California Historical Society
The California Historical Society was a nonprofit historical organization that collected, preserved, interpreted, and published material relating to California and the broader history of the American West.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
The California Historical Society (CHS) was a nonprofit historical organization devoted to documenting and interpreting California's past. Established in June 1871 at the College of Santa Clara, now Santa Clara University, it was founded by a group of prominent Californian politicians, professors, and intellectuals led by Assemblyman John W. Dwinelle. Its original purpose was to gather, publish, and make accessible information about the early colonization and settlement of the West Coast, particularly California, Oregon, and northwestern Mexico. During its early period, the Society published 32 papers on California and western history. Between 1901 and 1906 it temporarily combined operations with the California Genealogical Society. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and its aftermath then contributed to a prolonged period of inactivity. CHS was reestablished in 1922 by Templeton Crocker, an expeditionary and prominent figure associated with the California Academy of Sciences. The Society developed into a major collecting and educational institution. Its holdings covered the environmental, economic, social, political, and cultural history of California, while also including material from outside the state when it helped explain California and its people. The collection encompassed approximately 50,000 books and pamphlets, 4,000 manuscript collections, 500,000 photographs, printed ephemera, maps, newspapers, posters, periodicals, works of art, artifacts, and costumes. Notable areas included the Kemble Collection on Western Printing and Publishing, California-related ephemera, documentary and fine-art photography, and manuscripts from civic organizations, businesses, political figures, and community groups. CHS also operated as a public-facing cultural institution. It mounted exhibitions, offered lectures and educational programs, published the academic journal California History in association with the University of California Press, and awarded the California Historical Society Book Prize. Its programs were presented not only in San Francisco but at venues across California. Examples included a 2015 exhibition and commemoration connected with the centennial of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition and sponsorship of events marking the fiftieth anniversary of San Francisco's Summer of Love in 2017. The organization occupied several San Francisco locations over its history. It leased space in the Wells Fargo Building after its 1922 revival, moved to Pioneer Hall near City Hall in 1938, used the Flood Building temporarily in the 1950s, and acquired the Whittier Mansion in Pacific Heights in 1956. In 1993 it sold the mansion and an adjoining property and purchased the former San Francisco Builders Exchange Building at 678 Mission Street. Following renovation, the Society moved there in 1995. The building's facade was painted International Orange in 2012 to acknowledge the Golden Gate Bridge's seventy-fifth anniversary. Financial and operational pressures eventually forced a major contraction. CHS announced in 2020 that it intended to sell its headquarters and disperse its research library and other collections while developing traveling exhibitions and partnerships with historical organizations around the state. The roughly 20,000-square-foot Mission Street building was sold in June 2024 for nearly $6.7 million to the San Francisco Baking Institute. Staffing was reduced substantially as the organization attempted to lower costs. In January 2025, CHS announced that it would close and transfer its collections to Stanford University Libraries. The holdings were intended to become the California History Collection at Stanford, administered with the Bill Lane Center for the American West and Stanford University Libraries. This transfer ended the Society's role as California's independent official state historical society, although it provided a pathway for continued preservation and research access to its historical materials.
History
The California Historical Society was founded in June 1871 at the College of Santa Clara by a group of Californian politicians, professors, and intellectuals led by Assemblyman John W. Dwinelle. Its founding mission centered on collecting, publishing, and disseminating information about the early settlement and colonization of the West Coast, especially California, Oregon, and northwestern Mexico. The organization published 32 papers through 1901, establishing an early documentary and scholarly foundation for the study of California history. From 1901 to 1906, the Society temporarily merged with the California Genealogical Society. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake disrupted its activities, and CHS remained dormant until it was permanently reestablished in 1922 by Templeton Crocker, known for his expeditions and association with the California Academy of Sciences. After its revival, the Society gradually developed a broader institutional role encompassing collecting, research, publishing, exhibitions, lectures, and public education. CHS maintained a succession of San Francisco headquarters. It initially leased Room 508 of the Wells Fargo Building at Second and Mission Streets, moved in 1938 to Pioneer Hall at 456 McAllister Street, and used the Flood Building temporarily in 1955. In 1956 it acquired the Whittier Mansion in Pacific Heights and later expanded into an adjacent building. Under director J. S. Holliday, the Society sold those properties in 1993 and acquired the San Francisco Builders Exchange Building at 678 Mission Street. The building, which had previously housed E. M. Hundley Hardware and had been used for Nancy Pelosi's first congressional campaign, was rehabilitated and became the Society's headquarters in 1995. In 2012 its facade was painted International Orange in recognition of the Golden Gate Bridge's seventy-fifth anniversary. The Society's collections grew into one of the most substantial bodies of California historical material held by a single institution. They included roughly 50,000 books and pamphlets, 4,000 manuscript collections, 500,000 photographs, printed ephemera, periodicals, posters, broadsides, maps, newspapers, artworks, artifacts, and costumes. The fine-art holdings included works associated with artists such as Albert Bierstadt, Maynard Dixon, Thomas Hill, William Keith, Grace Carpenter Hudson, Arthur Frank Mathews, and Theodore Wores. Photography holdings included work by Eadweard Muybridge, Carleton Watkins, Minor White, Arnold Genthe, and other photographers. The manuscripts documented organizations, businesses, public officials, and community life. Holdings included records associated with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, League of Women Voters, California Tomorrow, Stern Grove Festival Association, Peoples Temple, Heller Ehrman, former San Francisco mayor James Rolph Jr., and other individuals and institutions. The ephemera collection covered subjects ranging from churches, labor unions, schools, political parties, elections, and government agencies to theaters, transportation systems, hotels, hospitals, prisons, festivals, sports, and local landmarks. In 1964, former Society president and printing historian George L. Harding established the Kemble Collection on Western Printing and Publishing. Named for California printer and publisher Edward Cleveland Kemble, it began with Harding's library, William E. Loy's typographical collection, and the business archives of Taylor & Taylor. It subsequently became a major resource for studying printing and publishing in the American West. The Society was designated California's official state historical society in 1979 through legislation signed by Governor Jerry Brown. It continued to publish California History with the University of California Press, award the California Historical Society Book Prize, organize exhibitions, and present educational programs. Its activities extended beyond San Francisco, including exhibitions at other California venues and public programs that were sometimes carried by C-SPAN. Notable projects included a 2015 commemoration of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition centennial at the Palace of Fine Arts and 2017 programming related to the fiftieth anniversary of the Summer of Love. Operational pressures intensified in the late 2010s and early 2020s. After Anthea Hartig left for the National Museum of American History, Alicia Goehring became executive director and CEO in September 2019. Following Goehring's death in August 2022, chief operating officer Jen Whitley became interim CEO. The Society sought to reduce expenses by selling its headquarters, dispersing research and collection functions, and emphasizing partnerships and traveling exhibitions. The Mission Street building was sold in June 2024 for nearly $6.7 million, while staffing declined from approximately thirty employees to seven and then three. In January 2025, CHS announced its closure and an agreement under which Stanford University Libraries would acquire and administer its collections. The materials were to become the California History Collection at Stanford, linked to the Bill Lane Center for the American West. The arrangement preserved the Society's documentary legacy within a university research environment, but marked the end of CHS as an independent operating organization and as California's official state historical society.
