Jump to Content

Contra Costa County Historical Society
724 Escobar Street
Martinez, California 94553
Phone: 9252291042
Email: info@cocohistory.com
Collections with online items: 1
Physical collections: 125
Browse the Collections
From A to Z
0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 
A
 
Academic Program for Excellence (APEX) Collection, Finding Aid

This collection consists of minutes and publicity for APEX, as well as the program for the History Day in California, 1988.

 
Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery Biographical Collection

This collection consists of biographical information about burials in the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery researched and collected by Dianna V. Matthias.

 
Anderson, Beverly Collection

This collection consists of materials used by Beverly Anderson for the preparation of local history and government for her classroom and the school district.

 
Arnason, Richard E. Judge Collection

The Collection consists of artifacts and extensive court documents that once belonged to Judge Richard Arnason. Judge Arnason served as a Superior Court Judge for 49 years. He was the presiding judge in the Angela Davis trial, in 1972, which...

 
Arnon, Lucille S. Collection

This collection consists of brochures and newspaper clippings collected by Lucille S. Arnon about the East Bay Regional Park District in the 1970s.

 
Aromatica (Walnut Creek) Restaurant Cookbooks Collection

This collection consists of four wire-bound cookbooks of Grandma Biedermann’s recipes, which were sold in the restaurant, located in Walnut Creek at 1520 North Main Street.

 
Avon Tosco Refinery Collection

This contains photographs, documents, house organs, and other materials related to the Avon Refinery in Concord, California (formally Avon Village).

 
B
 
Baldwin, John Collection

The collection includes newsletters from U.S. Representative John Baldwin to constituents during his term in office; correspondence regarding memorials to Baldwin after his death in 1966; campaign materials from his congressional races in 1952 and 1954; photographs of Baldwin with...

 
Balfour Guthrie Collection

Collection of corporate records of this London based multinational business that operated out of the Crockett area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, dealing in coal mining, shipping, grain trade, agricultural real estate, etc.

 
Belding, William F. Collection

This contains order books of the merchant, William F. Belding, of Giant & Pinole.

 
Blomberg, Raymond Collection

The Mt. Diablo Quicksilver Mine was located at the eastern base of Mt. Diablo. These are records of the Mt. Diablo Quicksilver Mine that includes ledgers, receipt books, work sheets, financial materials, board meeting minutes, and other items. Vic. Blomberg...

 
Bloss, Roy Collection

This collection consists of material concerning the Pony Express, including books, pamphlets, letter press plates, photos, manuscripts, and material on Contra Costa County places. Roy wrote the book, Pony Express-The Great Gamble.

 
Borland, Robert Collection

This is a collection of six scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and letters put together by Robert Borland concerning local politics. Robert Borland (1861-1933) was a manager at Pacific Telephone, a member of the Grand Jury, an advisory member of the...

 
Branding Iron Collection

The Branding Iron Collection consists of one rusty branding iron which was purchased in an antique shop in Contra Costa County in 1995. The origins of the branding iron are unknown.

 
Bray Family Collection

This collection consists of personal papers he collected over the years about local history. Also in the collection are papers of R.R. Veale, Leila Veale Bray, and his son, Frank Bray. Other Bray information may be found in the society’s...

 
Brown, Elam Bible Collection

Holy Bible, dated 1871, presented to Elam Brown by the California Bible Society.

 
Brown, Thomas A. Collection

This is a personal archive of pioneer attorney and political leader, Thomas A. Brown.

 
C
 
Central Contra Costa Youth Concerts Collection

Three scrapbooks of clippings and programs pertaining to the Central Contra Costa County Youth Concerts.

 
Central Library/Carquinez Straits Collection

This collection consists of photographs of the San Francisco Ferry Building dated 1919, photographs of the Northwest Territories and a Columbia River fish salting plant evidently from the early 1900s, and prints of 1850s paintings of San Francisco. The material...

 
Chapman, Meda Decker Collection

Miscellaneous family papers of Meda Decker Chapman

 
Children’s Home Society Scrapbook Collection

The collection includes three scrapbooks from the Pleasant Hill-based Humpty Dumpty Auxiliary of the Children’s Home Society of California.

