California State Archives

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California State Archives The California State Archives collects, catalogs, preserves, and provides access to the historic records of state government and some local governments.

The California State Archives collects, preserves, and provides access to the state's permanent governmental records as well as other materials documenting California history. The Archives collection is primarily composed of records from California state agencies, the governor's office, the state legislature, and the State Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal. The records are organized under the name of the agency or office that transferred the records to the Archives. The collections also include some private papers that have been donated to the Archives. The State Archives has specialized programs to collect and preserve records of state government. The Legislative Archives Program, Court Records Program and Governor's Records Program work with the three branches of Government to identify records of enduring value that should be preserved in the Archives. The State Records Appraisal Program works to identify and collect records of state agencies. Each year thousands of researchers contact and visit the California State Archives seeking documentation to support their historical investigation. Reference Desk staff help researchers identify collections that are most relevant to their area of interest and retrieve those records from a secure storage area for researchers to view in the large Research Room. Public education and outreach are also important elements of the State Archives' mission. In October of each year, the public can attend the Archives Month Open House, enjoy a behind–the–scenes tour of the facility and learn more about the archival profession and other archival repositories in California. The State Archives continually works to promote the development of the archival profession through the Western Archives Institute (co–sponsored by the Society of California Archivists) and the Graduate Internship Program. The State Archives occupies a facility one block south of the State Capitol as part of the Secretary of State office complex. Completed in 1995, the 170,000 square foot building has six floors of environmentally controlled stacks, including a number of specialized vaults, which house the Archives' collections. The building also has facilities for preservation and research use of archival materials.

Happy National Canning Day! Canning has long played an important role in California’s agricultural industry, helping pre...
10/23/2026

Happy National Canning Day! Canning has long played an important role in California’s agricultural industry, helping preserve the state's abundant harvests and bring California-grown produce to tables across the country.

This photograph from the California Department of Agriculture features some very fashionable canning workers hard at work preparing peaches for preservation in 1928.

Inside of a canning plant showing women packing cans, 1928, Dept. of Agriculture Records, F3741:2508D, California State Archives.

Today, California State University, Sacramento is a cornerstone of California’s capital city, situated on a scenic 300-a...
10/22/2026

Today, California State University, Sacramento is a cornerstone of California’s capital city, situated on a scenic 300-acre campus along the American River. Back in the 1940s, however, the land was still covered with peach orchards and hop fields.

Founded in 1947, Sacramento State College, as it was originally known, was established during the post-WWII higher education boom fueled by the GI Bill, and shared a space with Sacramento City College. Multiple sites for a permanent campus were considered, including locations on 5th and Broadway, the Pocket, as well as Fruitridge and Stockton. The State of California purchased the land for the current campus in 1949, and officially began construction in 1951.

This 1948 aerial photograph shows the site for the campus before it was developed. This and other photographs can be found in Public Works Dept. records at the California State Archives: https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf9x0nb3m7_c03-1-3-4-7-10-8

Sacramento State College Site Photograph, circa 1948, State Building Site Appraisals, Division of Highways, Public Works Dept. Records, F3778:2664, California State Archives.

If you were one of the many people out and about in Sacramento for Archives Crawl, Wormie World, or any of the other eve...
10/19/2026

If you were one of the many people out and about in Sacramento for Archives Crawl, Wormie World, or any of the other events last weekend, you may have gotten the chance to take a break in the shade under the historic trees in Capitol Park.

Founded in 1860, Capitol Park is a 40-acre arboreal archive surrounding the California State Capitol building that contains hundreds of tree species from around the world. The park also includes many monuments, some of which incorporate trees as living memorials. One of the earliest examples is the Civil War Memorial Grove, which was created using saplings transplanted from Civil War-related sites in 1896. The Grove’s original trees were taken from battlefields such as Harpers Ferry, Vicksburg, and Appomattox, as well as from historic sites like the tomb of President Lincoln.

Preserved in the California State Archives, this 1970 Capitol Park tree tour booklet features a map, routes for walking tours, and information about the many important trees in the park.

Capitol Park Tree Tour Booklet, 1970, Dept. of General Services Records, 2012-077, California State Archives.

Our archivists spent this week putting the final touches on our brand-new exhibit, Shaping a Shoreline: Stories from the...
10/16/2026

Our archivists spent this week putting the final touches on our brand-new exhibit, Shaping a Shoreline: Stories from the Waterfront, just in time for the debut tomorrow at the 2026 Sacramento Archives Crawl!

