The City of Davis Collection documents life in a Sacramento Valley community during the twentieth century as seen through material related to the city's local government. The collection spans the years 1917-1982, with clusters of material around the periods 1932-1939, 1946-1960, and 1978-1982. Included are correspondence, property assessment records, legal opinions, bids, receipt books for business licenses, contracts, newsletters, bulletins, maps, plans, personnel recommendations, a warrant register, a registry of births, policy statements, regulations, petitions, meeting minutes, tax returns, court decisions, and election documents. Of special note is the personal correspondence file of Norman D. Thomas, the city's third clerk and city attorney, serving at the height of the Great Depression. The collection affords glimpses into local politics, city administration, business activity and licensing, New Deal programs, Prohibition, tax assessment and collection, and development of the University Farm, later known as the University of California, Davis.

10.8 linear feet

Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17, of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Collection is open for research.