 
Church of Christ, Eden Plains Collection

Register of Members and Minute Book of the Church of Christ Meeting at Marsh Creek & Eden Plains (present day Brentwood).

 
Clyma Family Collection

The Clyma collection contains birth, genealogical, obituary, school, tax, family, and business and advertising records; family letters, handwritten compositions, and a 1924 state and local election sample ballot. The family business focused on produce, orchards (almonds, other nuts, and fruit)....

 
Coldwell-Banker Collection

A collection of real estate brochures of business developments, mostly in central county and San Ramon Valley areas.

 
Collier, George C. Collection

His collection includes printed maps, articles, and a scrapbook during the time of excavation at Somersville.

 
Concord Camera Club Collection

The box contains three photograph albums from the Concord Camera Club, including photos and newspaper clippings about the club, its inception in 1950, its activities and its members. Scans of all the photographs also were provided to CCCHS. The club...

 
Couden, Dorothy Collection

Memorabilia from Mt. Diablo Elementary School (Concord) teacher, Dorothy Couden.

 
County Court Records Collection

These are records of the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Contra Costa. By mandate of California Rule of Court 6.755, the Court designated the Contra Costa County Historical Society as the archival facility to preserve and...

 
County Government Records Collection

Records including material ranging from ledgers to individual papers concerning several departments in county government.

 
County Government Records Collection (Part II)

These are records of the government officials of Contra Costa County, donated by the Clerk-Recorder by Resolution 79/932 of the Board of Supervisors. Records include school bonds, franchise records, subdivisions & tracts, juror lists and fees, roads and other miscellaneous...

County Tax Assessor's Books

This collection consists of some 200 hard bound volumes of the property tax records of Contra Costa County. It provides detailed property holdings of all persons owning taxable property in Contra Costa County from the beginning of the county through...

 
Cribbs, Emerson Collection

Emerson Cribbs was a bailiff in the court of Judge Manuel Rose, in Municipal Court in Antioch.

 
Crime Prevention Committee Collection

The collection is a scrapbook of the creation and activities of the Crime Prevention Committee of Contra Costa County Inc., from 1977 to 1984. The committee included private citizens and law enforcement personnel from each city in the county.

 
Crippled Children’s Society of Contra Costa County

The collection consists of scrapbooks, minutes, and documents pertaining to the Crippled Children's Society of Contra Costa County, now disbanded.

 
Curry, H.J. Collection

This collection contains records kept by Undertaker H.J. Curry, correspondence and newspaper articles on the 1930 congressional election campaign of Charles F. Curry, correspondence and election material on the 1918 recall election of County Supervisor Vincent Hook, and correspondence of...

 
D
 
Danville School District Collection

Administrative records of the Danville School District

 
Davis, John A. Collection

Scrapbook of retirement party for John A. Davis, Contra Costa County Chief Probation Officer.

 
Dean, Robert G. Collection

A collection of diaries, letters, scrapbooks, and family bible of the Robert G. Dean family. Family bible which contains some family information, oil and gas certificates, diaries written by Robert G. Dean, scrapbooks, letters to his wife, ledgers, and 1836...

 
Dengler, Fianna Collection

Collection of notes regarding the Women’s Temperance Union in Contra Costa County. These notes include the names of officers and the minutes of meetings.

 
Diablo Women's Chorale Collection

This is a collection of scrapbooks containing clippings and photos about the Diablo Women’s Chorale. The group was founded in 1942 for the purpose of aiding to the war effort and raising moral. Since then the group has participated...

 
Dunlap, Betty Collection

Collection of personal mementos and papers mostly of the Franges Family of Crockett, California. The collection was donated by long-time member, Betty Dunlap.

 
E
 
East Bay Regional Parks Oral History Collection

Oral history transcripts of interviews conducted by East Bay Region Park employees of residents in different regional park areas.

 
Emanuels, George Collection

An author of historical publications, George Emanuels' collection includes typed manuscripts and selected railroad materials.

 
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Collection

This collection consists of three environmental impact reports and analyses, prepared for the Cities of Richmond and Pittsburg in the 1990s, on three proposed projects.

