Overview

William Mulholland presided over the creation of a water system that forever changed the course of southern California's history. Mulholland, a self-taught engineer, was the chief architect of the Owens Valley Aqueduct-a project ranking in magnitude and daring with the Panama Canal-that brought water to semi-arid Los Angeles from the lush Owens Valley. The story of Los Angeles's quest for water is both famous and notorious: it has been the subject of the classic yet historically distorted movie Chinatown, as well as many other accounts. This first full-length biography of Mulholland challenges many of the prevailing versions of his life story and sheds new light on the history of Los Angeles and its relationship with its most prized resource: water. Catherine Mulholland, the engineer's granddaughter, provides insights into this story that family familiarity affords, and adds to our historical understanding with extensive primary research in sources such as Mulholland's recently uncovered office files, newspapers, and Department of Water and Power archives. She scrutinizes Mulholland's life-from his childhood in Ireland to his triumphant completion of the Owens Valley Aqueduct to the tragedy that ended his career. This vivid portrait of a rich chapter in the history of Los Angeles is enhanced with a generous selection of previously unpublished photographs. Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction Book of 2000

Full Product Details

9780520234666

Table of Contents

Reviews

A comprehensive account of a mostly forgotten era, casting new light on Mulholland's legendary achievements for the city of Los Angeles-as well as an enlightening addition to the history of the American West. - Kirkus Reviews ... this biography will appeal to readers of regional history, city politics and environmentalism. - Publishers Weekly In her even-toned biography, [Mulholland's] granddaughter draws from extensive sources, including his personal office files, in an effort to put to rest notions of conspiracy. - New York Times Book Review A saga of truly heroic proportions, a tale told with both grace and grandeur. - Los Angeles Times Book Review Included in the Los Angeles Times Book Review's Best Nonfiction of 2000 .

Author Information

Catherine Mulholland is author of Calabasas Girls: An Intimate History (1976) and The Owensmouth Baby: The Making of a San Fernando Town (1987).

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