Research by Subject: History: San Diego Sources

General

San Diego Vertical File, 1820-2006 The San Diego Vertical File contains a variety of materials documenting or relevant to San Diego's local history. It has been compiled by department staff over several decades.
San Diego Memorabilia Collection, 1868-1976 The San Diego Memorabilia Collection contains historic ephemera related to San Diego. Brochures, tickets, programs, labels, flyers, photographs, stereoscopic views, pamphlets, and postcards are all part of the collection. Most materials do not have dates, although a date is noted where discernible, and most date from the very late nineteenth century or the first half of the twentieth century.
San Diego 200th Anniversary Collection, 1968-1969 Materials in this artificial collection document San Diego's 200th anniversary in 1969.
San Diego Photograph Collection, 1870-1975 The San Diego Photograph Collection is modest in size with only 700+ images, yet some are of particular interest to those interested in the military in San Diego, Coronado and Hotel del Coronado, and outlying San Diego County.
John and Jane Adams Postcard Collection, 1880-2007 The postcards document over 100 years of history and communication. The collection includes over 4,000 postcards of San Diego County, and over 200,000 cards from all over the world.

Historic Landmarks

Rancho San Luis Rey Collection, 1917-1948 The collection documents Cooper's early life horse breeding and racing, ranching, commerce, land development, and politics. Because of the breadth of the collection, it has been organized alphabetically by subject, person, or correspondent with inclusive dates listed. Users should be aware that many files refer to other files and that careful cross-referencing may be required. The collection includes correspondence, memoranda, financial records, breeding lists, photographs, and publicity.
U. S. Grant Hotel Records, 1922-1977 The U.S. Grant Hotel Records consist of financial reports, correspondence, purchase orders, and committee reports mostly documenting Roy Lake's management, but including much earlier records, as well. The collection also includes blueprints and architectural renderings documenting its numerous renovations. The U.S. Grant Hotel records date from 1922 to 1977. The blueprints and architectural renderings date from 1926 to 1970. The collection is arranged in three series: Monthly Financial Reports, Managing Director's Files, and Blueprints and Architectural Renderings.
Walker Scott Department Store Records, 1915-1993 This collection documents the activities of the Walker Scott Department Store Company, run by George A. Scott. The records date from 1915-1993, with the bulk of the documents created in the 1960s during the company’s expansion to other branch stores. The series are Management Files, Minutes, Newsletters, News Clippings, Photographs and Artifacts. The Management Files are further divided into Business files and Civic files. The Minutes include records of company meetings. The Newsletters include various company publications. The News Clippings include articles from local newspapers. The Photographs include pictures from formal events. The Artifacts include various audiovisual materials, attire, scrapbooks and portraits.
San Diego High School Collection, 1901-1982 The San Diego High School Collection dates from 1901-1982. It consists mostly of paper records. Included in this collection are copies of the school's early yearbooks, The Russ Annual, and its successor, The Gray Castle as well as copies of the school's Homecoming programs from the 1920s to the early 1980s. Also included are two pieces of rock from the Old Gray Castle building dated 1906-1976 mounted on wood pedestals to celebrate the school's 70th Anniversary.
U.S. Naval Hospital, San Diego, Photograph Collection, 1908-1985 This collection illustrates the history and development of the US Naval Hospital, San Diego, through photographs and descriptive data.
San Diego Stadium Construction Collection, 1965-1968 The collection consists of materials relating to the construction of San Diego Stadium, dating from 1965-67. It includes legal documents, contracts, progress reports, and photographs.