 
Epstein, M.D., Marvin Collection

Dr. Marvin Epstein wrote the book, In Sickness and Health, The Progress of Medical Care in Contra Costa County, 1951 – 2000. This collection contains written transcripts and tapes of interviews of present and former staff of John Muir Med...

 
F
 
Fahden, Nancy Collection

The collection includes correspondence, reports, memoranda and meeting agendas on a wide variety of issues including redevelopment of the Concord Naval Weapons Station, closing of public hospitals, mental illness and homelessness, fire department staffing, reports of abuse of overtime by...

 
Falgar, Wes Collection

The collection includes an employee identification card, hard-hat and related material for Wes Falgar, who worked at the Tidewater Oil Company’s Avon Refinery in 1959; and a portable grain scale that was used by grain buyers in the field and...

 
Fallon, Jr., Clifford Collection

The collection includes two yearbooks from Marin Jr. College (1931 and 1932) and the program from the May 1935 graduation ceremony at UC Berkeley. According to the Deed of Gift for the items described here, the donation also included yearbooks...

 
Fink, Leonora Galindo Collection

The Leonora Galindo Fink Collection consists of index card records of property ownership in certain areas of Contra Costa County based on county assessment books from the early 1850s to the 1890s.

 
Ford, Margaret Collection

This collection of letters sent to Peggy Ford, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and donated by her son, Howard Bleuel, consists of letters written by soldiers and sailors from Viet Nam, with whom she had initiated...

 
Frakes, Helene Collection

Collection of correspondence and minutes concerning the Community Development Department part of the Planning Commission, Contra Costa County. Helene Frakes was a member of the commission.

 
G
 
Gallant, Cliff

Cliff Gallant was a freelance writer who lived in Pacific Grove. He wrote an article for the Herald Weekend Magazine published on January 7, 1979. This material was likely research notes he had compiled.

 
Geary,C.W. Collection

The boxes contain account books and ledger books for the Geary Store in Walnut Creek, and a property title search book relating to a petition by the Geary family regarding a County roadway in 1933. C.W. Geary ran a store...

 
Ginochio, Roy Collection

Miscellaneous materials concerning the Francisco Galindo properties.

 
Goble, Ray Collection

The collection consists of papers of Ray Goble. He was Extension Director and Farm Advisor for the U.C. California Agricultural Extension Service. He started in Contra Costa County in 1930.

 
Grace Presbyterian Church Collection

The Grace Presbyterian Church was founded on November 30th 1958; the collection consists of church records including dates of baptism, marriage, and deaths. The collection also includes a history of the church from 1958 to 1998.

 
H
 
Hanrahan, Don Collection

Don Hanrahan served on the Martinez City Council in the late 1950s to early 1960s. He also worked at the Hercules Powder Works. Materials include campaign material and articles, newspaper clippings concerning Martinez issues (marina, Alhambra Ave, veteran’s hospital), items...

 
Henderson, Kristin Collection

Copies of photographs and news clippings about early workers and crew at the Port Costa Brickyard.

 
Hook Family Collection

The Hook Family Collection contains newspaper clippings and receipts.

 
Huston, Ann E. Collection

Ann E. Huston attempted to save the Concord Feed Store from demolition. Her files include research on the store, correspondence, and newspaper clippings.

 
J
 
James, Alma (Lytton) Collection

This is a collection of family and official records of early Contra Costa County families in the Martinez area. The collection includes personal and business letters, postcards, photographs, business day ledgers, and business records. The family names include Hollenbeck, Olmstead,...

 
James, Ernest Collection

Collection of Ernest James (1922-1982) who lived in San Pablo, California. Includes scrapbook of his service in Europe in WWII, baseball in El Sobrante, and newspaper clippings and family photos.

 
Johnson Family Letters Collection

The family history begins with the mention of Captain Edmund Robinson who was the family heir and grandfather of Frank R. Webb and Phoebe Dickinson and great grandfather of Thaddeus Johnson and Abbie Johnson, whom much of the correspondence from...

 
Jones, Mary Ellen Collection

Miscellaneous collection of papers concerning local non-profit organizations collected by Mary Ellen Jones.

 
Jones, Virgie Collection

The collection consists of research of fraternal organizations; newspaper clippings; historical studies, as well as awards and recognitions.

