Palo Alto, California. And San Francisco,, January 29, 2025 / Prnewswire / – Libraries of the University of Stanford (SUL) have assumed the permanent stewardship of California Historical Society Collection (CHS), a mine of more than 600,000 articles covering the history of the history of California and the West since the 18th century.
The collection, acquired in collaboration with the Bill Lane Center for the American West, will be known as California Historical Society Collection Stanford and will be made available to the public and university community in the years to come.
The materials have all been moved to StanfordFollowing the signing of a transfer contract last June.
The collection will complete Stanford Existing archive materials on California And the American West and will be a precious resource for academics, students and the general public studying the past of the region, said Michael A. KellerThe librarian at Green Ida University in Sul.
“From its origins, the California Historical Society focused on the collection and preservation of the history of the West and has amassed remarkably rich and various archives over the years,” said Keller. “His collections of books, magazines, letters and postcards, cards, photographs, newspapers and more form a huge resource relatively unexploited for historical research, for teaching and to understand the history of California and the western region. “”
The articles in the CHS collection date back to the beginning of the 18th century. Extending around 16,000 linear feet, the CHS collection is renowned for its rare and diversified range of materials, making it one of the most important collections of California State and local history.
Certain elements of historical importance include the original material of important events such as the gold rush, the state and the earthquake and the fire of San Francisco of 1906. It also presents unique collections, in particular the files Civil American Liberties Union of Northern Californiawhich date back to the early 1900s.
Stanford historian Gordon H. ChangOlive professor H. Palmer in human sciences, knows how to have access to California Rich story. “Chinese railways in North America Stanford has devoted considerable attention to the mining of the SHC archives and found equipment never used by the previous railway scholarships, “said Chang. His research shows the depth of the CHS collection and its synergy to the own assets of Sul on the history of Asian Americans, African-Americans and American Mexican with the Chinese newspapers of the Citizens Alliance alliance, Mexican files of legal defense and education and the documents of the Huey P. Newton Party / Black Panther.
Another Stanford The scientist who turned to the CHS collection for his own research is Richard WhiteThe American history professor of Margaret Byrne, emeritus at Stanford and author of rail and Californian exhibitions.
“For me, the CHS collection is one of the most precious and underused collections in California“Said White.” He will increase Sul’s assets in the American West, helping to fill the gaps of the 19th and early 20th century California. This is an incredibly rare opportunity to write an archive of this meaning Stanford. “”
David M. KennedyDonald J. McLachlan’s history professor, emeritus to Stanford And the director of the founding faculty of the Lane Center, said that the acquisition of this collection “will be Stanford The first place for historical research on California and the widening of the western North American. “”
The Board of Directors of the CHS examined several leading public research and institutions in California And finally decided that Sul was the best choice to manage and develop the CHS collection. “SUL brings a strong infrastructure which extends over a network of twenty libraries through Stanford Campus and a vast team with knowledge and expertise in the development, digitization and preservation of collections and the development of technologies, “said the interim CEO of CHS Jen Whitley. “Thanks to Sul’s partnership with the Bill Lane Center for the American West, the CHS collection will continue to increase our understanding of California and the western region.
Richard Saller,, Stanford Twelfth President and Family Professor Kleinheinz of European Studies, said that the addition of the collection supports the university research and education mission. “At a time when the historical perspective is so critical, the collection of California Historical Society will provide a treasure information on long -term trajectories in the last two centuries.”
Read out University of Stanford Press release libraries.
Contact: chscollection@stanford.edu
SOURCE University of Stanford Libraries
