California State Archives

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Organization Description

The California State Archives
California's first legislature, meeting in 1849–50, charged the Secretary of State to receive "…all public records, registered maps, books, papers, rolls, documents and other writings . . . which appertain to or are in any way connected with the political history and past administration of the government of California." The Act Concerning the Public Archives (Chapter 1, Statutes of 1850 (PDF)) was the first law signed by California's first governor on January 5, 1850. The California State Archives, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, continues to serve in the spirit of those early instructions, providing a repository for the state's permanent governmental records as well as other materials documenting California history. The California State Archives serves a wide variety of researchers whose interests range from legislative intent and public policy to genealogy and railroad history in California.

Health & Safety
Address 
1020 O St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
United States
General Phone 
(916) 653-7715
Website:
https://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
Program(s) 
Service Learning
Academic Internships
Organization type 
Historical Society/Museum or Library (Government)
Focus Population(s)
Non-specific/any population
Focus Area(s)
Research and Development