When did Title Insurance and Trust Company in Los Angeles go out of business?

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 03 Jul 2003 16:44 PDT

Hi there.

I thought this was going to be an easy one.  Was I mistaken!

But...I did manage to speak to someone who knows the industry well,
and he tells me that TITC of Los Angeles was bought by TITC of Chicago
in the early 1990's, and TITC Chicago was subsequently swallowed up by
Fidelity National Title.

Perhaps another researcher can confirm all this and give you a
definitive answer.

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Clarification of Question by maggie41-ga on 03 Jul 2003 18:05 PDT

Hi,
I don't know if I can clarify my question, but I can justify it. As a
young girl I worked for TI&T Co. (1959-65)  It was a major Los Angeles
company.  I found many of their historical documents on Google, but no
reason for the demise of such an important company.  Their records
were always open to the public, and I thought that may have given rise
to competition. The old TI building in Los Angeles is now a design
center of some sort, and they may have a date as to when the title
company closed its doors, and more importantly, why. It was the kind
of place where people worked their whole lives. I am fascinated by old
Los Angeles and I wonder what people do now for title searches. I feel
sure that there must have been a big news story when Title Insurance
and Trust Co. closed its doors, but somehow I missed it.
Thanks.

Hello maggie41,

As a native of Los Angeles, I was very intrigued by your question. 
Once I got started, I couldn’t quit.  Here’s what I discovered.

As some point in time that I cannot pinpoint, the Title Insurance and
Trust Company began being called TI Corporation (of California) and
then TICOR.

THOMAS J. LONG BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
ANNUAL REPORT COLLECTION 
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/BUSI/pdfs/AR_r-t.pdf
“Ticor 1933-1966
(see TI Corp. (of California))
(see Title Insurance and Trust Company)”


CorporateAffiliations.com
“This M&A Activity page lists CorporateAffiliations.com companies
which have merged, changed name, or gone out of business.”
http://www.corporateaffiliations.com/Executable/cn_mergers.asp?lns=&begins=T
“TI Corporation (of California)
     name changed to TICOR”


USC Archival Research Center
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/arc/digarchives/chs/
“The California Historical Society Digital Archive contains over 5,000
photographs from the California Historical Society Collection of over
23,000 photographs. The full archive was placed on long-term deposit
at USC in 1990 and includes the Title Insurance and Trust Company,
also known as TICOR, and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Collections, both of which are incomparable for the documentary
picture they provide of the development of the Los Angeles region
between 1860 and 1960.”

 
Ticor Title can be found at:  http://www.ticortitle.com/

Ticor Title has a Southern California branch in Pasadena at:

131 North El Molino Avenue, Suite 180
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 432-7676
(626) 432-7666 Fax


Ticor Title was acquired by Chicago Title and Trust Co. in 1991.
http://www.ctt.com/ctthist6.html
“On March 8, 1991, the Ticor Title companies were acquired by Chicago
Title and Trust Co. The Ticor Title group is now composed of two
companies: Ticor Title Insurance Co. and Ticor Title Guarantee Co.
Ticor Title's heritage can be traced to 1893 with the merger of two
abstract companies in Los Angeles.”

Fidelity National Title acquired Chicago Title Corp. in 1999
http://www.fntalameda.com/news.htm
“1999 
FNF, through Micro General, sponsored and financed a new interest
transaction intermediary company called Escrow.com.

FNF announces its plan to acquire Chicago Title Corp. and its title
insurance subsidiaries - Chicago Title, Ticor Title and Security Union
Title, thus creating the world's largest title insurance
organization.”

===========

I wasn’t able to determine exactly when the Title Insurance and Trust
Company moved from the Spring Street building.  However, the building
was designated a historic cultural monument August 5, 1988.