 
K
 
Kimball, Sandy Collection

A collection of research files and works by Sandy Kimball on mostly Lafayette and some county-wide topics. She wrote La Fayette: A Pictorial History and Moraga’s Pride.

 
L
 
Lafayette Scrapbook Collection

Miscellaneous newspaper clippings concerning the history of Lafayette.

 
Last Man’s Club Collection

Club was founded on Feb. 10, 1932 by A.J. Furrer. The membership consisted of 32 prominent Contra Costa Republican business and civic leaders who were veterans of World War 1. A few years later they bought a bottle of champagne...

 
Leavitt, Rae Collection

Scrapbooks from Clayton Valley High School and Job’s Daughters.

 
Lung Association Collection

The Lung Association Collection includes newspaper clippings from area newspapers about the Lung Association of Contra Costa-Solano and its predecessor organizations. Articles also cover public health and air quality issues.

 
M
 
Macey, Robert Collection

Memorabilia from the Miner and Macey families, donated by Robert Miner Macey in 1988; materials date mostly from the 1800s and early 1900s but also include a 1782 document in Spanish, evidently from Mexico, along with an English translation written...

 
Maffei Collection

Betty Maffei was the first executive director of CCCHS and served in that capacity for about 30 years. This collection includes correspondence and cards of appreciation from students, correspondence and certificates from other historical societies and from county and state...

 
Marsh, John Papers Collection

Box of files pertaining to John Marsh and his family.

 
Marsh Masconi Hollingshead Collection

The collection contains documentation of land owned by the Marsh family of Clayton in Contra Costa County.

 
Martinez Ferry Collecion

The collection includes accounting books of the Martinez Ferry Co. The books are a small part of a very large group of materials that were collected and donated in 1984 by Louis Stein, one of CCCHS’s co-founders.

 
McBryde, Warren Scrapbook Collection

The scrapbook of Warren McBryde of Pinole, consisting of newspaper clippings on road and highway development, and agriculture and business development.

 
McCamley, George Farm Diaries Collection

Reproduction of "The Farm Diary of George McCamley," donated by the Museum of San Ramon Valley.

 
McClain, Patti Parks Collection

This is a book, entitled The Danville Scandals, put together by Patti Parks McClain, consisting of photocopies of images, newspaper clippings, letters, and other items pertaining to ten different political happenings in Danville.

 
McDonald, Hal (Walking Trails) Collection

Harold F. McDonald (1916-2004) made notes on trails in the East Bay Regional Parks, East Bay Municipal Utility District, and city parks in Contra Costa County and Alameda County. He measured trails for map makers and park districts.

 
McGoldrick Collection

This collection consists of builder brochures with floor plans of housing developments in Contra Costa County from 1960s to 2019, collected by Mike McGoldrick during his forty-one years of work.

 
McLeod, Dean Collection

The Dean McLeod Collection includes files and material on various aspects of Bay Point’s history.

 
McNear, G.W. Collection

The boxes contain correspondence, shipping records and ledger books from George W. McNear’s grain brokerage business in San Francisco and his grain shipping warehouse in Port Costa, which he opened in 1874 after working for his brother’s grain business in...

 
McPeak, Sunne Wright Collection

These are various papers of program advertisements and booklets on the Peripheral Canal and Delta water donated by Sunne Wright McPeak, Contra Costa County Supervisor of District IV.

 
Misc. Volumes Collection

The collection includes cash receipt books from local businesses including the Rogers Hotel in Walnut Creek from 1879, records of document deliveries for Contra Costa County Superior Court in 1904-1906, a book of court summons and subpoenas for Justice of...

 
Miscellaneous Books Collection

The scope and content of these books varies widely. They include business ledger books, other financial records, scrapbooks of calendars, scrapbooks of newspaper clippings, textbooks and a world atlas, property title search records, court case records and sheet music for...

 
Mutnick, Dorothy Collection

The collection has a wide assortment of material pertaining to local history from the time of the California missions to the 1930s, plus a few items from the 1940s to 1980s.

 
N
 
Naval Weapons Station Collection

Materials concerning the Weapon’s Station clean-up. Also contains a letter concerning the Cultural Inventory of the Weapon’s Station.

