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Description

Fine example of the original town plat for the City of Fullerton, California, as Surveyed by Frank Olmstead, Civil Engineer, the first significant survey performed in California by Olmstead, who would go on to be one of Southern California's most important Civil Engineers.

The map shows the original 430 acre townsite, with the Railroad Depot for the California Central Railway's Main Line to San Diego passing through the center. Streets are named, lots are identified and there are several manuscript X's likely locating early real estate sales. An area at the top left indicates an area of roughly 17 acres already owned by McDermot & Williams.

The map shows the original townsite of Fullerton, California, as laid out by Frank Olmstead. The 430 acres which would become the city of Fullerton was acquired by George Amerige and Edward Amerige. The land which comprises the town was acquired by the Amerige Brothers, after they learned that a subsidiary of the Santa Fe Railway was then looking for land in the area.

The Amerige Brothers then began negotiations with George H. Fuller, president of the Pacific Land and Improvement Company, also a Santa Fe subsidiary. They offered free right-of-way and half interest in the land to the railroad if Fullerton's survey were revised to include the proposed town site.

The original survey was undertaken by Frank Olmstead of Los Angeles, who would go on to be City Engineer of Los Angeles. On July 5, 1887, Edward Amerige formally staked his claim at what is now the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Commonwealth Avenue. Shortly thereafter, the Wilshire Brothers acquired a stake in the town. The town would be named Fullerton in Fuller's honor.

The first train did not reach Fullerton until the fall of 1888, just as the Southern California Land boom was coming to an end.

Frank Henry Olmstead was born May 22, 1858, in Ripon, Wisconsin. He took part of his civil engineering training at Northwestern University. Later, he became chief draftsman for the Chicago Sanitary District and was assistant hydrographer for the United States Geological Survey.

Olmstead came to California in 1887. One of his first projects was to layout the towns of Fullerton and Santa Fe Springs for the Santa Fe Railroad. He also directed the laying out of Billings, Montana. He also had won additional notice and recognition as a civilian member of the United States Army engineers who conducted flood control work in Louisiana on the Mississippi River. In later years he directed the selection of the route for the Mexican Central Railway.

Olmstead was elected City Engineer, December 5,1898, and served in this office until December 2, 1900. While in this position he directed plans and preliminary work on the Third Street tunnel.

In the years following this, Mr. Olmstead maintained offices in Los Angeles, and was at one time a member of the firm of Olmstead and Gillelen, construction engineers.

He served as engineer of the United Sugar Companies of Los Moches, Sinaloa, Mexico. For six years he was a member of the Mexican Commission, having had the expenditure of monies for the American Board of Foreign Missions in Central and Northern Mexico. He also served as contact member from the Directors of the American Society of Civil Engineers in New York, to the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. Other positions held were chief engineer for the Coour d'Alene Railroad and Idaho and Santa Ana and Newport Railroad, California construction engineer, United Verde Mining Company, Arizona; and construction engineer for the Pacific Light and Power Corporation.

For many years, as a member of the County Flood Control Board, Mr. Olmstead was actively engaged in solving county flood control problems and was one of the firsts to advocate the use of check dams for flood control.

This is the only example of the map we have been able to identify. OCLC and internet searches show no other examples.

Condition Description
Several repaired tears and some weak spots, repaired on verso.