California Room - Local History Collection

Highlights

California Room Collections
Your resource for California & Santa Clara Valley history

Retro Tech
Convert your analog media to digital

Your Old House
Research your San José home and property

Digital Sanborn Maps (library card required)
Covering cities in California, 1867-1970

Obituary Request Request an Obituary
The Santa Clara County Library District offers a free search for 3 obituaries per month.

Today's Exhibits and Events

Dining Out: Menus Of Old San Jose

Chop Suey for 30 cents? Chow Mein for 35 cents? 15 cents for a cold beer? Too good to be true? Not in WWII era San Jose! Wish you could go back in time to get...

Monday, May 20, 2019 (All day)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, 5th Floor Special Collections Area - California Room

Local History Blog

Back in the Days...: California Room Yearbook Collection

shelf of yearbooks in the California Room

Each week, hundreds of families from across the state flocked to San Jose’s Lowrider Culture Exhibition. A significant portion of these pilgrims are former San Jose residents. Surprisingly, many are visiting the California Room and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library for the first time! Those returning to San Jose from across the state seem naturally drawn to our High School Yearbook collection . In these volumes, they can glimpse photos of family and friends from long (or not so long) ago. Yearbooks are the type of item that sit on the shelf, or get put in a box...Read more...

Author:

Michael Lara

Post date:

Tuesday, April 30, 2019 - 7:00 AM

#PixInParks Martial Cottle

The Park Martial Cottle Park Entrance ©Brandy Maldonado With 287 acres, this south San Jose park offers various activities for you and the family to enjoy. The Martial Cottle park has paved walkways that allow runners, walkers, bikers, and skaters to enjoy the great outdoors safely. The interactive play area introduces children to life size farm animals and farming methods. This urban park celebrates sustainable farming processes and highlights innovations in organic farming. Located at the south entrance of the park is the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners Community Education Center . At the Education Center you can...Read more...

Author:

Brandy Maldonado