Oral Histories

Interview of J. Ralph Shoemaker

Water consultant and engineer. Active in the campaign for the annexation of the Pomona Valley to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the construction of the San Gabriel Dam.
Subtitle:
J. Ralph Shoemaker: Water Consultant
Series:
Oral History of California Water Resources Development
Topic:
Urban Planning and Land Use
Water Resources
Biographical Note:
Water consultant and engineer. Active in the campaign for the annexation of the Pomona Valley to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the construction of the San Gabriel Dam.
Interviewer:
Hall, Tom G.
Interviewee:
Shoemaker, J. Ralph
Persons Present:
Shoemaker and Hall.
Place Conducted:
Shoemaker's home in San Diego, California.
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Interviewer Background and Preparation:
The interview was conducted by Tom Gibson Hall, San Diego State College; B.A., Social Science, San Diego State College; Graduate and Research Assistant, History Department, San Diego State College.
Processing of Interview:
Editor, Donald J. Schippers, Oral HistoryProgram, UCLA assisted Adelaide G. Tusler in the indexing.In 1967, a verbatim transcription of the tapes was made. Punctuation was introduced and syntax emended only slightly. The material is presented in the order in which it was recorded.Upon review of the transcript, the interviewee deleted a small amount of material and remarks. The most extensive addition was regarding the RanohoSanta Margarita vs. Vail water suit. The extensive excerpts from writings were checked against original sources for accuracy by the interviewee. The excerpt from his History of Water Development In the Pomona Valley varies from the original in punctuation and abbreviations, etc., but not in content which adheres faithfully to the original.
Length:
8 hrs.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.
Series Statement:
This series had its origin in a grant from the University of California Water resources Center in 1965. The project was a joint effort by the UCLA Oral History Program and the Regional Oral History Office, University of California, Berkeley. For some years after the close of the grant period, limited interviewing in this area continued.
Abstract:
Childhood and early schooling in Los Angeles and Chicago; stepfather's investigations of water resources in Pomona area, 1904; further education in ground water measurement; involvement in formation of Pomona Valley Protective Association; association's litigation with San Antonio Water Company; water resource studies of Cucamonga area, 1925; studies of Raymond Basin in Pasadena-Arcadia area in mid-1930s; manager of San Dimas Water Company, 1941; role in construction of San Gabriel Dam after 1938 flood; activities in campaign for 1950 annexation of Pomona Valley to Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.