The California State Archives' collections document the broad scope of California government and its impact on the people of the state. Over 105,000 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. Some of our more prominent collections are listed below. To search more collections, try our online descriptive catalog Minerva. In addition, finding aids that describe our processed collections are available on the Online Archive of California.
View a list of recently processed records at the California State Archives.
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.
Please contact the Reference Desk for more information about our collections.
The original 1849 and 1879 State Constitutions and constitutional convention working papers are housed in the Archives. The working papers of the 1878–1879 Constitutional Convention are now available to view on our website in addition to a user's guide, finding aid, and indices for searching by subject and type of material.
The California State Archives holds over 10,000 cubic feet of records from the Governor's Office. Types of records include executive clemency files, pardons, proclamations, executive orders, speeches, press releases, and enrolled bill files. Governors Earl Warren and Goodwin Knight donated additional records to the State Archives that are available to researchers.
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 and DVDs of selected floor sessions and committee hearings from both the Senate and Assembly.
Collections from California's executive branch of government document the development of the state's programs, projects, and politics. Topics include the history of the state's highway system; water projects; railroads and other public utilities; state education; and other social programs. State Agency and Constitutional Officer's records held at the State Archives are described on Minerva and the Online Archive of California.
County records, as well as a variety of state agency records, are excellent resources for the family historian. Our collections contain microfilmed copies and original records from 28 of California's counties including probate, deeds, and naturalization records. State agency collections of interest to genealogists include records of the California National Guard (1849–1942), Folsom and San Quentin Prisons (1850–1945), early California Youth Authority records (1891–1932), Yountville Veteran's Home Registers (1884–1910), and various professional and vocational licensing boards (1885–1968). 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.
Official state copies of land grants from the Spanish and Mexican periods include transcripts of official correspondence and maps.
The California State Archives is the repository for the Los Angeles Police Department investigation files concerning the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. The files include records, photographs, audiotapes, and videotapes that are available for research.
The California State Archives has received some local government records from 28 counties. Types of records may include: probate records, court records, birth records, marriage records, and death records. Many of the records available at the California State Archives are microfilm copies acquired from the Genealogical Society of Utah and are also available through local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints (LDS) Family History Centers.
Case files and administrative records of the courts provide valuable insight into the social and legal history of the Golden State.
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 Campaigns, Inc. and Braun & Company, are also part of the Archives' collections.
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.
More than 185,000 photographs are described in a guide illustrated with selected images from the State Archives holdings.
