California State Archives

08/25/2026

When Pluto lost its official planetary status on August 24, 2006, it was a sad day for many space enthusiasts (and early 2000s schoolchildren). However, archives have an uncanny knack for putting humanity’s cosmic timeline into perspective.

While today marks 20 years since Pluto’s demotion, the planet hadn’t even been discovered when this trademark was filed in 1886. Back then, astronomers recognized only eight planets. The central logo for "Golden State" tea features a striking planet evoking Saturn, whose rings were mapped in the 17th century. 🪐

As for Pluto? That distant little world wouldn't be spotted by astronomers until 1930! ✨🌌🔭

From the "Old Series" Trademarks collection, this record from the California State Archives was digitized through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, in partnership with The Friends of California Archives.

See the full item here: https://archives.sos.ca.gov/Items/Details/25676

08/19/2026

For , we’re highlighting a powerful example that demonstrates how photographs can become invaluable historical records.

This album from the Ziegler Collection at the California State Archives documents the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, capturing damaged buildings, streets, and other scenes of devastation in San Francisco and Oakland. Some of the places captured in these images were permanently altered or destroyed, meaning these photographs may be the only surviving visual record of certain historic areas.

The photos were taken by Arthur Herman Ziegler, who was just 18 years old at the time. In addition to capturing these images, Ziegler responded to the event by distributing food to people whose lives were upended by the disaster.

More than a century later, his personal album reminds us that photographs do more than capture a moment; they preserve people, places, and events that might otherwise be lost to history.

🔎 Explore the complete album through California Revealed:
https://californiarevealed.org/do/4839333e-254f-410d-bdc8-95de6359c39c

08/18/2026

Did you know the 19th Amendment has two anniversaries?

Today, August 18, marks when Tennessee became the crucial 36th state needed to ratify the amendment in 1920. The second milestone followed on August 26, 1920, when the federal government officially certified the proclamation, turning the 19th Amendment into law. We celebrate that final certification each year as Women’s Equality Day.

Long before the federal victory, suffragists spent years fighting a grueling, state-by-state battle for the ballot. This postcard from our ephemera collection, sent by California suffragist Alice Locke Park to State Librarian James L. Gillis on May 9, 1912, highlights that timeline. It features 6 stars, representing the only states that had granted women full suffrage by 1912: Wyoming (1869), Colorado (1893), Utah (1896), Idaho (1896), Washington (1910), and California (1911).

Printed by the National American Woman Suffrage Association, the postcard reflects the desire to keep momentum going after California’s 1911 win by shifting the focus to Ohio's state suffrage amendment, which was ultimately defeated by male voters in both 1912 and 1914. Women in Ohio, along with millions of others nationwide, had to wait until the federal ratification of the 19th amendment to finally gain the right to vote.

Launching in celebration of Women's Equality Day, our upcoming online exhibit will explore the history of California's successful 1911 state suffrage amendment. Stay tuned for the link on August 26 to view this postcard and other fascinating materials from the State Archives’ collections!

08/17/2026

Fire prevention in California is not (normally) a laughing matter.

However, this 1972 educational film titled Our Forests, created by CAL FIRE, adds some unexpected levity to the situation. Watch as Mr. Ranger works hard to protect Woody Tree and Chip the Chipmunk from that darn troublemaker: Flaming Freddy the Fire!

While the puppets are silly, wildland fire prevention remains a critical, continuous effort for California's communities and emergency personnel. Looking back at historic outreach strategies offers valuable insight into how public safety messaging has evolved over the decades.

Originally recorded on 16mm film, this piece of agency history from our collection was digitized in partnership with California Revealed. The full film is available for public viewing on the California Revealed website.

08/14/2026

FYI for those in the Dublin area!

📣 SOS Pop-Up Shop alert! Need a document authenticated for use abroad? ✈️ Looking to register a Domestic Partnership? 💖 We’ve got you! Come to the Dublin Public Library on August 14th for same-day apostille and domestic partnership registration services! 🌐

Visit https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/popup-shops for more information.

