California Archives and Libraries

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Archives and Libraries

These archives, libraries, societies, commission, and museums house sources, lists, and indexes, and provide services to help genealogists document their ancestors who lived in California.

Wiki Articles on Major Repositories in California

Bancroft Library · California State Library · Sutro Library · California State Archives · California Historical Society · Society of California Pioneers Library · State Lands Commission · California Genealogical Society and Library · Carlsbad City Library · Chinese Historical Society · Fresno City and County Historical Society Archives · Huntington Beach Central Library · Immigrant Genealogical Society Library · Long Beach Public Library · Los Angeles Public Library · Los Angeles FamilySearch Center · Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County · County of Los Angeles Public Libraries · Napa Valley Genealogical Society Library · Oakland California FamilySearch Center · Sacramento California FamilySearch Center · Sons of the Revolution Library · Southern California Genealogical Society and Family Research Library · Tuolumne County Genealogical Society Library · National Archives at Riverside · National Archives at San Francisco · FamilySearch Library · Orange County California FamilySearch Center

Online Records

California Online Genealogy Records Links to online databases and indexes that may include vital records, biographies, cemeteries, censuses, histories, immigration records, land records, maps, military records, naturalizations, newspapers, obituaries, or probate records. The Online Archives of California provides free Internet descriptions (collection guides) of primary resource collections maintained by more than 200 contributing libraries, archives, historical societies, and museums throughout California and by the 10 University of California (UC) campuses. Many of the repositories listed below are included. Most of the collections described are not online. National Archives at Riverside (Perris, CA) National Repositories National Archives at Riverside 23123 Cajalco Road Perris, CA 92570 Telephone: 951-956-2000 Fax: 951-956-2029 Website Has records of southern California, Arizona and Clark County, Nevada. California Indian enrollments, Asian immigrants, naturalizations, land records, Arizona taxes, sailors, all U.S. censuses, military post returns, Five Civilized Tribes, Revolutionary War, Civil War records, passenger arrival lists, Mexican and Canadian border crossings, passport applications. Nat'l Archives at San Francisco (San Bruno) National Archives at San Francisco 1000 Commodore Drive San Bruno, CA 94066-2350 Telephone: 650-238-3501 Fax: 650-238-3510 E-Mail: sanbruno.archives@nara.gov Website Has records of California (north and central), Nevada (except Clark County), Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands, overseas Pacific naval bases, Asian-Pacific immigration, American Indians, and all U.S. censuses, Revolutionary War service records, bounty land warrants, and naturalizations, naturalization indexes for San Francisco, Honolulu, and Reno. Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-6000 Telephone: 510-642-6481 Reference desk Fax: 510-642-7589 Website Premier Western Americana, and Latin Americana collections, including Native Americans, Spanish encounter and colonial settlement, exploration of western America, maps and atlases, the Mexican War, westward migration, the Gold Rush, mining, land surveys, religious and Utopian communities, and ethnic communities. This library has more about western North America than any other site. The nearby Doe Library has a large collection of newspapers on microfilm. State Repositories California State Library 914 Capitol Mall Sacramento, CA 95814 Mailing address: P. O. Box 942837 Sacramento, CA 94237-0001 Telephone: 916-654-0261 Fax: 916-654-0241 E-Mail: cslsirc@library.ca.gov Website California historical newspapers, largest genealogical index, statewide births and deaths, death index 1905-1995, marriage index 1949-1986, censuses, great registers, city directories, genealogical periodicals. A helpful guide to the California State Library is: Gary E. Strong and Gary F. Kurutz, Editors, Local History and Genealogy Resources of the California State Library and Its Sutro Branch (Sacramento, Calif.: California State Library Foundation, 1983). At various libraries (WorldCat). FS Catalog book 979.4 H23c. Sutro Library at SFSU in San Francisco Sutro Library (5th and 6th floors) J. Paul Leonard Library, Rm. 610 San Francisco State University 1630 Holloway Avenue San Francisco 94132 Telephone: 415-469-6100 Fax: 415-469-6172 E-mail: sutro@library.ca.gov Website The place in northern California for genealogy research. Has an excellent collection of censuses, books, and periodicals for most states, including Great Registers, city directories, DAR California records, California death index 1905-1995, and marriage index 1949-1986. California State Archives 1020 "O" Street Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: 916-653-7715 Fax: 916-653-7363 E-Mail: ArchivesWeb@ss.ca.gov Website Censuses, California county records 1850-1987, mental health records, military records, prison records, Supreme and appellate court records, and school reports. California Historical Society in San Francisco California Historical Society North Baker Research Library 678 Mission Street San