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Contributed: pre-2006

Check List of Historical Records Survey Publications,

Bibliography of Research Projects Reports

Contributed by Ken Tessendorff

Check List of Historical Records Survey Publications, Bibliography of Research Projects Reports
Sargent B. Child and Dorothy P. Holmes, Genealogical Publishing Company, 1969.

During the 1930s and 1940s, the WPA surveyed records at various counties throughout the Untied States. The results of some of these surveys were published. This book contains a list of the published county record surveys from all States that were surveyed by the Historical Records Survey between 1936 and 1943. Of particular interest is the list for California counties. Surveys were published for these counties:

Northern California

No.  Name 
1  Alameda 
10  Fresno 
15  Kern 
22  Marin 
27  Mono 
36  San Benito 
29  Napa 
39  San Francisco 
41  San Luis Obispo 
42  San Mateo 
44  Santa Clara 
 

Southern California

No.  Name 
20  Los Angeles 
37  San Bernardino 
38  San Diego 
42  Santa Barbara 
57  Ventura 
 
The number 42 for Santa Barbara maybe a mistake in printing, since that number was also used for San Mateo County.

The book also indicates that unpublished materials from the survey were deposited at:
 

  • State Archives, Sacramento, California (Northern California materials)
  • Los Angeles County Museum, Los Angeles, California (Southern California materials)


If you are interested in determining what old records may have been available in a particular California County at some point in the past, these books along with Guide to the County Archives of California by Owen C. Coy, Ph.D., California Historical Survey Commission, 1919 may be your only available source of information for many California Counties.

Some California libraries that have the above item:

  • La Jolla, University of California San Diego SSH Library, Z1223.Z7 C52
  • San Francisco, San Francisco Public Library, 16.353 Un31b :3 (1948 ed.)
  • San Francisco, Sutro Library, Z1223.Z7 C52
  • San Jose, San Jose State University Library, Z1223.Z7 C52 circ
  • San Mateo, San Mateo Public Library, R070.595 C
  • Santa Clara, Santa Clara Library, GS 025.171 C53
  • Santa Cruz, McHenry Library, Z1223.Z7C52 Ref