Since 1871, the California Historical Society has been telling the stories of individuals and communities through exhibitions and educational programs, and by providing free access to our expansive and remarkable collections. We steward one of the most important holdings of primary and secondary resources documenting California’s social, cultural, economic, and political history and development. With stunning art works on canvas, maps, ephemera, posters, broadsides, periodicals, and newspapers relating to the history of California and the West from the early explorations to the present time, the California Historical Society collection is an essential resource to anyone seeking to better understand California.
The California Historical Society’s digital collection at California Revealed consists of still images, moving images, and audio recordings from the early 1900s to the present day. These recordings include film footage and photographs documenting the Peoples Temple; home movies from a Corcoran, California family; historical film footage of Donner Pass; episodes of the radio program Down on the Farm; and oral histories with San Francisco labor organizers.