 
Neustaedter Family Collection

The Neustaedter Family Collection of small volumes is part of a much larger donation of small volumes collected and donated by CCCHS co-founder Louis Stein. The Neustaedter family lived in Concord.

 
O
 
Oak Grove School PTA Collection

The scrapbook includes newspaper clippings about the Oak Grove School PTA and its activities from 1922 to 1950.

 
Oakwood Park Stock Farms Collection

The collection includes daily business ledgers from 1889-91 from the Oakwood Park Stock Farm, and account ledgers from the Cook Farm related to the execution of the will of Seth Cook in 1891 (both farms were owned by the same...

 
O'Connell, Marcus Collection

The collection consists of papers, reports, newspaper clippings, and audio tapes of public meetings, mostly concerning the environmental impacts of growth in Contra Costa County.

 
O’Connell, Marcus Collection

The Collection consists of papers, reports, newspaper clippings, and audio tapes of public meetings, mostly concerning the environmental impacts of growth in Contra Costa County and the City of Concord.

 
Oral History Collection

Oral History transcripts of interviews of pioneer families. See also East Bay Regional Parks District Oral History Collection.

 
Orinda & Moraga Scrapbook Collection

Miscellaneous newspaper clippings concerning the history of Moraga and Orinda, California. Included are some columns written by St. Mary’s College history professor, Brother Dennis called “Lake of the Redwoods.”

 
P
 
Pacheco Schools PTA Scrapbook Collection

The scrapbook includes newspaper clippings, pamphlets of school activities and songbooks used by the Pacheco Schools Parent-Teacher Association.

 
Parent, Nancy Collection

Some promotional materials from the 1915 Pan Pacific Exhibition and a scrapbook of news article. These materials belonged to the donor’s mother.

 
Pollard, Susan Tripp Collection

This collection consists of newspapers, negatives, slide, and prints depicting the images taken by Susan Tripp Pollard. Most newspapers are incomplete, including only the pages with her images. It also includes newspapers which she collected on major events like the...

 
Pope, Norris Collection

A collection of student reports from the history classes of Norris F. Pope, instructor at Diablo Valley College donated by Ruth Sutter. Of note: records of the Concord Hook & Ladder Co.

 
Port Chicago Debris Collection

The collection contains one piece of twisted metal debris which is labelled as debris from the Port Chicago explosion in 1944.

 
Potwin, Kate Collection

The scrapbook belonged to Kate Potwin. It includes newspaper clippings on a wide variety of subjects, some undated but generally ranging from 1884 to 1928.

 
Protopopoff, Anne Tennent Collection

This collection was donated by Anne Tennent Protopopoff (Tennent/Plummer). Mrs. Protopopoff was a descendent of Ygnacio Nicamor Martinez (1774) & Maria Martinez Arellanes. Highlights of the collection are the genealogy of Anne Tennent Protopopoff back to Ygnacio Martinez; copies of...

 
R
 
Rego, Nilda Collection

Nilda Rego had a column in the Contra Costa Times called “Days Gone By” from 1989 through 2016. This collection includes a selection of her research for the articles she wrote as well as the bulk of her materials gathered...

 
Richmond City Budget Collection

This collection includes material donated by the now-defunct West County Times newspaper, relating to city budgets and expenditure plans for the City of Richmond in the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. The collection includes the City of Richmond’s annual...

 
Rifetto, L. Collection

Collection of postcards.

 
Rixon, Blair Collection

The Blair Rixon Collection consists of personal papers, photo albums, newspaper clippings, plaques and personal mementos of W. Blair Rixon and his wife. Also in the collection is a diploma for the graduation of Blair’s father, Albert W. Rixon, from...

 
Rubber Companies of Pittsburg Collection

The Bowers Rubber Works and the Pioneer Rubber Company were rubber factories in Pittsburg for the manufacture of rubber such as fire hose, belting, packing, automobile tires, and several other products. The factories covered a considerable acreage and employed several...

 
S
 
Schmalenberger Collection

Research materials of Jerry and Carol Schmalenberger for their book, Winter Island: The Delta’s Attempt at Eden

 
Sharkey Family Collection

The Sharkey Family Collection consists of personal correspondence, political and legal documents, newspaper clippings, and ephemera connected to State Senator William R Sharkey and family, spanning from the early 1900s to the 1990s.

