COLLECTIONS

The California State Archives collections document the broad scope of California government and its impact on the people of the state. Over 85,000 cubic feet of records of all types are represented including millions of documents and bound volumes, 20,000 maps and architectural drawings, 250,000 photographs, 7,500 video and audio tapes, as well as hundreds of artifacts.

Under California Government Code section 12237, after January 1, 2005, all items 75 years old or older that are on deposit in the State Archives shall be accessible to the public. This code section applies to items in the custody of the State Archives and any item deposited in the State Archives after January 1, 2005.

To search the collection, try our new online descriptive catalog MINERVA. In addition, finding aids which describe our collections are available via the Online Archive of California.

• California Constitutions
• Spanish and Mexican Land Grants
• Family History Resources
• Legislative Records
• Robert F. Kennedy Assassination Investigation
• California Governors
• Supreme and Appellate Courts
• Elections and Political Campaigns
• State Agencies and Constitutional Officers
• Oral Histories
• Photographs

California Constitutions - The original 1849 and 1879 State Constitutions are housed in the Archives along with constitution convention working papers.

Spanish and Mexican Land Grants - Official state copies of land grants from the Spanish and Mexican periods include transcripts of official correspondence and maps (disenos).

Family History Resources - Records of the California National Guard (1849-1942), professional and vocational licensing boards (1885-1968), Folsom and San Quentin Prisons (1850-1945), California Youth Authority records (1891-1930), and 28 counties (including probate, deeds, naturalization, etc.) are all useful for the family historian. Also housed at the Archives is the genealogy library of the Root Cellar-Sacramento Genealogical Society which is open to the public and staffed by volunteers several days each week.

Legislative Records - The working files of state legislators, legislative committees, caucuses, as well as state agencies are a heavily used resource for legislative intent research. Also available are videotapes of selected floor sessions and committee hearings from both the Senate and Assembly.

Robert F. Kennedy Assassination Investigation - Records, photographs, audio tapes and videotapes from the Los Angeles Police Department are available for research into this tragic event.

California Governors - Earl Warren's Papers span the time from his term as Alameda County District Attorney in 1927, to 1953 when he left the governorship to become Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Official records of the Governor's Office such as executive clemency, pardons, proclamations, executive orders, and chaptered bill files are also preserved in the Archives.

Supreme and Appellate Courts - Case files and administrative records of the courts provide valuable insight into the social and legal history of the Golden State.

Elections and Political Campaigns - Election (1849-1996) and campaign spending records (1894-1994) offer detailed information concerning voting patterns and political campaigns. The working files of two private political consulting firms, Whitaker-Baxter and Braun & Co., are also part of the Archives' collections.

State Agencies and Constitutional Officers - Significant collections cover the history and development of the state's highway system, water projects, railroads and other public utilities, social programs, prison system, and many other areas of state government and politics. Articles of incorporation and trademarks filed by California companies since the days of the Gold Rush document business history.

Oral Histories - Over 400 oral histories supplement the written historical record, offering insights into actual workings of the legislative and executive processes. Interviewees include such important public figures as Ronald Reagan, Edmund G. Brown, Sr., long-time legislator Ralph Dills, Proposition 13 champion Paul Gann, California author Carey McWilliams, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Wilson Riles, and many others.