McPherson postcard collection, circa 1900-1962

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Summary

Creators:

Abstract:

This collection comprises thousands of postcards collected by William McPherson. The geographic focus of the collection is Southern California, although postcards from other U.S. states and other countries are also included. These materials feature a wealth of images from California including most of the California missions. Many of these postcards were used for correspondence, providing insights into early 20th century living.

Extent:

4.1 Linear Feet (10 boxes and 1 oversize folder)

Language:

English .

Preferred citation:

McPherson Postcard Collection. MS-R07. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Background

Scope and content:

Biographical / historical:

William McPherson, a prominent Southern California collector, was born in 1885 in Orange County, California. He was raised in a ranching environment, near the city of Orange, where his family grew numerous crops.

In 1900, McPherson won an essay contest, the prize for which was a trip to Philadelphia and Kansas City, to visit the Democratic and Republican National Conventions respectively. As a result of this journey, he took a renewed academic determination back to his local high school. After graduating in 1905, his desire for knowledge led him to earn a teaching certificate and become an elementary school teacher.

He first started collecting books and Californiana during the years he worked as a teacher. After teaching for a number of years, in 1910, McPherson enrolled first as an engineering student and later as a law student at the University of California. While studying at Berkeley, his collecting continued and ultimately became a life-long passion.

Upon his return to Southern California, McPherson continued assembling and organizing a unique collection of Southern California ephemera. In 1923 McPherson became a lecturer and an active member of the Orange County Historical Society, and in 1935 he was asked to become a consultant on Orange County for the WPA (Work Progress Administration, see collection MS-R10, Special Collections and Archives, UC Irvine Libraries). In addition to his collecting, he kept a diary for over forty years, documenting the events of 20th century Southern California.

William McPherson died in 1964.

Acquisition information:

Acquired, circa 1966-1996, as part of the Don Meadows Papers (MS-R01). Meadows acquired the McPherson Postcard Collection as part of William McPherson's files in the early 1960s and held them as a distinct entity within his larger collection of Orange County and Southern California research and ephemera files.

Processing information:

Processed by Andre Ambrus, 2002.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized geographically, with Orange County cities followed by other California counties, U.S. states, and foreign countries. The final groupings of postcards are topical, with a substantial number depicting the California missions. Blank postcards are undated and are filed separately from those that include messages. Unless otherwise indicated all postcards are blank

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Postcards -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Postcards -- 20th century.
Postcards -- California -- 20th century.

Access and use

Restrictions:: Collection is open for research.
Terms of access:: Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and University Archives.