The Arts

Combined Arts and Education Council of San Diego County (COMBO) Records, 1965-1983 COMBO was organized in the fall of 1964 for the purpose of combining fund-raising efforts in the San Diego area to support the arts in San Diego.
Hispanic Theatre of San Diego Collection, 1923-2018 Documents the history of the Hispanic Theatre of San Diego and the professional career and personal life of its creator, Jesus Sierra-Oliva. The collection includes scores of Sierra-Oliva's musical creations, original artwork, play scripts, photographs, programs, video and cassette tapes of his productions, and correspondence. The primary foci of his creative talents were Walt Whitman and his Leaves of Grass, the Masonic music of Mozart, the soprano Maria Callas, Maximilian and Carlota and the history of Mexico, the poet Garcia Lorca, and Mexican painters Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. The records also include personal papers relating to the life and family of theater founder Jesus Sierra-Oliva.
Old Globe Theatre Photograph Collection, 1935-1987 The Old Globe Theatre Photograph Collection documents the photographic history of the Old Globe Theatre and contains four series: Productions; Shakespeare Festival; Events, Programs, and Facilities; and Portraits and Publicity Stills.
JuleTone Productions, Incorporated Records, 1958-2007 Documents rehearsals, stage directions, musical compositions, participants, and venue preparation for JuleTone performances. The Collection consists of sheet music with notations, original lyrics, cast lists, news clippings, photographs, audio recordings, production invoices, invitations, correspondence, stage directions, programs, plaques, and performance DVDs.

Religion

Lemon Grove Congregational Church Records, 1871-1996 The collection includes correspondence, minutes of meetings of Trustees and Deacons, financial records, annual reports, records of the Missionary Society, Sunday School, Ladies Aid, Women's Fellowship, Women's Council, Golden Circle, photographs, and miscellany. The records relate to churches and religious organizations, cultural affairs, economic conditions, education, Lemon Grove, schools, social conditions, social service agencies, and women.
Reverend George Walker Smith Papers, 1950-2000 The Reverend George Walker Smith Papers document Smith's ministerial career in San Diego at the Golden Hill United Presbyterian Church and Christ United Presbyterian Church, as well as his political, social, educational, and religious achievements. The collection includes sermons, church announcements, correspondence, Board of Education scrapbooks, news clippings, accolades, plaques and certificates of achievement, Kiwanis Club Information, and newsletters. The collection is divided into three series: Personal Files, Scrapbooks, and Awards/Plaques.
Lipinsky Institute for Judaic Studies Records, 1966-2006 The contents of the Lipinsky Institute for Judaic Studies Collection reflects financial, educational, and organizational matters that the LIJS handled over the course of its operational years 1985 – 2006, along with documents of the Jewish Studies Program at SDSU from as early as 1966, pre-dating the organization of the Lipinsky Institute in 1985. Several interim directors of the LIJS were named before Dr. Lawrence Baron was appointed as the Nasatir Endowed Chair in Modern Jewish Studies, and Director of the Lipinsky Institute for Judaic Studies at San Diego State University in 1988. The collection consists primarily of paper records, including correspondence, newspaper articles, and photographs, generated over the twenty year history of the LIJS at SDSU, as well as those years at which a Jewish Studies Program existed at SDSU, predating the foundation of the LIJS. The materials in this collection have been loosely chronologically organized.
Bureau of Jewish Education Records,1948-1974 The collection consists primarily of meeting minutes and committee reports. Materials are grouped together by document type.
First Friends Church of San Diego Records, 1900-1971 The collection consists of Monthly Meeting minutes, as well as Ministry, Counsel, and Oversight minutes.