- 2025
Collections transferred to Stanford University Libraries
[1]CHS announced its closure and the transfer of its collections to Stanford, where they would be maintained as the California History Collection.
- 2024
Mission Street headquarters sold
[1]The Society sold its approximately 20,000-square-foot headquarters in June as part of its cost-reduction program.
- 2022
Jen Whitley becomes interim CEO
[1]Following Alicia Goehring's death, COO Jen Whitley was named interim chief executive officer.
- 2020
Cost-reduction relocation plan announced
[1]CHS announced plans to sell its headquarters, disperse research and storage functions, and expand traveling exhibitions.
- 2019
Alicia Goehring becomes executive director and CEO
[1]Goehring assumed the Society's top executive role in September after Anthea Hartig moved to the National Museum of American History.
- 2012
Headquarters facade painted International Orange
[1]The building facade was painted International Orange to recognize the Golden Gate Bridge's seventy-fifth anniversary.
- 1995
Moved to 678 Mission Street
[1]After acquiring and rehabilitating the former San Francisco Builders Exchange Building, the Society moved into the Mission Street premises.
- 1979
Designated California's official state historical society
[1]A bill signed by Governor Jerry Brown gave CHS official state historical society status.
- 1964
Kemble Collection established
[1]George L. Harding founded the Kemble Collection on Western Printing and Publishing.
- 1922
Society reestablished
[1]Templeton Crocker led the permanent reestablishment of CHS.
Products and positioning
A statewide historical and archival institution focused on preserving and interpreting California's diverse environmental, social, political, economic, and cultural heritage.
Archives and special collections · 1871
Historical collections
The Society's principal institutional offering was its research collection documenting California and the American West. It included books, pamphlets, manuscripts, photographs, maps, newspapers, posters, ephemera, artworks, artifacts, and costumes. The materials addressed environmental, economic, social, political, and cultural history and supported scholarship, exhibitions, education, and public research.
Specialized archival collection · 1964
Kemble Collection on Western Printing and Publishing
Founded in 1964 by printing historian George L. Harding, the Kemble Collection focused on the history of printing and publishing in the American West. Its foundation included Harding's printing library, William E. Loy's typographical library, and the business archives of Taylor & Taylor. The collection expanded into a significant research resource for western book history and the development of regional publishing.
Academic journal
California History
California History was the Society's scholarly journal, published in association with the University of California Press. It provided a formal outlet for research and interpretation concerning California's past and connected CHS's collecting and public-program activities with academic historical scholarship.
Museum and educational programming
Historical exhibitions and public programs
CHS presented exhibitions, lectures, educational activities, and traveling programs on California history. Although based in San Francisco, it worked with venues around the state. Examples included a 2015 Panama-Pacific International Exposition centennial program and activities associated with the fiftieth anniversary of the Summer of Love in 2017.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Summer of Love fiftieth-anniversary programming
San Francisco · California
CHS sponsored programming commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of San Francisco's Summer of Love.
Outcome. The initiative extended the Society's public-history role into the interpretation of recent social and cultural history.
- 2015Panama-Pacific International Exposition centennial
California · United States
The Society organized a commemorative exhibition and related activities at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts marking the centennial of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.
Outcome. The program used an important San Francisco civic anniversary to connect public audiences with the city's exhibition, architectural, and cultural history.
Brand decisions
2025
Transfer collections to Stanford University LibrariesM&ABackground
After years of financial and staffing reductions, the Society concluded that its collections required a successor institution with the capacity to preserve and administer them.
Action taken
CHS announced its closure and an agreement transferring its collections to Stanford University Libraries, in association with the Bill Lane Center for the American West.
Aftermath
The holdings were to become the California History Collection at Stanford, preserving the materials in a university research setting while ending CHS as an independent organization.
2020
Sell headquarters and decentralize operationsStrategyBackground
The Society faced cost pressures and determined that maintaining its San Francisco headquarters was no longer sustainable.
Action taken
CHS announced plans to sell the building, place its research library and collection storage in dispersed locations, and use partnerships and traveling exhibitions to continue public engagement.
Aftermath
The headquarters was sold in 2024, while staffing and the organization's operating footprint contracted substantially before the 2025 closure announcement.
Sale price of headquarters. Nearly $6.7 million (June 2024)
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