Search the California Historical Society Collections Online
The California Historical Society maintains three primary online collections: the Online Catalog containing basic descriptive records for manuscripts and photographic collections; books and pamphlets; periodicals, posters, broadsides, maps, and newspapers; and other materials; the Digital Library, containing digitized primary sources such as photographs, maps, and ephemera; and the Online Archive of California, containing detailed guides to manuscript and photography collections; digital images; digitized oral histories.
California Historical Society: Online Catalog
CHS’s most comprehensive catalog, containing basic descriptive records for manuscript and photography collections; books and pamphlets; periodicals, posters, broadsides, maps, and newspapers; and other materials.
Record types: Catalog records
California Historical Society Digital Library
An online archive of digitized primary sources from the CHS Collection.
Record types: Digital images
Online Archive of California
An online archive of collection guides and digitized primary sources contributed by libraries and other cultural heritage institutions throughout the state, maintained by the University of California.
Record types: Finding aids, or detailed collection guides to manuscript and photography collections; digital images; digitized oral histories
Other Resources:
CHS collections can also be found in other online collections, including:
Calisphere
An online collection of digitized primary sources contributed by libraries and other cultural heritage institutions throughout the state, maintained by the University of California. CHS images and texts documenting the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, the Chinese in California, and Peoples Temple can be accessed here. For CHS items, click on “Browse by institution” and then “California Historical Society.”
Record types: Digital images; digital texts
California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California
An online archive of digitized images from CHS’s Title Insurance and Trust (TICOR) and Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce photograph collections, maintained by the University of Southern California.
Record types: Digital images of the Los Angeles area (1860-1960)
Bridgeman Art Library
An online collection of digitized art works contributed by museums, libraries, and other cultural heritage institutions throughout the world. For CHS items, enter “California Historical Society” in the search box.
Record types: Digitized art works
Internet Archive
An online archive of digitized and born-digital primary sources, including texts, audio, moving images, and web pages.
Record types: Digitized oral histories; digitized moving images