Environment

Institute for the Regional Studies of the Californias Collection, 1959-2004 The IRSC Collection documents the geographic border region of Mexico and the United States, with special emphasis on the area between Baja California and California, and also extends to border regions around the world. It dates from approximately 1959 to 2004, with the bulk of documents generated during the1980s and 1990s. Most of the collection was formed as a result of funded research on specific projects. Director Paul Ganster contributed some materials he brought with him from the University of California at Los Angeles, and some significant additional materials from his personal collection. The IRSC Collection is particularly strong in its coverage of environmental issues ranging from environmentally sound industry to fisheries and marine life, and economic issues ranging from agriculture and industry to tourism. The myriad factors influencing these sectors, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, peso devaluation, Mexican labor policies, and United States immigration policies are also documented in the collection. Less numerous is documentation of language, culture, and recreation. Organizations represented in the collection include but are not limited to those of the Border Trade Alliance, the International History Fair, the San Diego Association of Governments, the Border Governors Conference, the Border XXI process, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Commission of the Californias, the Southwest Border Regional Commission, and the United States Commission for Border Development and Friendship (US-CODAF).
Sierra Club, San Diego Chapter Records, 1946-2008
Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 Records, 1961-1980 The Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 Collection contains a great deal of material that relates to the natural environment of San Diego, and also publications from other environmental groups. A number of city and county agencies are also represented. The collection has been split into 11 major series: General Files, Naval Regional Medical Center Issue Files, Office Files, Environmental Impact Reports & Information, Oversize Materials, Balboa Park / Navy Hospital Issue, Environmental Audit Committee Files, Comprehensive Planning Organization Files, Tijuana Flood Control Project, Newsletters, and Miscellaneous Files.
La Jolla Shores Association Records, 1926-1973 The La Jolla Shores Association Records document the history of the association from 1926-1973, with the bulk of the materials created from 1964-1972. The entire collection consists of paper materials such as correspondence, reports, and meeting minutes. The collection has been divided into five series: La Jolla Shores Association, General Office Files, Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, Community Attitude Survey, and Oversized Materials.
Mountain Defense League Records, 1972-2004 The Mountain Defense League Records represents the administrative records of the Mountain Defense League (MDL) for its three decades existence, and the work of both Bryon Lindsley and Pandora Rose as former presidents of the MDL. The majority of the collection consists of records from a variety of federal, state, and private organizations including legal documents, legislation, newsletters, annotated maps, and publications. The MDL worked in conjunction with several federal agencies, most notably the Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. The collection is divided into two major series: Administrative Files and Environmental Research Files. The Administrative Files series is divided into five subseries: General Office Files, Correspondence, Legal Files, San Diego Environmental Review Board, and Sierra Club, San Diego Chapter. The Environmental Research Files series is divided into five sub-series: Local Environmental Projects, General Plans, National Forests, Soil Surveys, and Publications.
San Diego Gas and Electric, Sundesert Nuclear Power Plant Collection, 1974-1980 The Sundesert Nuclear Power Plant Collection documents SDG&E's attempt to build the Sundesert nuclear power facility, as well as the California State Resources Conservation and Development Commission's actions in response to that proposal. The collection dates from 1974-1980, with the bulk of documents generated in 1976 and 1977, the months and years immediately following the plant's formal proposal. The collection consists of legal documents, state and federal government records, correspondence, and research files. It has been divided into three major series: State and Local Government Records, Federal Government Records, and Research and Development Files and Publications.
Audubon Society, San Diego Chapter Records, 1919-2004 The Audubon Society, San Diego Chapter Records document the organization's organizations activities from the early 1950s through the 1980. The collection is comprised of a variety of records, including minutes, agendas, financial records, correspondence, committee files, files on the Chapter’s Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary in Lakeside, CA, membership files, general office files, and the Chapter’s “Sketches” newsletters.
San Diego County Archaeological Society Records, 1973-1979 The collection consists of correspondence relating to archaeological aspects of draft environmental impact studies, portions of environmental impact studies, announcements of public hearings, and reports of investigations.
Save Talmadge Canyon Committee Records, 1977-1981 The collection includes correspondence, research notes, clippings, articles, public hearing documents, and the committee's final Environmental Impact Report.
Cooperative Agricultural Extension, San Diego Branch Records, 1915-1946 The collection is comprised of reports of farm advisory projects relating to San Diego County.
Kendall-Frost Marsh Preserve Collection, 1935-1975 The collection consists of correspondence, reports, photographs, clippings, maps and charts.

