Research Room
The Public Research Room is located in the lower level of the History Center and is available Wednesday and Thursday 10am – 2pm, and Friday from 11 am to 4 pm. We also take appointments but they must be made at least 2 weeks in advance and depend upon the availability of our staff.
The Research Room facility is a free resource to the public. It is a place where a researcher or the curious amateur can access our document collection (newspapers, maps, photos) or use our research library. We are continually updating our current collections as well as cataloging additional holdings as we receive them.
Our on-site document collection consists of:
- Early County newspapers
- A comprehensive collection of news clippings and documents, filed by subject heading
- Reference materials such as County directories and census records
- A small library focused on County history
- County road files and maps
- Early County court documents
- Mexican period Expedientes (records of land grants)
- Early American period correspondence and papers
- An expansive collection of photographs
To view objects and other items listed in our online archive, you must make an appointment at least 2 weeks in advance as the item will need to be located and transported to the Museum.
Guidelines for using Facilities
- Please note no personal scanning equipment is allowed in the public room however digital cameras are allowed.
- In order to preserve and protect the collection, we ask that researchers only use pencil while doing research.
- No food or drink is allowed in the room.
For more information feel free to call us at (805) 543-0638.
Photograph Orders: availability and scanning
Are you looking specifically for photographs? If so, then please read this section before visiting us. Please review our use agreement and fee schedule for the photograph collection carefully. If you would like to request permission to use any of the center’s images, you will need to fill-out and sign the use agreement before your order can be filled.
Please note that scanning is subject to staff availability and orders are usually completed within 7 working days depending on the size of the order and order volume. If you need images in less than 5 working days, you will pay a rush fee of an additional $5 per scanned image.
The History Center would like to extend its gratitude to Dave Strickler, who was instrumental in cataloging our library as well as our collections of County newspapers and photographs.