08/13/2026

Yesterday, we hosted a successful trial run of our Girl Scouts Book Artist Badge Workshop at the California State Archives!

The Book Artist Badge is designed for Cadette Girl Scouts in grades 6–8, and our participants got hands-on experience learning some of the techniques used to care for books and paper. During the workshop, the Cadettes learned how to:

📖 Identify the different parts of a book
🩹 Mend a tear in a book
📄 Release creases and “dog-ears” in paper
🧵 Fold and stitch their own pamphlet

Along the way, we introduced the girls to some of the one-of-a-kind books within the California State Archives’ collections and the skilled work of our conservation archivists, who help ensure California’s history is protected for generations to come.

08/11/2026

It’s tomato season in California! 🍅

Did you know that California produces over 95% of the nation's processing tomatoes?

To celebrate this summer harvest, we are throwing it back with archival footage from our State of California Employment Development Department collection. Filmed before 1969, this 16mm color film captures the specialized labor and detailed process of sorting tomatoes in the Golden State.

Special thanks to California Revealed for helping us digitize and preserve this film!

08/06/2026

Today marks the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. Signed into law on August 6, 1965, the Act prohibited discriminatory voting practices—including literacy tests and other barriers—that had prevented many Americans from exercising their constitutional right to vote. It represented a major step toward fulfilling the promise of the Fifteenth Amendment and expanding access to the ballot.

Explore this powerful history through our exhibit, The Journey to Democracy: Celebrating the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. Featuring original historical documents, photographs, and records, the exhibit honors the generations of activists who fought to secure equal voting rights.

The in-person exhibit runs for just a few more months. Visit our gallery space at the State Archives, 1020 O Street in Sacramento by entering through the California Museum and taking the elevator to the 4th floor.

Can’t make it to Sacramento? Learn about the history of the VRA from anywhere by visiting our online exhibit here: https://exhibits.sos.ca.gov/s/60th-anniversary-voting-rights-act-exhibit/page/vra-1

08/05/2026

Before smartphones, building a communications network meant miles of cable—and a lot of hard work.

The records of the California Public Utilities Commission at the California State Archives include more than 2,000 formal applications submitted by utilities and corporations across California. These records document the growth of telephone and telegraph companies, gas and electric providers, railroads, and water companies, and many contain remarkable historic photographs.

This image comes from a Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company application and is one of more than 200 black-and-white photographs documenting crews installing telephone lines in San Francisco around 1913. Here, workers are laying an underground cable along the Embarcadero, demonstrating the immense effort required to build the city's early communications infrastructure.

Explore the California Public Utilities Commission formal applications collection here: http://gencat.sos.ca.gov/minerva/permalink-d.html?key=10414

07/31/2026

In 1911, California established the Conservation Commission to study the state's natural resources and recommend ways to better protect and manage them. Its work covered everything from forests and water to mining, irrigation, and land reclamation, helping shape policies that would have a lasting impact on California.

This 1912 timber map, created during the Commission's investigation of California's forestry resources, illustrates the location and ownership of forest lands across Northern California. It provides a compelling snapshot of the state's timber industry more than a century ago.

Although the Commission is best known for its work on water resources—which ultimately helped lead to the creation of the California Water Commission and a new water rights permitting system in 1914—it also devoted significant attention to forestry. Commissioners studied wildfire prevention, reforestation, the use of forest lands for water and power, and the taxation and conservation of timberlands.

Led by former Governor George C. Pardee, the Commission advocated for legislation to preserve California's forests, improve wildfire suppression, and ensure the responsible management of the state's natural resources. As part of the Progressive Era's conservation movement, the Commission believed that careful stewardship would benefit both the environment and future generations.

In its 1913 report to the Governor, the Commission wrote:

"Every acre of land which is not put to some useful purpose constitutes an economic waste."

Explore this historic record in the California State Archives collection:

http://gencat.sos.ca.gov/minerva/permalink-d.html?key=2990