Six Names, Nine Decades

Milton E. Ramelli (back row, third from right) with the Ventura Elks Baseball Team, 1922

Over the course of 89 years, six engineers and their staff created a huge collection of civil engineering documents.

Harry B. Waud was a second-generation civil engineer. His father, Joseph Benjamin Waud, served as County Surveyor and was responsible for much of the early infrastructure like roads and bridges.

Milton Ramelli, born in 1893, worked for Waud, Sr. in the Surveyor’s office. In 1924, Harry and Milton formed the civil engineering firm of Waud & Ramelli. Not long after, they were joined by Reuel B. Lewis, changing their name to Waud, Ramelli & Lewis and remained thus until the firm split in 1928.

Ramelli then set up shop separately as M.E. Ramelli while Waud & Lewis remained in business together. From January 1929 until 1955, Ramelli worked by himself. In 1956, Ramelli went into business with Robert Martin, starting the firm Ramelli & Martin until Ramelli passed away in 1960. In 1962, the firm became Robert Martin and Associates and incorporated with the state in 1963.

Milton E Ramelli (fourth from right) with Captain John Quinn on U.S.S. Norton Sound AV-11, 1950

In 1991, Bill Hale purchased the firm from Robert Martin. When Hale passed away in the mid-1990s, his widow sold the firm to Ed Campbell, who renamed it U.S.A. Architects. Campbell donated the remainder of the collection to the Museum in 2013, where it has been stored offsite, completely inaccessible to staff or researchers.