Social Issues

Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of San Diego County Records, 1907-2008 The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of San Diego County Records document the YWCA's growth and evolution as a service organization for women and families from its inception in 1907 through the early 2000s. The collection comprises approximately 67 linear feet of materials including the organization’s administrative records dating from 1907 to 2006, financial records dating from 1908 to 2006, legal documents, correspondence, publicity, photographs, 35mm color slides, negatives, scrapbooks, audio and video tapes, computer software, floppy disks, CDs, and artifacts. Some administrative records are in paper and audio format. There is an extensive amount of material which documents programs, events, and conferences. The collection includes an extensive amount of photographic material documenting many of the YWCA's most important activities, including photos from the 1910s-1920s. The collection consists of six series: Historical Files, Administrative Information, Buildings/Facilities, Programs and Services, Events and Conferences, and Media and Artifactual Materials.
Carlin Integration Case Records, 1950-1997 The Carlin Integration Case Records include nearly three decades of court proceedings and research for Kari Carlin et al v. Board of Education, San Diego Unified School District. The records include court transcripts, briefs and court orders, correspondence, maps and charts of ethnic imbalance, various committee reports, court exhibits and depositions, declarations, interrogatories, enrollment statistics, student testing result studies, trial notes, news clippings, and information concerning similar court cases. The collection is divided into two series: Research Files and Court Records.
Community Congress of San Diego Records, 1971-1980 The collection consists of administrative records, meeting minutes, memo logs, product logs, committee and council records, subject files, program files, and newsletters.
Center for Women's Studies and Services Records, 1947-1997 The collection contains the administrative and programmatic files of the Center for Women's Studies and Services (CWSS).
Travelers Aid Society of San Diego Records, 1914-1976 The Travelers Aid Society of San Diego Records document the branch's activities and service to travelers arriving in and passing through San Diego via automobiles, trains, boats, and planes. Though there is steady coverage from 1914 through 1976, there is somewhat more material from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Materials from the early 1920s are somewhat lacking. The collection consists of newspaper clippings, promotional materials, correspondence, office records, reports, case histories, photographs, and scrapbooks.
Citizens United for Racial Equality (CURE) Records, 1962-1990 The Citizens United for Racial Equality (CURE) Records (1962-1990) document the organization's activities and interests as well as the larger struggle for equality and integration in San Diego. The collection includes correspondence, meeting minutes, membership lists, newsletters, pamphlets, project files, questionnaires and surveys, news clippings, reports, and more. The majority of material dates from 1968 to 1976 and is divided into two series: Administrative Files (1964-1990) and Related Organizations Files (1962-1976).
School Integration Task Force Records, 1974-1983 The School Integration Task Force Records document the Task Force's research and findings concerning the San Diego Unified School District's integration plan. These records contain correspondence, monitor applications and logs, school assignments, student testing results, enrollment statistics, court orders and charges, task force reports, race/human relations materials, and surveys. The collection dates from 1974-1983, and is divided into two series: General Files and Reports and Surveys.
Harold K. Brown Papers, 1956-2000 The Harold K. Brown Papers (1956-2000) document Brown's participation in the local Civil Rights Movement, his dedication to community economic development, and his professional life, with a heavy emphasis on the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Brown's role in the School Integration Task Force, and his involvement with the Black Economic Development Task Force. Highlights include the Congress of Racial Equality's actions against the employment practices of the San Diego Zoo, SDG&E, Montgomery Ward, and Bank of America. Filed alphabetically by folder description, the collection consists of correspondence, reports, meeting minutes, slides, reel-to-reels of the "Viewpoint" program on KSDO Radio, and photographs. In addition, the collection's extensive newspaper clippings include articles from and full issues of The Voice, The San Diego Light House, the San Diego Monitor, and Logan Heights' Independent.
San Diego County Medical Society Records, 1875-1965 Records include bylaws, meeting minutes, membership lists, membership applications, correspondence, convention materials, photographs, ephemera, and a newspaper clipping scrapbook.
Coordinating Council for Education in Health Sciences for San Diego and Imperial Counties Records, 1969-1975 Materials in this collection relate to California, Chula Vista, colleges and universities, education, health services, hospitals, public health, San Diego, San Diego County, San Diego Unified School District, regional medical programs, General Health council, Imperial County Medical Society, and UCSD School of Medicine.
Anti-Defamation League of San Diego Collection, 1946-1998 The contents of the Anti-Defamation League Collection reflect institutional, educational, and organizational matters that the ADL has addressed over the course of its history from 1913 to the late 1990s, the ending dates of the latest contents of this collection. It contains local, regional, and national materials. Social topics addressed by comments and actions of the ADL include Antisemitism, Christian Antisemitism, racial discrimination and reverse discrimination, hate crimes, the Holocaust, and the founding of the State of Israel. Organizations investigated by the ADL and exposed for their alleged social injustices include the John Birch Society, the Ku Klux Klan, Islamic extremists, Christian “cults”, etc. The collection consists solely of paper records, including correspondence, newspaper articles, and publications of the ADL, from 1946-1998.
Women's Regional Planning Club Records, 1960-1963 The collection consists of 51 scripts which document three years of aired programs. Topics covered include community histories, local industries, transit, military, medical and personal histories.
San Dieguito Boys' and Girls' Club Records, 1967-1980 The collection includes by-laws, agendas, meeting minutes, photographs, and newsletters.