"When I sought out to develop a new exhibit, I wanted to highlight an untapped collection that perhaps the public wouldn’t expect to find in the California State Archives," explains co-curator Corinne McCoy.

Curated by Corinne McCoy and Alexandra Angel, with expert preservation and installation from Willow Germs and Gemma Searle, this exhibit explores the incredible transformation of San Francisco's waterfront into one of the busiest ports on the Pacific.

How to see it first:
• Event: 2026 Sacramento Archives Crawl
• Date & Time: Tomorrow, Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Location: California State Archives, 4th Floor (1020 O Street, Sacramento)
• Special Highlights: A one-day-only display of original records documenting the ports of Los Angeles and San Diego, plus behind-the-scenes tours of the Archives.

Can’t make it tomorrow? The exhibit will be open all year! Visit us for free on the 4th floor of the California State Archives (1020 O Street, Sacramento), Monday–Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Sacramento Archives Crawl is almost here! Have you mapped out your Crawl itinerary for this Saturday, October 17? We...
10/15/2026

The Sacramento Archives Crawl is almost here!
Have you mapped out your Crawl itinerary for this Saturday, October 17? We want to hear about it!

Tell us in the comments: Where will you start your Crawl, and which stops are on your must-see list?

Still planning your adventure or have questions? Visit sacramentoarchivescrawl.com for everything you need to know!

We’re counting down the days and can’t wait to welcome you to the California State Archives for a day of discovery, history, and fun!

See you Saturday! 🎉

10/14/2026

Day: “What’s the biggest or most oddly shaped box you have in the collection?”

10/14/2026

Day featuring our 1852 California census records (which are digitized and available online!): “What kinds of records do you have to track pioneer settlers during the Gold Rush?”

10/14/2026

Please excuse the typo and more importantly, happy Day! “Do you know any ghost stories about the archives?”

Join us at this Saturday, October 17 to see the debut of our newest gallery exhibit, Shaping a Shoreline: Stories from t...
10/13/2026

Join us at this Saturday, October 17 to see the debut of our newest gallery exhibit, Shaping a Shoreline: Stories from the Waterfront, during the Sacramento Archives Crawl!

Discover the people, projects, and decisions that transformed San Francisco’s shoreline into one of the busiest ports on the Pacific. Through historic photographs, maps, correspondence, and employee records, explore the fascinating stories behind California’s evolving waterfront.

There's even more to experience during the Archives Crawl:

- Be among the first to explore our new gallery exhibit.
- Go behind the scenes with a special tour of the State Archives.
- View bonus original records from the ports of Los Angeles and San Diego, on display for one day only!

📅 Saturday, October 17 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
📍 California State Archives | 1020 O Street, Sacramento
🎟️ FREE admission!

🔗 Learn more about the Sacramento Archives Crawl: https://www.sacramentoarchivescrawl.com/

Which is your favorite?? Issued by the National Park Service, these colorful windshield decals from the 1920s and 1930s ...
10/12/2026

Which is your favorite?? Issued by the National Park Service, these colorful windshield decals from the 1920s and 1930s were found tucked into photograph album pages within the William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection at the California State Archives. Created to prove motorists had paid their park license fees, these octagonal receipts quickly became popular with the public due to their vibrant graphics. Each national park featured a distinct animal or landmark. For example, visitors arriving at Yosemite National Park by automobile would affix a sticker featuring a cougar to their windshield.

As collecting multiple windshield stickers from the different national parks became a trend, motorists began stacking them on their glass, obstructing their line of sight. In response, the National Park Service decreased the decals' dimensions, shrinking from five inches across in 1920 down to two and one-quarter inches in 1935. The Secretary of the Interior eventually discontinued the popular stickers altogether in 1939 “as a highway safety measure.”

In addition to these charming decals, the William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection contains almost three thousand historic photographs taken by William McCarthy and his wife, Grace, during the first decades of the twentieth century. The complete digital collection is available through the California State Archives website: https://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/william-m-mccarthy-photograph-collection

National Park Service Windshield Stickers, circa 1920-1937, William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, 96-07-08, California State Archives.

Address

1020 O Street
Sacramento, CA
95814

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 4pm
Thursday 9:30am - 4pm
Friday 9:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+19166537715

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