The Aubrey Neasham Collection is organized chronologically, and divided into eleven different series which reflect on his research and professional career. The first series consists of files created while Neasham was a student at UC Berkeley, including drafts of his thesis and dissertation. The second series contains reports and correspondence from Neasham's tenure as editor of the California Historic Landmark Series. The next two series deal with his employment for the National Park Service, first in Santa Fe, New Mexico and then in San Francisco, California. Included in these series are correspondence, guidebooks, reports, and research related material. Series five is a small amount of material devoted to Neasham's service in the United States Navy during World War II. The sixth series documents Neasham's stint as state historian for California State Beaches & Parks. Series seven contains research on a variety of topics executed by students in Neasham's Environmental Resources classes at Sacramento State College, as well as material dealing with Neasham's book Wild Legacy. The eighth series is the largest, and it consists of business files and research associated with his historic consulting firm, Western Heritage, Inc. Included in this series are extensive research and a number of reports pertaining to Old Sacramento's redevelopment and establishment as a state historic area. The ninth series contains material related to Neasham's research on Sir Francis Drake, the Drake Commission, and the Drake Debate (1974) in which Neasham was a participant. Series ten is clippings collected by or about Irene Simpson Neasham, former director of the Wells Fargo History Room and Neasham's second wife. The final series is made up of A-Z Subject Files that document a wide range of associations and sites in which Neasham had dealings with. The original order of these subject files has been maintained.

Vernon Aubrey Neasham made a career as an experienced historian, writer, educator, and a champion of the historic preservation cause. He researched and promoted numerous historic sites spanning across the western United States throughout his life leaving an indelible mark upon such prominent sites as Old Sacramento, Columbia, Monterey, and Coloma.

37 linear feet (74 boxes)

Copyright has not been assigned to the Center for Sacramento History for private collections. All requests for permission to publish or quote from private manuscript collections must be submitted in writing to csh@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Center for Sacramento History 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 reader. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.

Collection is open for research. Please contact the Center for Sacramento History regarding availability for research use.