California state library

History

The Spanish settled in California in 1769. The first permanent settlement was started when soldiers and sailors established permanent residence in San Diego. San Jose de Guadalupe was the first pueblo in California. It was founded November 29, 1777 by five colonists who had come to California with explorer, Juan Baptista de Anza.

From 1769 to 1822 California was under Spanish rule. In 1822, California declared independence from Spain and aligned with Mexico. After a period of unrest, the territory came into the possession of the United States in 1846.

In 1848, gold was discovered leading to a great immigration. In less than four years there were 250,000 people in the state. California was admitted to the union as a free state September 9, 1850.

From the guide to the Pioneer Manuscript Collection, 1796-1897, (California State Library)

History

From 1769 to 1822 California was under Spanish rule. In 1822, California declared independence from Spain and aligned with Mexico. After a period of unrest, the territory came into possession of the United States in 1846. On September 9, 1850, California became a state.

From the guide to the Spanish and Mexican Materials, 1780-1850, (California State Library)

Biography

For fifty years, John Thomas Doyle worked on the "Pious Fund" case as legal counselor for San Francisco Catholic Archbishops Joseph Alemany and Patrick Riordan. Doyle was born on November 26, 1819 in New York. In 1851, he came to San Francisco and practiced law. He returned to New York in 1856. In New York, he married Antonia Pons, returning to San Francisco in 1859. He served in various positions throughout his life: member of the first Board of Regents for the University of California, California State Commissioner of Transportation in 1877-78, and first President of the California Historical Society. He died in Menlo Park on December 23, 1906.

From the guide to the John Thomas Doyle Collection, 1893-1902, (California State Library)

History

Held in Sacramento the week of May 23 to 28, 1923, the Days of '49 Celebration honored the discovery of gold in 1848 by James Marshall. A parade, costume and whisker contest were held and a life size mining town was erected in downtown Sacramento. All members of the Chamber of Commerce, the mayor, and most of the citizens of Sacramento participated.

From the guide to the Days of '49 Collection, 1923, (California State Library)

History

Mercury, or quicksilver, has been mined in California since the late Mexican era. Gold mining dates back almost to the earliest European settlement of California.

Gold mining by large numbers of people began very quickly after the discovery by James W. Marshall on January 24, 1848. After the gold rush dwindled away in the 1860s, gold continued to be mined in California. Gold has been discovered in 52 of the present 58 counties of the state. This collection includes mining materials from El Dorado, Mono, Nevada, Sierra, Siskiyou and Riverside Counties.

From the guide to the Mining Companies Miscellany, 1900-1935, (California State Library)

History

The early years of the twentieth century saw a continuing growth of the collections and services of the California State Library as well as most other branches of government. Space in the State Capital Building was no longer sufficient and the need for a new building to house the State Library and Courts became manifest. First bonds, $3,000,000 for a new building were voted and approved by the electorate in November of 1917, the City of Sacramento gave title to two blocks bounded by L and N, Ninth and Tenth, as the site for the new state building. Competition to select an architect resulted in the choice of Weeks and Day of San Francisco.

War delayed construction, however, ground was broken in March 1922, and the cornerstone of the State Library-Courts Building laid by March, 1924. Increases in the cost of building required another bond issue of $1,250,000 which voters approved in November, 1926. The building was completed in 1928 and the State Library moved into its new quarters during the summer.

From the guide to the Library-Courts Building Collection, 1910-1930, (California State Library)

Biography

Jack London, popular author and important literary figure, was born in San Francisco January 12, 1876, the son of Flora Wellman and William Henry Chaney. John London was his stepfather. He married first, Bessie Maddern, and second, Charmian Kittredge. As a child he lived in San Francisco, near Livermore, and in Oakland. He spent much time on the Oakland waterfront and San Francisco Bay in various capacities. His first book of short stories, SON OF THE WOLF, was published in 1900. This was followed by many other works of fiction. Early in his career, he was an ardent socialist and many of his writings reflect this fact. He built an estate in the Valley of the Moon, Glen Ellen, Sonoma County, and practiced experimental farming and stock raising. He traveled extensively. He died on November 22, 1916.

From the guide to the Jack London Collection, 1893-1977, (California State Library)

History

The Central Pacific Railroad Company was established in 1861. It was financed by the "Big Four," Charles Crocker, Mark Hopkins, Collis P. Huntington, and Leland Stanford and by land grants, subsidies and loans from federal, state and local government resources. Construction began on January 8, 1863 and on May 10, 1869 the railroad was completed to Promontory Point, Utah, where it met with the Union Pacific. The "Big Four" also acquired the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1899 after much negotiation between the Central Pacific and the United States government settlement was made which eventually brought about repayment of the loan made by the United States. The Central Pacific Railroad was absorbed by the Southern Pacific in 1899.

From the guide to the Central Pacific Railroad Company Collection, 1861-1899, (California State Library)

Biography

Samuel J. Hume, born 1885, was a theater director at the University of California, Berkeley, a museum director, and a teacher of drama and fine arts. In 1946 he went into business as a bookseller in Berkeley under the name of Samuel J. Hume, Inc., specializing in art books and reproductions from America, Europe and Asia. Mr. Hume died October 15, 1962.

From the guide to the Samuel J. Hume Collection, 1946-1956, (California State Library)

History

Miscellaneous items covering public relation releases, fan information, history of sound films, radio script for 1950 Oscar presentations and several scripts for silent motion pictures.

From the guide to the Motion Picture Industry Collection, 1914-1930, (California State Library)