 
Sheriff’s Office (Rupf) Collection

Office items from Contra Costa County Sheriff Warren Rupf including a canteen, calculator, rubber stamp and a 1999 pamphlet describing the history of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office. Donated by the Sheriff’s Office upon Sheriff Rupf’s retirement in 2016.

 
Silva, Marjorie Ann Correspondence Collection

Correspondence to Marjorie Ann Silva, a cartoonist and art teacher at Mt. Diablo High School, Concord, California, by former students.

 
Sipes, Les Collection

Les Sipes was a reporter and photographer for the Oakland Tribune and covered the Contra Costa beat from the 1940s to the 1950s. He and former Contra Costa County Supervisor, Warren Boggess, flew the “Traffic” route daily. Included in the...

 
Small Volumes Collection

The collection includes autograph books, diaries, business ledger books, textbooks, student notebooks, a Danville school census of students, farmers’ almanacs, a wedding memory book, an emergency handbook, and a U.S. Army Drill Regulations book. These small volumes belonged to 15...

 
Soberanes,Irene Sewell Collection

Mrs. Irene Soberanes was the former Irene Sewell, great-granddaughter of Dr. John Marsh. She married Paul Soberanes on 13 Dec 1913. The Soberanes Family was an early Spanish family in California. The box includes a collection of notes regarding the...

 
Spencer, Guy Collection

The scrapbook includes a wide variety of items including typewritten reports on local history written by PTA members; pamphlets about Mt. Diablo State Park and California history; a report on CCCHS’s dedication in 1954 of a bronze plaque marking the...

 
Stairley, W. Collection

: The collection includes various personal and business books and papers associated with W. Stairley from the 1890s to the 1930s, and materials regarding the Pinole-Hercules Chamber of Commerce in the early 1980s. The association of these later materials with...

 
Status of Women 1974 – 1975, Beverly Lane papers Collection

Box of paper articles about Women 1974 – 1975, Status of Women Commission, and 1975 Year of the Woman, all donated by Beverly Lane.

 
Stein Veale Collection

The Stein Veale Collection includes a few items collected by CCCHS co-founder Louis Stein that relate in various ways to Contra Costa Sheriff R.R. Veale (the Society also has an extensive Veale collection).

 
Sturdivant, Helen Collection

The collection includes three boxes of material on the Sturdivant family of Somersville and related families including the Crozier, Parsons, Gibbel, Belshaw, Wilkening and Mortimore families of Somersville, Nortonville, Pittsburg, Illinois and Australia. The material was donated by Helen Sturdivant’s...

 
U
 
Uilkema, Gayle Collection

This collection consists of newspapers, magazines, and personal mementos from Gayle Uilkema’s years as Mayor of Lafayette and Contra Costa County Supervisor. The newspaper and magazine articles generally concern various matters of local interest in central Contra Costa County.

 
W
 
West Contra Costa Legal Collection

This collection consists of legal documents from two cases in the 1990s. One is a lengthy set of handwritten letters and filings from a man named Ali Shair or Shair Ali, who had been arrested on drug charges and was...

 
West Contra Costa Schools Budget & Planning Collection

This collection includes material donated by the now-defunct West County Times newspaper, relating to budgets and school facility planning by the West Contra Costa Unified School District in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

 
Western Express Collection

The box includes about 37 years of a quarterly publication called Western Express, which features historical articles on early mail delivery in the western United States. The collection includes quarterly issues from 1951 to 1988, and an index of the...

 
Whitesides, Patricia Collection

This is a collection of high school yearbooks and scrapbooks, social registers, and other ephemera related to Contra Costa County and San Francisco belonging to Thomas E. & June Whitesides.

 
Winkley, Dr. John W. Collection

The collection includes newspaper columns, letters and typewritten history manuscripts written by Dr. John W. Winkley, as well as historical information about the Contra Costa County Historical Society. The collection was donated in 1987 by former CCCHS board member Roy...

 
Wolford, George Family Collection

The collection is a scrapbook including newspaper clippings mostly about family members, with articles dating from 1860 to 1938. The cover of the scrapbook has the names George Wolford, Dr. John B. Tennent and Charlotte Wolford. The latter two married...