Business

San Diego Junior Chamber of Commerce Records, 1934-1982 The collection consists of records, some of which date from the 1930s, and the balance from the late 1960s onward. The collection is organized in segments dealing with membership, meetings and recruitment, chapter organization and procedures, general office files, and financial and fiscal matters. Specifics include paperwork on the many community projects, the 1974 National Jaycee Convention held in San Diego, fundraising activities and events such as the Yellowtail Derby, Man-of-the-Year Awards and other activities.
San Diego Chamber of Commerce Records, 1826-1980 The San Diego Chamber of Commerce Records document the Chamber's activities and major Chamber-sponsored events in San Diego, such as the 1915 World Exposition at Balboa Park, San Diego's 200th Anniversary celebration, and the establishment of the University of California, San Diego. The majority of the material is from the 1950s-1970s and deals primarily with industrial growth and education, both of which directly relate to the Chamber's commitment to "broad-based economic value." The collection consists of newspaper clippings, promotional materials for San Diego events and attractions, correspondence, county data, meeting minutes, and committee reports. It is organized into two series: Committee Files and Subject Files.
San Diegans, Inc. Records, 1954-1978 Subjects covered include architects and architecture, Center City, city planning, civil engineers, engineering, commerce, manufacturing, the construction industry, environmental planning, land use and development, public administration, the San Diego Unified Port District, tourism, and transportation. The collection consists of correspondence, reports, information sheets, photographs, and published materials.
Economic Research Bureau Records, 1927-2000 The Economic Research Bureau Records (1927-2000) document the operations of the Economic Research Bureau, established as a branch of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, to conduct research and publish reports & directories related to the economic development and corporate investment in the San Diego-area economy. The collection consists of reports, publications, newsletters, photographs, and correspondence & memos. Of special interest in the collection are the 1966 study, San Diego Economic Development Research Program, and the subsequent 1969-1970 update; the 1997 Bootstrap Marketing Plan and Executive Summary; and a series of reports on the Overall Economic Development Program (OEDP) from 1977-1980. The collection is arranged in four series: Administrative Files, Topical Files, Publications, and Artifacts and Memorabilia. The Administrative Files (1927-2000) series are arranged in three sub-series: Boards, Committees and Councils, Office Files, and Reports. The Boards, Committees, and Councils files include meeting minutes from the various administrative groups, including the ERB’s Executive Committee and the Research Committee/Council. The Office Files include general administrative files, arranged alphabetically by topic. The Reports sub-series includes periodic reports by the Chamber of Commerce and the ERB. The Topical Files (1931-1999) series are arranged in ten topical sub-series: Business, Climatological Data, Demographics, Population and Labor, Economic Research and Development, Health Sciences, Housing and Building, Oceans, San Diego, Transportation, U.S.-Mexico International Border. Each sub-series consists of files and published reports on the economic development of San Diego. Each sub-series is arranged alphabetically. The Publications (1965-1997) series are arranged in three sub-series: Newsletters and Bulletins, including the ERB’s Economic Bulletin newsletter; Directories , including various directories published by the ERB and Chamber of Commerce; and General Publications, which includes San Diego-area promotional guides for tourists. The Artifacts and Memorabilia (1969-1992) series includes several artifacts related to the ERB and San Diego-area special events.
San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council Records, 1892-1985 The collection includes scrapbooks regarding AFL-CIO activities, press clippings, photographs, correspondence, special meeting minutes, executive meeting minutes, regular meeting minutes, and financial records, and bound volumes of the Council's newspaper, The San Diego Labor Leader.
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Local 135 Records, 1918-1988 The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135 Records consist of membership records, minutes of meetings, financial records, Local 135 publications, and miscellany. The collection is divided into series. The collection is organized with oldest material at the back of the box, newest in the front.