Francisco, California 94105 Telephone: 415-357-1848 Fax: 415-357-1850 Website California economic, social, political, and cultural heritage, including 50,000 books, and 500,000 photos. State, county, and local histories, early California immigrants' overland and sea diaries and letters, ethnic histories, Mexican California early fort, presidio, and mission life, Mexican War, Gold Rush diaries and guidebooks, logging, mining, rare books, and women. Society of California Pioneers Library 101 Montgomery, Suite 150 Presidio of San Francisco, CA 94129 Telephone: 415-957-1849 Fax: 415-957-9858 E-Mail: info@californiapioneers.org Website Please telephone for an appointment, but both the library and the museum are free. Collection has Spanish and Mexican eras materials, pioneer travels overland and around the Horn, the Gold Rush and later mining ventures, urbanization and the construction of the railroads, 1906 earthquake, biographical information and county files and indexes on early pioneers and notables, local histories, directories, diaries, papers, maps, newspapers, periodicals and California history to 1900. State Lands Commission 100 Howe Avenue. Suite 100 South Sacramento CA 95825-8202 Telephone: 916-574-1900 Fax: 916-574-1810 Website Land surveys, titles, property boundaries, school lands, maps and plats, Mexican land and rancho grants. Regional Repositories California Genealogical Soc and Library California Genealogical Society and Library 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2 Oakland, CA 94612-3031 Telephone: 510-663-1358 Fax: 510-663-1596 Website California Names Index with 350,000 entries from state, county, and local sources; genealogy collections for California and whole USA, but focused on San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, including California vital records, pre-1906 San Francisco births, marriages and deaths, manuscripts, newspapers, obituaries, cemeteries, funeral home records, selected naturalization and passenger arrival lists. Carlsbad City Library 1250 Carlsbad Village Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008 Telephone: 760-434-2931 Website One of the largest genealogy collections in southern California including programs by the North San Diego Genealogical Society. City directories, county histories, atlases, state censuses, and computer database subscriptions. Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) in San Francisco. 美国华人历史学会 Chinese Historical Society of America Museum Chinese Historical Society of America Museum (Chinese: 美国华人历史学会; pinyin: Měiguó Huárén Lìshǐ Xuéhuì; abbreviated CHSA) 965 Clay Street San Francisco, CA 94108 Telephone: 415-391-1188 Fax: 415-391-1150 E-mail: info@chsa.org Website Oldest and largest organization for documentation, study, and presentation of Chinese American history, including immigration, early communities, and labor history (for example railroads). Fresno City & County Historical Society Archives Fresno City and County Historical Society Archives 7160 West Kearney Boulevard Fresno, California 93706 Telephone: 559-441-0862 E-mail: FrHistSoc@aol.com Website By appointment only. Central Valley early farmers index, biographies, manuscripts, photos, oral histories, newspaper clippings, and school yearbooks. Huntington Beach Central Public Library Huntington Beach Central Library 7111 Talbert Ave Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Telephone: 714-842-4481 x5549 E-mail: library@hbpl.org Genealogy Resources Includes 19,000 books, periodicals, and microfilms of the Orange County Genealogical Society, and online genealogy databases including HeritageQuest. Immigrant Genealogical Society Library 1310-B W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91506 Telephone: 818-848-3122 Fax: 818-716-6300 E-mail: lural@juno.com Website Largest genealogical collection for German immigrants except for Salt Lake City. About half of the library holdings cover German speaking areas of Europe, and half cover America. Long Beach Public Library 101 Pacific Ave. Long Beach CA 90822 Telephone: 562-570-7500 Fax: 562-570-7408 E-mail: LBPL_comments@lbpl.org Website California, rancho and Mexican era history, computer indexes to statewide records, Great Registers, military records, miners, and early settlers, Long Beach obituary searches, Long Beach History Index, Long Beach newspapers, Ancestry.com, African Americans, American Indians, and published genealogies. Los Angeles Central Public Library Los Angeles Public Library 630 W. 5th Street Los Angeles, CA 90071 Telephone: 213-228-7000 Fax: 213-228-7069 E-mail:Contact form Website Genealogy at the Los Angeles Public Library The place for research in Southern California. Good genealogy collection and biographical indexes. Key online database subscriptions, censuses, vital records indexes, 10,000 family histories, 5,000 U.S. city directory microfilms, heraldry, how-to guides, selected passenger arrivals including San Pedro/Wilmington/Los Angeles for 1907-1948, local histories, maps, military records, newspapers, obituaries, and periodicals. Los Angeles FamilySearch Center Los Angeles FamilySearch Center 10741 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, California 90025 Telephone: 310-474-9990 E-mail: lafhlcontact@gmail.com One of the largest FamilySearch Centers in America, including 86 public computers, 56,000 microfilms, 40,000 microfiche and 6,000 books. Censuses, vital records from many states, genealogies, and histories, immigration, naturalizations, passenger arrivals, with especially strong United States and British collections. