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Photograph was edited for publication purposes William Justice Petit was a rancher and grower who bought vast tracks of land in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. His son, Stanley Norris Petit, was known for his pioneering efforts in ranch operations and aviation in the San Fernando Valley. He and his father owned and operated Encino Rancho, the largest single parcel of property in the Valley before the Sepulveda Basin and Birmingham Hospital (now Birmingham High School) were built. After subdividing the ranch, Petit Avenue--which runs across the Valley to Encino--was named for William Petit. The area where the adobe sat is now part of the 2,000-acre Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, which is a flood control basin managed by the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks. Photograph caption dated October 14, 1950 reads "Landmark of mud and straw before it was razed. Adobe house on Petit ranch in Van Nuys was condemned by government." The article partially reads "Another Valley landmark--the eight-roomed Petit adobe at the southeast corner of Balboa Ave. and Victory Blvd. -- has been returned to Mother Earth." The adobe was the last building remaining on land purchased from the Petit family by the United States government. The land will be used as a retarding basin to hold excess flood waters from the Los Angeles River bed.; See images #00136748 through #00136750 for all photos in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;9 x 16 cm. Photographic prints
Petit Ranch (San Fernando Valley, Calif.) Adobe houses--California--San Fernando Valley Ranches--California--San Fernando Valley Trees--California--San Fernando Valley Automobiles--California--San Fernando Valley Dwellings--California--San Fernando Valley Lost architecture--California--San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley (Calif.) Valley Times Collection photographs
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