December 17, 1999
As part of the Helix Water District's recent organization of their historic archives, a large selection of drawings and written reports dating back to the 1910's will soon be reunited with their other project components. Colonel Ed Fletcher, well-known East County developer, bought the San Diego Flume Company in 1910, along with his partner James Murray. Fletcher planned many improvements to his Cuyamaca Water Company system, but eventually sold the operation in 1926 to the fledgling La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and Spring Valley Irrigation District, now Helix Water District. Apparently, when Fletcher sold the water company, he kept his many office files in his personal possession. Left behind were over two hundred drawings and reports in the water company's engineering department. Many of the drawing detail back-country dams and water company's engineering department which were never built. Virtually all of the historic projects were on land no longer owned by the modern district. For the past seventy-three years the engineering materials have been stored by Helix Water District.
In the meantime, Colonel Fletcher's family donated their father's business records and personal memorabilia to the University of California of San Diego. The Mandeville Special Collections Library at UCSD offers researchers the Fletcher Collection as a valuable insight into the development of San Diego County. While checking local archives for resources about the history of Helix Water District, Helix Archivist Christopher Wray discovered the Cuyamaca Water Company files in the UCSD collection. Mr. Wray suggested to the Helix Board of Directors that the collections be reunited at the UCSD facility. Mr. Bradley West-brook, University Archivist at UCSD, was on hand at the November 24, 1999, Board meeting to present information about the library, and to discuss the importance of the Fletcher Collection to local researchers. The donation met with the unanimous approval of the Helix Board.
Mr. Westbrook will take delivery of the Fletcher materials December 9 at the Helix Administrative Office in La Mesa. Once the historic records have been organized and catalogued, they will take their place alongside their related files separated so many years ago. Anyone researching local history will have the opportunity to use the materials at the UCSD library.
Return
to Frontpage