Department of Finance, Director's Office Photographs, ca. 1917-1950

Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Creators:
Department of Finance, Director's Office
Abstract:
The Department of Finance was created in 1921 and was responsible for budgets, accounts, claims, purchases, printing, motor vehicles, and libraies. In 1927, the Legislature charged the Department with visiting state institutions to ascertain their condition and monitoring public buildings under construction. These photographs were created to document state-owned buildings and equipment, as well as the activities of state personnel from various agencies.
Extent:
3,585 items
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English

Background

Scope and content:

In 1955, the State Archives received a collection of photographs documenting state-owned buildings. The collection was transferred by the Dept. of Public Works, Division of Architecture, but according to Fred W. Links of the Dept. of Finance, it originated with his agency. Mr. Links, a longtime agency employee who spent many years as the Chief, Division of Budget and Accounts and eventually rose to the level of Assistant Director, said he conceived of a project to photograph all state-owned buildings for use by the Dept. of Finance with the work being carried out from about 1927-1930. The project was eventually cancelled due to lack of funds.

An allocation for $1,500.00 appears within the Dept. of Finance's budget during the 1927/1928 fiscal year for "photographing various institutions". The 1927 legislation which broadened the agency's responsibilities (Stats 1927, c. 251) also required that staff visit every public institution to assess its condition and needs, and that any public building undergoing construction be visited to determine if construction contracts were being "faithfully executed". The bulk of the photographs were likely the result of this activity. There were, however, a substantial number dating from about 1917, which would indicate that the documentation of state-owned buildings was begun earlier by an agency other than the Dept. of Finance.

Biographical / historical:

The State Legislature created five new state agencies in 1921 - one of which was the Dept. of Finance (Stats. 1921, c. 603). The new agency absorbed a number of existing responsibilities from other agencies including budgets and accounts, claims and disbursements, purchases, printing, motor vehicles and libraries. The State Board of Control was to serve as the governing body for the department.

In 1927, the Legislature expanded and further defined the role of the Dept. of Finance as supervising all financial and business policies of state government and giving it the authority to conduct investigations in the interest of the state (Stats. 1927, c. 251). The State Board of Control was removed as the agency's governing body and replaced by the director of the Department. The 1927 legislation charged the Department - among other things - with visiting state institutions to ascertain their condition and monitoring public buildings under construction. The Department was also given the authority to audit the financial records of state agencies and institutions as well as to review and approve all state contracts and purchases.

The Dept. of Finance continued to expand in subsequent years to encompass management of the State Agricultural Society (California State Fair) and district agricultural associations (county fairs), acquisition and maintenance of state-owned and rented office buildings, and management of state-owned public lands. The State Legislature transferred many of the Department's responsibilities (buildings and grounds, printing, purchasing) to a new state agency - the Dept. of General Services - in 1963 (Stats. 1963, c. 1786).

Acquisition information:
The California State Archives acquired the Department of Finance, Director's Office Photographs according to state law.
Physical location:
California State Archives
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814, US
Contact:
(916) 653-2246
reference@sos.ca.gov
Website