Lemon Grove Chamber of Commerce Records, 1922-1975 The Lemon Grove Chamber of Commerce Records (1922-1975) document the operation and activities of the Chamber, with an emphasis on community upkeep and development. The files consist of meeting minutes, correspondence, financial statements, maps, surveys, committee files, and reports. The collection is divided into six series: Board of Director Minutes (1937-1972), Committee Files (1947-1958), General Correspondence (1935-1976), Officers' Correspondence (1935-1976), Financial Records (1937-1975), and Office Files (1946-1976).
San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau Collection, 1951-1976 The collection includes reports, studies, financial records, research files, purchase orders, correspondence, public relations materials, media campaigns, conferences, speeches, brochures, promotional publications, photographs, and transparencies.
Allen Dairy Collection, 1944-1975 The Allen Dairy Collection documents the farm's foundation and provides several topographical maps and architectural blueprints pertaining to the dairy's construction. As the majority of the collection consists of maps and blueprints, boxes two through five document the architectural aspects of the farm. The first box consists of ribbons and medals from the Southern California Exposition and awards from the Ramona Nuevo Horse Show. Also included is an issue of the El Cajon Californian, with a front page article covering the dairy’s closure in 1975
San Diego and Coronado Ferry Collection, 1907-1937 The small San Diego and Coronado Ferry Collection consists of five items, and documents selected financial operations of the company from early in its long history. It consists of three financial ledgers, one report, and one broadside. The first ledger dates from 1907 to 1916 and includes detailed information on capital, payrolls, expenses, dividends, cash charges, and taxes. Part of this ledger is devoted to bookkeeping for specific jobs and projects, such as "Coronado Turnstile," "Painting the Steamer Ramona," and "New Safety Gates." The second ledger dates from 1920-1935 and is organized much like the first. These ledgers give a clear record of the company's priorities over several owners, and provide useful information on partnerships with local companies for infrastructure, improvements based on customer needs, and problems arising from the company's growth and expansion. This financial picture of the company's activities is supported by a 1924 valuation report which offers considerable detail about revenues and expenditures. The broadside, showing tariffs for bay passage in 1910, documents the transportation habits of people and companies in the growing city.
Imperial Beach Chamber of Commerce Records, 1963-1975 The collection documents local business, commerce, communities, cultural affairs, recreation, social service agencies, tourism, transportation, urban planning, and development. It consists of correspondence, Board of Directors meeting minutes, reports, by-laws, and miscellany
Coronado Chamber of Commerce Records, 1963-1978 This collection documents local business, commerce, cultural affairs, economic conditions, education, environment, land, recreation, tourism, transportation, urban planning and development, and water resources. It includes Meeting Minutes for the Board of Directors, correspondence, summary reports, and agenda and minutes of the Coronado City Council meetings and Board of Port Commissioners, and the San Diego Unified Port District.
East San Diego Chamber of Commerce Records, 1912-1963 This collection consists of by-laws, office memos and announcements, membership rosters and directories, news clippings, correspondence, minutes, financial records, and miscellany. It is divided into three series: Office Records, Minutes, and Financial Records.
Lemon Grove Fruit Growers Association Records, 1908-1935 The Lemon Grove Fruit Growers Association Records documents the organization’s financial records from the 1920s and 30s. The majority of the collection is comprised of Board of Directors meetings, amendments to by-laws, and minutes of stockholders meetings. Several of the Board of Directors minutes details issues like stock transfers, California Fruit Grower’s shipment records, bank balances, requests for membership, and fruit pricing protocol. Also included are detailed records of employee interactions, bank transfers, and bills presented to the Board for approval. This collection consists primarily of paper materials and two rolls of microfilm (box 1).

