Abstract
This thesis expands on the historiography of California memory theory, California landmark history, and histories of California heritage organizations. It establishes a baseline history of the California Historical Landmark program, offers a brief history of the Native Sons and Native Daughters of the Golden West, and, most importantly, explores the unique history of E Clampus Vitus as the most prolific contributor to California Historical Landmark plaques. This thesis uses data gathered by this author that documents what groups contributed to the funding of these plaques; this research is documented in Appendix A and discussed in Chapter One’s methodology section. This thesis also utilizes original archival research completed at the Holt-Atherton Special Collections of the University of the Pacific and at the California State Parks Archive. This thesis analyzes the history of E Clampus Vitus, displaying the broader significance of California’s historical societies and their impacts on our shared cultural landscape of history and memory.