Historic-Cultural Monuments in Council District 14
http://www.culturela.org/heritage/infocd14.pdf
“TITLE INSURANCE AND TRUST COMPANY BUILDING & ANNEX, 419 (Annex) and
433 (Building) South Spring Street, Los
Angeles. The Title Insurance & Trust Company Building, is a complex of
two buildings designed by architect John Parkinson. The primary
building is in a restrained "Zig-Zag" Moderne style and the main lobby
utilizes "Zig-Zag" and Art Deco motifs. Declared: 8/5/88”

Los Angeles, Department of City Planning 
HISTORIC-CULTURAL MONUMENT (HCM) REPORT
http://www.ci.la.ca.us/PLN/complan/HCM/dsp_hcm_result.cfm?community=Central%20City
“Title Insurance & Trust Company Building and Annex  433 S. Spring
Street”


And, according to the Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles, the building
was used as a temporary site of the Central Public Library until 1993.
http://www.lamurals.org/MuralFiles/Downtown/AllegoricalFigures.html 


The building is noted for the murals of Hugo Ballin.
http://www.lamurals.org/MuralistPages/Ballin.html

University of Southern California, Public Art Works in the Los Angeles
Historic Core
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/la/pubart/Downtown/Broadway/trust.html
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/la/pubart/Downtown/Broadway/ladesign1.html
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/la/pubart/Downtown/Broadway/ladesign2.html

Art Deco Society of Los Angeles
http://www.adsla.org/vol_13/vol_13_apr02/vol_13_apr02.htm

===========

You may be interested in a book written by Ernest J. Loebbecke in
1973, “Serving the Nation's Needs for Diversified Financial Services:
The Story of the TI Corporation”.  Loebbecke was Chairman of the Board
of Title Insurance and Trust Company.

UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, HONORARY DEGREES
Roster of Conferrals
http://www.usfca.edu/mclaren/HonDegree/Past1.html
“1967
 LOEBBECKE, Ernest J.
Chairman of the Board, Title Insurance and Trust Company. Regent of
the University of San Francisco.”


This book is available at Amazon.com
http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/exchange-glance/Y03Y1125459Y6748258/002-2320833-7386432#details
“Loebbecke, Ernest J 
Title: Serving the Nation's Needs for Diversified Financial Services.
The Story of the TI Corporation (of California)
Place of Publication: NY: Newcomen Society
Date of Publication: 1973”


And at AbeBooks
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=91612941
“LOEBBECKE, ERNEST
SERVING THE NATION'S NEEDS FOR DIVERSIFIED FINANCIAL SERVICES
NY NEWCOMEN SOCIETY 1973. VERY FINE. SC, 23PP, THE STORY OF THE TI
CORPORATION (OF CALIFORNIA)”

===========

I hope you have found this information helpful.  If you have any
questions, please request clarification prior to rating the answer,

Googlenut


Google Search Terms:

Title Insurance and Trust Company
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=Title+Insurance+and+Trust+Company&btnG=Google+Search

ticor los angeles history
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=ticor+los+angeles+history&btnG=Google+Search

"TI Corporation of California"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=%22TI+Corporation+of+California%22&btnG=Google+Search

"TI Corporation"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22TI+Corporation%22&btnG=Google+Search&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off

"Title Insurance and Trust Company building"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22Title+Insurance+and+Trust+Company+building%22&btnG=Google+Search&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off

"Title Insurance & Trust Company Building"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=%22Title+Insurance+%26+Trust+Company+Building%22

Loebbecke ernest
://www.google.com/search?q=Loebbecke+ernest&btnG=Google+Search&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off

"la design center" OR "los angeles design center" spring
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=%22la+design+center%22+OR+%22los+angeles+design+center%22+spring&btnG=Google+Search

title insurance trust los angeles "spring st" OR "spring street"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=title+insurance+trust+los+angeles+%22spring+st%22+OR+%22spring+street%22

ticor "Title Insurance and Trust Company"
://www.google.com/search?q=ticor+%22Title+Insurance+and+Trust+Company%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off

ticor
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=ticor

I stupidly erased my first rating. This is a duplicate. I wish I could
give Googlenut more than 5 stars.  The answer was thorough and fast.
Googlenut is truly an expert in finding information. I have been
trying to find out about TI for a long time, and now I have an
excellent timeline. Your service is fantastic.  Google rocks!   I can
only afford a $10.00 tip at this time, but the information is
invaluable. Many thanks.

Maggie41,

Thank you very much for the kind words, the 5-star rating, and the generous tip!

I'm glad I was able to help.

Googlenut