Public Works

San Diego County Department of Public Health Records, 1876-1981 The collection includes minutes of meetings, correspondence, annual and monthly reports, fiscal materials, personnel files, statistical data, files on programs, published materials, photographs, and movie films. Most materials post-date 1960. It has been arranged into three major series, with numerous sub-series.
San Diego County Water Authority Records, 1938-1976 The collection consists of memoranda, notes, reports, maps and newspaper clippings from the San Diego County Water Authorit
Imperial County Highway Construction Collection, 1920-1922 The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
Metropolitan Waste Water Reclamation Project Collection, 1952-1967 The Metropolitan Waste Water Reclamation Project Collection dates from 1952-1967. It consists solely of paper records, and documents the city's process of determining the best method of waste disposal for San Diego. Included in the collection is the original proposal booklet submitted by Holmes & Navar-Montgomery. This booklet contains the 1958 plan for the treatment and disposal of city sewage into San Diego Bay. Also included are editorials, letters to the editor, and newspaper clippings for and against the city's proposal to dispose of waste water into the ocean off the Point Loma coast.
Interstate 15 Construction -- Indian Burial Grounds Collection, 1977-1978 The Interstate 15 Construction – Indian Burial Grounds Collection consists of a small group of correspondence, memoranda, notes and newspaper clippings from June 1977 to April 1978. The primary subject of these documents is the preservation, excavation and examination of several prehistoric Native American sites associated with the Luiseno Indians of Southern California which were discovered by Caltrans archaeologists in preparation for the construction of the Interstate 15 extension.
San Diego County Department of Transportation Collection, 1903-1949 The collection consists of histories, surveyor reports, grand jury reports on the office of the County Surveyor, and correspondence.

