Hi SOCALers and Yvonne: I'm forwarding this from H-California, a list on the history of California, in hopes that someone could help Denise Spooner (the list administrator) in her research, or could lead her in the right direction. We genealogists have the kinds of specialized knowledge that some others may not think of tapping. If anyone does, please reply to Denise at <[email protected]>. Carol >X-Sent-Via: DakotaCom.NET >Delivered-To: [email protected] >X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) >Importance: Normal >X-Authentication-Info: Submitted using SMTP AUTH at out002.verizon.net from > [4.60.49.101] at Wed, 10 Sep 2003 16:23:36 -0500 >Approved-By: "Denise S. Spooner" <[email protected]> >Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 14:27:33 -0700 >Reply-To: H-California <[email protected]> >Sender: H-NET List on California Studies <[email protected]> >From: "Denise S. Spooner" <[email protected]> >Subject: LA County Real Estate Records? >To: [email protected] >X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-0.3 required=5.0 > tests=APPROVED_BY,AWL,FROM_ENDS_IN_NUMS,MSGID_GOOD_EXCHANGE > version=2.55 >X-Spam-Level: >X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.55 (1.174.2.19-2003-05-19-exp) > >Dear H-Californians, > >As many of you know, I'm still working on the history of the southern CA >vernacular landscape esp. the rise and spread of backyard fencing. At a >long-ago AHA meeting, where I delivered a paper on this topic, urban >historian Carl Abbott suggested looking for evidence of fencing mandates and >prohibitions in CC&Rs (conditions, covenants, and restrictions) that are >sometimes attached to the sales of residential property. And so, for the >past months I've been toiling away in the basement of the LA County >Recorder's office conducting a systematic search of property deeds between >1895 and 1970. As you also may know, preserving the county's official >records is not something LA has been especially good at. For example, at >least five different kinds of indexes were used for the period between >1895 and 1945. Just when I think I've got the system wired, oops! Another >form of indexing is introduced. And, across time, the only way to look up >any record is if you know the name of the grantor or the grantee. That >means, you can find the deed Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford signed when >they bought Pickfair, but you can't find out who owned the property at 620 >S. Main in 1885, or any other year, for that matter. So, it's been quite an >experience using these records. > >While I have found lots of interesting stuff, one essential document I >*haven't* found is a source that lists how many residential parcels were >sold in the county in a given year. Understanding the scope of restrictions >that barred property owners from all kinds of activities, such as selling >intoxicating spirits, for example, is almost impossible without some idea of >how many parcels of land were sold. > >Does anybody have any idea how I might deal with this problem? I know that >the bulletin of the LA Board of Realty maintained that kind of record in the >1920s, but I haven't found it for the years before and beyond that decade. >Just so you know, here's a list of the offices and people I've already >contacted with this question: the LA county recorder's office, the county >assessor's office, Dace Taube at USC, and Greg Hise. > >Thanks for any help you can lend, > >Denise Spooner Carol De Priest <mailto:[email protected]> Honest Intellectual Inquiry <http://www.dakotacom.net/~depriest>