California. Division of Highways

Agency History

District IX was established on January 1, 1924. The district comprises Mono, Inyo and parts of Kern and San Bernardino Counties. District headquarters is located in Bishop.

From the guide to the Dept. of Public Works. Division of Highways. District IX Records, (California State Archives)

Agency History

At its inception in 1911 District III, headquartered at Sacramento, encompassed approximately 680 miles covering the counties of: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sierra, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba. By 1924 District III covered 1,593.3 miles, and this expansion prompted a reorganization of territory. An east-west line passing through the city of Sacramento reduced the area of District III to 844.78 miles including the counties of: Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, southern Plumas, the northern portions of Sacramento and Yolo Counties, Sierra, Sutter and Yuba. The balance of the former District territory formed the new District X. By 1933 Plumas County was absorbed into District II, and district headquarters moved from Sacramento to Marysville.

From the guide to the Dept. of Public Works. Division of Highways. District III Records, (California State Archives)

Agency History

Highway District VI, formed in 1911, originally included Madera, Merced, Mariposa, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Mono, and Inyo Counties. Two major district boundary changes occurred, one in 1924, with the transfer of Mono and Inyo Counties to District IX, and in 1933, with the transfer of Mariposa and Merced to District X. (See District IX and District X finding aids for records of Mono, Inyo, Mariposa, and Merced Counties). District headquarters, under the direction of a District Engineer, was located in Fresno.

From the guide to the Dept. of Public Works. Division of Highways. District VI Records, (California State Archives)

Agency History

Highway District V comprised the counties of Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. District offices were located in the city of San Luis Obispo.

From the guide to the Dept. of Public Works. Division of Highways. District V Records, (California State Archives)

Agency History

San Francisco and San Mateo counties formed District #10 on September 4, 1928, for the sole purpose of construction of Junipero Serra Boulevard (later known as State Route 237) from San Francisco-San Mateo county line South to Burlingame.

The Joint Highway Act ( Stats. 1917, ch. 52) established the legal framework under which two or more counties could form a partnership for road construction. Under Section 9 of the 1917 act, the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco and San Mateo counties appointed one of their members to a highway Board of Directors. These two members in turn picked a third member, normally someone outside of county government, to complete the governing board. Directors of District #10 were responsible for all phases of highway construction--right-of-ways, construction contracts, funding, and personnel (see MINUTES, series #2). Members of the board served at the pleasure of their county boards of supervisors, and received no salary.

The State of California normally contributed one third the amount of road construction; the remaining two-thirds being divided 85% to San Francisco and 15% to San Mateo County. At the completion of road construction, San Mateo assumed all expenses connected with road maintenance.

Junipero Serra Boulevard was constructed in sections over a number of years. The first section, completed in 1930, extended Serra Boulevard from the county line Southward to School Street. A second section to Edgemar Road was completed by 1933. A third section in 1933 extended Serra Boulevard to El Camino Real, and a fourth section in 1940 to Sneath Road. Two final sections during the 1950's completed the road to Burlingame (see CONTRACT FILE, series #4).

In its 28 years of existence, District #10 spent over three million dollars, completing a little over ten miles of highway. Governor Knight in 1956 signed legislation that dissolved District #10, turning authority over Serra Boulevard to Highway District IV.

From the guide to the Dept. of Public Works. Division of Highways. Joint Highway District 10 Records, (California State Archives)

Agency History

The California Highway Commission on January 1, 1924, created District X from the southern half of District III. At the time of formation District X included 742 miles of road, and comprised all of Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Solano Counties. The southern portions of Sacramento and Yolo Counties were also included in District X.

District X maintained a division office in Sacramento, headed by a District Engineer who reported directly to the State Highway Engineer. Under the District Engineer were the Assistant Division Engineer, the Office Engineer, the Construction Engineer, Equipment Engineer and numerous Resident Engineers located throughout the district.

District X underwent major boundary changes in 1933. District III acquired the southern portion of Yolo County and all of Sacramento County above Walnut Grove. District X received Mariposa and Merced Counties from District VI. (See District III for records of Sacramento and Yolo Counties after 1933, and District VI for Mariposa and Merced Counties prior to 1933). At this time District X's division office was transferred from Sacramento to Stockton.

From the guide to the Dept. of Public Works. Division of Highways. District X Records, (California State Archives)

Agency History

District I, encompassing Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties and parts of Lake, Trinity and Siskiyou counties, was created by the California Highway Commission in 1911 (see Minutes of the C.H.C., volume 1, p. 24).

The District Headquarters, located in Willits, Mendocino County, is headed by the district engineer. Under the general direction of the State Highway Engineer, the District Engineer is responsible for administering all State Highway activities within his district.

For details of district organization and description of positions and duties see Dept. of Public Works, Management Survey of Responsibilities and Authorities. Headquarters Files, Series # (F3778:292-293).

From the guide to the Dept. of Public Works. Division of Highways. District I Records, (California State Archives)

Agency History

The California Highway Commission created District VII, encompassing the counties of Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial in 1911. In 1924 the Highway Commission changed District VII boundaries with the transfer of San Bernardino, Riverside and Imperial counties to District VIII. Additional boundary changes occurred in 1933 with the transfer of San Diego County to District XI.

District headquarters were located in Los Angeles, under the direction of a District Engineer. Aided by an Assistant District Engineer, along with section units consisting of Right of Way, Maintenance, Survey, Accounting, and Construction, the District Engineer was responsible for all State Highway activity within his district. For details of district structure and description of positions and duties, see Dept. of Public Works, Management Survey of Responsibilities and Authorities, Headquarters Records Series entry #17.

From the guide to the Dept. of Public Works. Division of Highways. District VII Records, (California State Archives)

Agency History

District XI was created on January 1, 1933. The district comprises San Diego, Imperial and a portion of Riverside Counties. District headquarters is located in the City of San Diego.

From the guide to the Dept. of Public Works. Division of Highways. District XI Records, (California State Archives)