Individual and Family Papers

Agnes Osgood Papers, 1894-1977 The Agnes Osgood Collection documents her involvement as a community activist in the San Diego area, with a particular focus on the Lemon Grove community. The collection is comprised of correspondence, employee business cards, newspaper clippings, Congregational church membership documentation, and documentation detailing the history of Lemon Grove. Highlights of the collection include letters to Osgood from Project Concern's South Vietnamese branch during the Vietnam War, Synanon, a book by Guy Endore, scrapbooks pertaining to life in Lemon Grove, and personal records written by Osgood.
Anthony F. Sonka Papers, 1906-1972 The Anthony F. Sonka Papers (1906-1972) document Sonka's business activities in Lemon Grove, including his role with the Lemon Grove Chamber of Commerce. Of particular interest is an anecdote of the famous Hatfield Flood (1916) in the Tony Sonka Day file, and Sonka's involvement with the installment of Lemon Grove's giant lemon. Arranged alphabetically, the collection includes correspondence, photographs, golf score cards, membership cards, a Padres ticket from 1947, and personal writings. The majority of material dates from the 1930s.
Clark and Nellie Alberti Family Papers, 1893-1931 The collection includes papers, music programs, and clippings. Clark Alberti (1841-1931) spent 60 years in the newspaper business, part of the time as Associate Editor of the "Coronado Journal." In the 1920s he added photography to his interests. Clark Alberti married Nellie Hilligros, who sang as a soprano for many years in San Bernardino and San Diego. She was active in church music and music education activities (the Amphion Club) in San Diego from 1907 until the late 1920s.
Darlene Gould Davies Collection, 1948-2000 The Darlene Gould Davies Collection consists of documents, materials, and ephemera from the Old Globe Theatre as well as personal files and materials collected during her active career in the San Diego community. It contains correspondence, meeting minutes, article clippings, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, journals, flyers, mailings, advertisements, brochures, posters, pamphlets, playbills, invitations, photographs, DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes, scrapbooks, stationery, and commemorative artifacts.
Desi Arnaz Papers, 1947-1976 Desi Arnaz was a prominent musician and actor, who donated materials related to his last sitcom, "The Mothers-In-Law" to SDSU in 1971. In 1972, Arnaz began teaching classes in studio production and television acting at SDSU. He also served as the United States ambassador to Latin America under Richard Nixon.
Eleanor Edmiston Collection, 1960-1982 This collection includes news releases, fliers, election bonds and bills, correspondence, and newspaper clippings.
Gerald C. Thomas Papers, 1935-1961 The collection consists of incoming correspondence and postcards to Thomas from 1935-1961, personal ephemera (including such items as the judge's address book, personal notes, business card file, and mementos) and photographs.
Gove Family Papers, 1888-1948 The collection consists of the financial and legal records of Gove's estate, as well as some personal papers. The collection includes correspondence, inventories of estate, titles/patents, deeds, photographs, a map, and miscellaneous materials relating to Lakeside and the water rights agreement of San Pasqual Valley.
Harold Keen Papers, 1936-1981 The collection includes documentation on local arts and artists, city planning, commerce and manufacturing, crime and criminals, higher education, entertainment, local government and politics, state government and politics, journalists and journalism, law and legal profession, newspapers, police, radio and television, tourism, and transportation.
Harry L. and Norma L. McCumber Collection, 1946-1979 This collection documents the origins of San Diego County place names. Norma L. McCumber (nee Hawkins) began collecting the information as a hobby in 1946. She addressed her inquiries to local chambers of commerce and post offices. The collection includes several responses, as well as Mrs. McCumber's notes on the subject.
Jim Bates Papers, 1981-1990 The Jim Bates Papers contains files from several of the committees and subcommittees Bates served on, as well as from some of his more well-known bills: specifically the subcommittee on Procurement and Printing, and the subjects of Navy procurement fraud, the Rural Electrification Administration's loan program, and emergency care for trauma victims. The collection contains information on bills which Bates supported, and gives quarterly histories of his actions and accomplishments from 1975-90. The collection consists of correspondence, memoranda, reports, and public relations files.
Leon Williams Papers, 1961-2006 The Leon Williams Papers document three decades of William's public service career, and includes news clippings, photos, correspondence, invitations, public appearance forms, public opinions, campaign information, reports, ordinances, plaques, certificates of achievement, various committee files, and conference minutes. During his time on city council, Williams advocated land use programs, revitalization of older neighborhoods, and the use of public transportation. The majority of the material dates from about 1970 to the late 1990's, and highlights these aspects of Williams' career. The collection is divided into five series: Campaign Files (1969-1994), Conference Files (1974-2000), Professional Files (1966-2003), Personal Files (1961-2006), and News Clippings (1969-2002).
Mark Freeman Papers, 1997-2005 Mark Freeman was a documentary filmmaker and Associate Professor of Television, Film and New Media in the School of Theatre, Television and Film at San Diego State University, where he currently teaches. The collection documents four films he made concerning environmental and social issues in San Diego.
Robert (Bob) Carlton Wilson Papers, 1953-1980 The collection consists of correspondence, memoranda, proposals for legislation, reports, materials relating to resolutions and debates, surveys, photographs and miscellany.
Samuel I. Hayakawa Papers, 1959-1982 The Samuel I. Hayakawa Papers document Hayakawa's term as a United States Senator. The collection comes from Hayakawa's San Diego-based regional office, one of five regional offices in California, and consists only of office records. The San Diego regional office covered the counties of San Diego, Imperial Valley, Riverside, and San Bernardino. The records consist of biographical data on Hayakawa, correspondence, invitations, office memos, press releases, reports, subject files, files on organizations and businesses, and some confidential materials. This collection is organized into three series: General Office Files, Subject Files and Reports, and Organizations and Businesses.
Samuel Thorburn Black Memorial Collection, 1877-1922 The Samuel Thorburn Black Memorial Collection documents both Black and his presidency, and includes correspondence, financial records, annual reports, Pauline Black's diaries, and a scrapbook of the trip Mr. Black and his daughter took around the world

Online Exhibits

Creating Community: African Americans in San Diego Online Exhibit

San Diego Union Performing Arts Theatre Photographs: Online Exhibit

Unidos Por La Causa: the Chicana and Chicano Experience in San Diego Online Exhibit

History

Overview

Library Hours

e-Resource Problem Report

General

Historic Landmarks

The Arts

Religion

Environment

Social Issues

Business

Public Works

Individual and Family Papers

Online Exhibits