 October.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 2

Index number 15. Details. 1996 September.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 20

Index number 33. East tower details. 1995 October-November.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 21

Index number 34. Tower restorers. 1995 August.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 22

Index number 35. Top of East tower. 1995 July.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 23

Index number 36. Wall details. 1994 August, 1995 June.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 24

Index number 37. North wall boot ornament and South wall heart ornament. 1997 October.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 25

Index number 38. Chimney and gazebo details. 1997 April.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 26

Index number 39. Miscellaneous. 2000 February.

Scope and Content Note

Negatives.

Box 2, Folder 27

Index number 40. Miscellaneous. no date.

Scope and Content Note

Negatives.

Box 2, Folder 28

Index number 41. Hector Mines earthquake damage. 1999 October.

Scope and Content Note

et of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 3

Index number 16. Details. 1996 January-February.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 4

Index number 17. Details. 1995 August.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 5

Index number 18. Tall tower, wall and ornament details. 1995 September.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 6

Index number 19. Wall details. 1995 June.

Scope and Content Note

Two 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 7

Index number 20. Structural X-rays. 1995 October.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 2, Folder 8

Index number 21. Signs and amphiteater details. 2002 March.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 2, Folder 9

Index number 22. North wall and East tower. 1994 October.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 1

Index number 42 and 43. Details. 1998 February.

Scope and Content Note

Negatives.

Box 3, Folder 10

Index number 53. Details. 1999 March.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 3, Folder 11

Index number 54. Details. 1999 March-April.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 3, Folder 12

Index number 55. Hector Mine earthquake damage. 1999 September-October.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 3, Folder 13

Index number 56. Wall details; remains of Rodia's 1928 Hudson automobile. 1998 August.

Scope and Content Note

Excavation during construction of the Watts Towers amphitheater. Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 14

Index number 57. North Wall restoration. 1998 April.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 15

Index number 58. Wall and handprint. 1998 July-August.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 16

Index number 59. Wall, details, Coke bottles. 1998 April-May.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 17

Index number 60. Details. 1998 October.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 18

Index number 61. South wall; remains of 1928 Hudson automobile. 1998 September-October.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 19

Index number 62. Details. 1998 March.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 2

Index number 44. Gazebo. 1998 March.

Scope and Content Note

Negatives.

Box 3, Folder 20

Index number 63. Details. 1997 May-June.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 21

Index number 64. Wall details. 1997 December.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 3, Folder 22

Index number 65. Views of towers. 1998 December.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 3, Folder 23

Index number 66. Tower details. 1999 November.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with index print.

Box 3, Folder 3

Index number 46. Tower joints and snow on Mount Baldy. 1999 January.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 3, Folder 4

Index number 47. Miscellaneous. no date.

Box 3, Folder 5

Index number 48. Pipe joint with nails. 1998 June-July.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 6

Index number 49. Pipe joint with nails. 1998 June-July.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 7

Index number 50. Oven sculpture. 1998 March.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives.

Box 3, Folder 8

Index number 51. Details. 1999 November.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs, with negatives. With index print.

Box 3, Folder 9

Index number 52. Details. 1999 March.

Scope and Content Note

Set of 4x6 color photographs.

Box 4, Folder 1

Unidentified negatives. no date.

Scope and Content Note

6 unmarked rolls of negative film. Images are possibly duplicates of indexed images.

Series III: Miscellaneous, 1959-2000.

Physical Description: 1 box.

Scope and Content Note

Miscellaneous photographs, slides, printed materials, and technical documents relating to Simon Rodia's Towers. Includes the original 1959 structural integrity report and test plan, and a set of slide transparencies by Los Angeles photographer Mitzi Trumbo.

Box 4, Folder 10

B Tower conservation report. 1993.

Scope and Content Note

Photographs mounted on paper.

Box 4, Folder 11

Rodia House conservation report. 1993 October.

Scope and Content Note

One-page report and photo copies; four 4x5 transparencies of house chimney.

Box 4, Folder 12

Report by N.J. "Bud" Goldstone. "Historic photographs report". 1993 November.

Scope and Content Note

Four-page report discussing availability of historic photos of the Watts Towers site.

Box 4, Folder 13

Garden spire photographs. 1992 February.

Scope and Content Note

Color photographs of the Watts Towers' garden spire

Box 4, Folder 14

Miscellaneous photographs. ca. 1965-2000.

Scope and Content Note

Various color and b/w prints and negatives of the Watts Towers and related images, including four men at a Public Works hearing.

Box 4, Folder 15

Miscellaneous photographs--Slides. 1978-1992.

Scope and Content Note

460 mounted 35mm color transparencies. Many of the photos are by N.J. "Bud" Goldstone (and include duplicates of images of in Series 2).

Box 4, Folder 16

Schematic and diagrams. 1987.

Scope and Content Note

Plan of the Watts Towers and diagram of patio cracks after the October 1987 earthquake.

Box 4, Folder 17

Mitzi Trumbo slides of Watts Towers. no date.

Scope and Content Note

121 mounted 35mm color transparencies of various views of the Watts Towers.

Box 4, Folder 2

Planter box photographs. no date.

Scope and Content Note

Two 4x6 color photographs of a planter box built by S. Rodia.

Box 4, Folder 3

Mosaic photographs. 1995-1999.

Scope and Content Note

Color photographs of Watts Towers mosaic details, including negatives, and a letter to Bud Goldstone from Heather Smith, editor, Lark Books. 10/1999

Box 4, Folder 4

The Towers stills. no date.

Scope and Content Note

Three stills from "The Towers," a documentary film (1953). One color photograph of gas-fitters pliers used by S. Rodia.

Box 4, Folder 5

Report by N.J. "Bud" Goldstone. "Calculations of structural integrity of Simon Rodia's towers". 1959.

Scope and Content Note

Report and calculations on the structural integrity and safety of the Watts Towers by N.J. "Bud" Goldstone, Senor Structural Test Engineer.

Box 4, Folder 6

Structural test plan. 1963.

Scope and Content Note

Document describing a plan for testing structural integrity of the Watts Towers; copy of article from Experimental Mechanics (January, 1963) describing the test.

Box 4, Folder 7

Structural test photographs. 1959.

Scope and Content Note

B/W prints and negatives.

Box 4, Folder 8

Arloa Poquin photographs of Watts Towers. 1978 May.

Scope and Content Note

Two b/w contact sheets with negatives. Photography by Arloa Poquin.

Box 4, Folder 9

North Wall conservation report. 1992-1994.

Scope and Content Note

Partial copy of conservation report with photographs documenting earthquake damage to the Watts Towers' North Wall.

Container List