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90007 Telephone: 213-763-DINO E-mail: members@nhm.org Website Western Americana, California Indians, pre-1900 southern California newspapers, southern California and Los Angeles history, Spanish and Mexican period history, seafarers, including manuscripts, books, maps, and photos. County of Los Angeles Public Libraries California history, culture, and ethnic studies. Also a list of local libraries that might have obituaries. African Americans at the A C Bilbrew Library American Indians at the Huntington Park Library Asians and Pacific Islanders at the Rosemead Library Chicanos at the East Los Angeles Library = Marin County Genealogical Society and Library = Marin County Genealogical Society and Library P.O. Box 1511, Novato, CA 94948-1511 Email: info@maringensoc.org Internet: Website Facebook: Homepage Napa Valley Genealogical Society Library Napa Valley Genealogical Society Library 1701 Menlo Avenue Napa, California 94558 Telephone: 707-252-2252 E-mail: napagen@earthlink.net Website Good genealogy collection with emphasis on the Napa Valley and New England, including family histories, vital records, atlases and maps, Napa County marriages, censuses, voters, churches, and cemetery records, Hartford Times index, American State Papers, a manuscripts room, and computers. Oakland California FamilySearch Center Oakland California FamilySearch Center 4766 Lincoln Avenue Oakland, California Telephone: 510-531-3905 E-mail: fhcoakland@gmail.com Over 9,000 books, periodicals, family histories, county and local histories, city directories, plus over 37,000 reels of microfilm and 9,000 microfiche containing millions of local vital records and censuses from all over the world. Sacramento California FamilySearch Center 2745 Eastern Ave. Sacramento, California Telephone: 916-487-2090 E-mail: sacramento_familysearch_library@familysearch.org Over 6,000 books, periodicals, family histories, county and local histories, city directories, including an extensive German collection plus over 6,000 reels of microfilm and 10,000 microfiche containing millions of local vital records and censuses from all over the world. Santa Cruz Public Library Downtown 224 Church Street Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Telephone: 831-427-7707 ext. 5794 E-mail: E-mail reference service form Website Holds the Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County's library, including the Tina Brayton Collection which is equivalent to the Draper Manuscript Collection but larger and with a better index, and many compiled genealogies of Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia families. Sons of the Revolution Library 600 South Central Ave. Glendale, California 91204 Telephone: 818-240-1775 Website 25,000 titles regarding Colonial and early American military records and battle histories, family genealogies, U.S. censuses, local histories, and vital records for the entire USA, some records for Canada and Britain, and early California. Southern California Genealogical Society & Family Research Library Southern California Genealogical Society and Family Research Library 417 Irving Drive Burbank, CA. 91504 Telephone: 818-843-7247 Fax: 818-843-7262 Website Five public computers, family histories, and books about every state. Alabama Records, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Pennsylvania Archives, Michigan Pioneer collection, French-Canadian Heritage Society of California collection (Tanguay, Red Drouin, Blue Drouin, PRDH, Loiselle), German Genealogical Society of America collection, Genealogical Society of Hispanic America collection, Los Angeles City Historical Society collection, Cornwall England collection, Massachusetts town vital records, Connecticut Barbour Collection, Filby's passenger lists, Boston Transcripts (early Boston newspaper genealogical column), Joseph Brown Turner collection of northeastern states and New England, California Death and Marriage Indexes. Southwest Museum in Los Angeles Southwest Museum Braun Research Library Southwest Museum Braun Research Library PO Box 41558 234 Museum Dr Highland Park, CA 90065-5030 Telephone: 323-221-2164 ext. 256 E-mail: rroom@theautry.org Website Includes the Monk Library of Arizoniana, California and Arizona history, and records of southwest American Indians. This includes books and serials on tribal histories, government, and social life and customs of native peoples. Tuolumne County Genealogical Society Library Tuolumne County Genealogical Society Library 158 West Bradford Ave Sonora, CA 95370 Telephone: 209-532-1317 E-mail: tcgsonline@yahoo.com Website Emphasis is on the Gold Rush district, including the "Gone West Index" of early miners and California settlers, photos, church records, cemetery records, vital records, voter registrations, censuses, over 1000 books about all states and some nations, family histories, school yearbooks, and some periodicals. Guides Two helpful guides to California archives and repositories are: Diane S. Nixon, Directory of Archival and Manuscript Repositories in California, 4th ed. ([Berkeley, Calif.]: Society of California Archivists, 1996). At various libraries (WorldCat). FS Library Book 979.4 J54n. Owen C. Coy, Guide to the County Archives of California (Sacramento, Calif.: California Printing Office, 1919). At various libraries (WorldCat). FS Library Film 962744. References