California Historical Society facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | CHS |
|---|---|
| Established | 1871 |
| Founded at | Santa Clara, California |
| Legal status | Official historical society of California |
| Purpose | Preserving and promoting Californian history |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California |
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Interim CEO
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Jen Whitley |
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Chief Operating Officer
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Jen Whitley |
| Publication | California History |
The California Historical Society (CHS) is the official group for studying and saving the history of California. It started in 1871. A group of important thinkers and leaders from California created it at Santa Clara University. In 1979, it was officially named California's state historical society. Its main office is in San Francisco. However, it shares its amazing collections and exhibits all over California.
Contents
Discovering California's Past
The California Historical Society began in June 1871. Important politicians and professors from Santa Clara University (then called the College of Santa Clara) founded it. One of the main leaders was John W. Dwinelle. He was a Californian Assemblyman and helped create the University of California.
The society's first goal was to gather and share information. They wanted to learn about the early days of the West Coast of America. This included areas like California, Oregon, and parts of Mexico. They published many papers about history until 1901. For a few years, from 1901 to 1906, the CHS joined with another history group.
After the big 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the society stopped its work for a while. It started up again permanently in 1922. This was thanks to Templeton Crocker, a famous explorer. In 1979, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill. This made the CHS the official historical society for the state.
The Society keeps a huge collection of historical items. These include old papers, photos, and art. They also give out an award each year for a book about California history. They publish a history magazine called California History. Sometimes, they host talks about California history that you can watch on TV.
The CHS also puts on special exhibits. For example, in 2015, they celebrated 100 years of the Panama–Pacific International Exposition. In 2017, they helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love. They also hold learning events and exhibits at their San Francisco office.
Jen Whitley is currently the interim CEO of the society. She helps lead the team.
Where the Society Has Been
After starting again in 1922, the Society rented an office in the Wells Fargo Building. Later, they moved to different places in San Francisco. In 1938, they were at 456 McAllister. In 1955, they moved temporarily to the Flood Building.
In 1956, the society bought the Whittier Mansion in Pacific Heights, San Francisco. This became their main office. They later added another building next to it. In 1993, they sold both buildings. They then bought the San Francisco Builders Exchange Building. This building had been a hardware store. The society moved into this new building in 1995. In 2012, when the Golden Gate Bridge turned 75, the society painted the front of their building the same orange color as the bridge!
The society thought about moving to the Old San Francisco Mint building. This old building could become a museum and a community center. However, as of early 2021, the society is still in the Builders Exchange Building.
- Headquarters of the CHS throughout history
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Wells Fargo Building, 1922–38
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Flood Building, 1955
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Whittier Mansion, 1956–95
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Builders Exchange, 1995–present
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Amazing Collections: A Look at California's Past
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The California Historical Society has a huge collection. It shows the environment, economy, society, politics, and culture of California. It even includes things from outside California that help us understand the state better.
The collection includes:
- Over 50,000 books and booklets.
- 4,000 collections of handwritten papers and documents.
- 500,000 photographs!
- Old flyers, magazines, posters, maps, and newspapers.
- A special collection about printing and publishing in the West.
- 5,000 pieces of art, like paintings and drawings.
- Many historical objects and costumes.
Beautiful Art Collection
The Historical Society has an amazing art collection with over 5,000 artworks. These include paintings, drawings, and prints. You can find works by famous artists like Albert Bierstadt, Maynard Dixon, Thomas Hill, and William Keith.
Important Papers and Documents
The Society keeps important papers from many groups and businesses. These include the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and the League of Women Voters. They also have papers from important people. For example, they have documents from San Francisco Mayor James Rolph, Jr.
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Everyday Items and Flyers
This collection has a wide variety of everyday items and flyers from California. These items date back to 1841. They include things from churches, community groups, clubs, and sports events. You can also find items from schools, colleges, and government groups.
In 1964, a former president of the Society, George L. Harding, started a special collection. It's called the Kemble Collection. It focuses on the history of printing and publishing in the West. This collection started with gifts of old printing books and business records from a San Francisco printing company. It has grown a lot since then!
Amazing Photo Collection
The Historical Society has many documentary and fine art photographs. These photos were taken by famous photographers. Some of them include Arnold Genthe, Eadweard Muybridge, Carleton Watkins, and Minor White.
See also
- Historical societies
- History of California
- List of museums in San Francisco
