Local Archives

Interested in the history of Los Angeles and surrounding communities? Then I recommend you investigate these local archives. They contain a wealth of information and are staffed by highly dedicated professionals and/or volunteers who are committed to preserving our past and sharing it with all those who want to learn about what’s come before. 

• City of Los Angeles Archives
  The City Archives and Records Center are the two components of the City Clerk’s Records Management Division.  The Records Management Division administers the City Clerk’s Charter assigned duty as the custodian of City records. The City Records Center, with a capacity of approximately 190,000 standard sized records storage boxes, is responsible for the retention and disposition of the inactive operating records of City Departments, Offices and Bureaus.  
• Los Angeles County Court Records
• Los Angeles City Archives, 1836-1872
  This collection contains selected documents digitized from the Los Angeles City Archives which relate to the early history of Los Angeles including land grants and maps.
• Los Angeles Public Library Visual Collections
  The LA Public Library visual collections include both local history collections and other historical collections, including:
  • California Index
    The California Index is a vast and unique resource for information relating to the history of Los Angeles and California. In addition to citations, this database also includes scans of documents and ephemera from files at Central Library and many of the system’s branches.
  • Fruit Crate Labels
    A collection of over 200 vibrantly-colored labels, designed for citrus growers throughout Southern California, mainly during the first half of the twentieth century. Many of the labels illustrate specific locations in the region, and are an excellent example of commercial graphic design from the period, as well as documenting the industry itself.