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Local History Resources

Image of a historic house with the quote "local people perserving local history"Aptos History Museum

Contact

Artifacts and archival materials related to the history of Aptos, including  local people, parks, buisnesses, and events.

historic building housing the Capitola MuseumCapitola Museum

Contact & Museum Hours

Artifacts and archival materials related to the history of Capitola, including historic structures, events, photographs, and more.

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks logo with the slogan that's my parkFriends of Santa Cruz State Parks

Contact

Visit

Partners with California State Parks to support local state parks and beaches, including historic sites such as the Castro Adobe, Wilder Ranch, and Santa Cruz Mission.

Sketch of a house - logo for the Pajaro Valley Historical AssociationPajaro Valley Historial Association

Contact & Hours

Research Requests

Preserves buildings, documents, and artifacts related to the history of the Pajaro Valley.  Historic buildings include the Bockius-Orr House and Gardne, the Borina Archive, the Carriage House, and the Tank House. Collections include family papers, oral histories, photographs, clothing, ephemera, and local city, school, and business records. 

Logo for San Lorenzo Valley MuseumSan Lorenzo Valley Museum

Contact & Hours

Artifacts and archival materails on the history of the San Lorenzo Valley, including photographs, tools, ephemera and stories of local residents.

Logo of ocean, forest, and mountains for Satna Cruz Museum of Natural History

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

Contact

Hours

Highlights our region's diverse plant, animal, and human communities. Collections include fossils, shells, minerals, animals, insects, and materials related to ethnography, history, surfing, and the arts.  Collections may be accessed for study upon request.  See Collections Up-Close for information & updates.

Santa Cruz Public Library Local HistorySanta Cruz Public Library

Collections

Contact

Photographs, newspapers, maps, and ephemera, as well as articles about historic organizations, buildings, figures and events.

MAH red dot logoSanta Cruz Museum of Art & History

History Resources

Contact

Visit

MAH history collections include their exhibits and archives, as well as publications, podcasts, and blog posts on local history.

UCSC University Library logoUCSC Special Collections & Archives

Using UCSC Special Collections

Contact & Directions

Hours

Preserves the cultural heritage of the Santa Cruz region and the history of UCSC.  Collections include photographs, artists' books and literary archives, the Grateful Dead Archive, Lick Observatory, and the Regional History Project.

Blue heron in a Watsonville slough with books, and computer and Watsonville Public LibraryWatsonville Public Library: California Agricultural Workers' History Center

Hours, Locations, & Contact Info

Located in the Main Library downtown, the Center is designed to support research on the history of diverse gropus working in California agriculture. The center includes circulating and reference collections, historic newspapers, geneaology resources and other historic papers.