Archival Research: An Introduction This Powerpoint presentation was created by Dr. Wendy Rouse, SJSU

Research Locations Online California Room San Jose Public Library, Santa Clara County Archives (1875 Senter Rd., San Jose, CA 95112) ges/Santa-Clara-County-Archives.aspx ges/Santa-Clara-County-Archives.aspx Santa Clara County Recorder’s Office – 70 W. Hedding St. 1 st Floor, East Wing, San Jose, CA Japanese American Museum?

Research Buildings & People Secondary Sources Assessor’s Parcel Maps Historic Real Estate Documents Sanborn Insurance Maps Building Permits Other Property Records Assessment Rolls Census Records City Directories Newspaper Indexes City and County Histories Historic Photographs

Secondary Sources General history books on the neighborhood rt/default/asp rt/default/asp rt/Appendix%20A.pdf rt/Appendix%20A.pdf Santa Clara County Heritage Resource Inventory in CA room – This inventory includes descriptions and photographs of historic landmarks and buildings. Editions may include maps, historic register, and index of architects, builders, and designers. Visual Inventory of Historic/Archeological Sites in San Jose – From the early 1970’s, this inventory is of noteworthy structures. Each structure may have an architectural and historical evaluation, owner or tenant interview, and photograph.

Assessor’s Parcel Maps California History Room (SJPL) has San Jose City Directories: in print on microfilm Covering San Jose Suburban for

Historic Maps in CA Room City of San Jose Block Book – Published in 1871 by H.H. Stevenson, this book gives dimensions and owners of blocks in San Jose. Block Book of the City of San Jose – Published in 1909 and completed by F.G. Harriman, this source gives owners, block numbers, and subdivisions. Thomas Brothers’ Block Book of San Jose – Published in the mid 1920s, this multivolume set gives dimensions and owners for all property lots in San Jose. San Jose Property Maps – Dating back to the 1930s, this map series gives dimensions and owners for all property lots in San Jose. Wall Maps for San Jose and Santa Clara County – Large roll-up maps give the names of major property owners. They are most useful for tracing property ownership in areas outside the San Jose City limits.

Historic Maps at County Archives and County Recorder’s office Approximately 5,900 maps recorded with the country dating from circa 1850 to recorded documents include subdivisions, surveys of property, cemetery plans, and other maps. At the Clerk-Recorder’s Office. The Henry B. and Raymond W. Fisher Survey Collection consists of approximately 1,700 surveys made by Henry B. Fisher and by his son, Raymond W. Fisher, from the 1890s until the 1960s, primarily in Santa Clara County. At County Archives.

Sanborn Insurance Maps sanborn.uml.com.catalog.sjlibrary.org/ sanborn.uml.com.catalog.sjlibrary.org/ Available online through SJ Library 1884, 1891, 1915

Building Permits City of San Jose Building Permits Building permits in are on microfilm in California Room. Listed by street name and number, the permits include date issued, owner or developer name, and remodeling done during this time period. More recent information is at San Jose Permits Online.

Other Property Records The Clerk-Recorder’s General Index indexes all property records (deeds, mortgages, chattel mortgages, land patents, homesteads, etc.). This index exists from all property records from 1850 to present. At Santa Clara County Archives and Clerk-Recorder’s Office.

Assessment Rolls The California Room has tax rolls on microfilm back to They let you find who owns a piece of property in Santa Clara County.

Census Records The California Room has detailed U.S. census rolls for Santa Clara County covering and fire destroyed the 1890 census rolls for the entire county. In addition, the California Room has an index to the 1860 and 1870 censuses that helps you find the right information. Some records are online at

City Directories San Jose City Directories in California Room: in print on microfilm Covering San Jose Suburban for

Newspaper Indexes Chronicling America – Google News Archive San Jose Mercury News Historical Archive ( ) – FREE (through participating libraries using NewsBank, including Santa Clara Public Library)

City and County Histories Historical Atlas of Santa Clara County Published in 1876, this atlas names large property owners in San Jose and Santa Clara County. This comprehensive atlas is useful in identifying landowners outside the 1876 San Jose city limits. The Atlas is also online at David Rumsey Historical Map Collection.

Historic Photographs Santa Clara County Photographers Collection through Online Archive of California kt / kt / Other collections on the Online Archive The County Office of Planning Photograph, Slide and Film Collection Santa Clara County from 1906 to 1980 at Santa Clara County Archives.

Voter Records Great Register of Santa Clara County in CA room The Great Register lists all males in Santa Clara County who were registered to vote. Information includes name, age, country or state of birth, occupation, local residence etc. The California Room has the Great Register for 1867, 1879, 1880, 1884, 1890, and 1896.

Other Useful Sources California Room Index – This online index to 75,000+ references to San Jose and Santa Clara County history is the best place to start looking for information on people, particularly those active in the 19 th and early 20 th centuries. Genealogy resources Online Archive of California Ancestry.com Google

Research Advice Make a list of key terms and people Make a checklist of sources to explore Keep a journal of what you have researched and who you have spoken with Start with secondary sources Mine bibliographies Exhaust all leads Move to primary sources Be systematic Trust librarians & don’t trust librarians