Highlights from the San Francisco History Center

The San Francisco History Center will be at the California Historical Society this Saturday, October 19th from 1-5 for the 3rd Annual Archives Crawl. We will present ten items curated from the History Center's Collections. Come see the documents/items, chat with archivists and learn more about how we're preserving local history. Highlighted here are a few items we will have on view at the crawl.

Alcalde Records

[The] Alcalde [was a] leading civil officer of local government in a Spanish (and later Mexican) municipality. He was something of a combination of mayor and justice of the peace. Hart, James D. (1987) A companion to California.

Shown below is a page from the Alcalde Records. The record includes Original Grants, (1839-1849) recorded petitions for and titles to land grants, showing notices of intention to build or establish residence, date of grant, names of grantor and grantee, lot number, district number, and description and location of grant. In Spanish and English. 

Alcalde Records (1823-1849) San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library. Alcalde Records are digitized and available on Family Search. 

Harvey Milk Archives -- Scott Smith Collection

"My name is Harvey Milk -- and I want to recruit you." Harvey Milk spoke these famous words at the 1978 Gay Day event. Milk became the first openly gay man to hold elected office in the state of California in 1978. He was assassinated, along with Mayor George Moscone, that same year. His speech will be on view at the Archives Crawl. Read more about Milks speeches here.

Speech 'Gay Day' (1978), Harvey Milk Archives -- Scott Smith Collection (GLC 35), Gay and Lesbian Center, San Francisco Public Library 

Pictorial Letter Sheet Collection

The Pictorial Letter Sheet Collection contains 48 pictorial lettersheets from 1849 to 1875. Pictorial lettersheets are writing paper illustrated with lithographs or wood engravings depicting San Francisco and California mining themes and are a visual account of the Gold Rush. Topics and scenes include San Francisco views, fires and earthquakes, public executions, activities of the Committees of Vigilance, and mining and camp life. Places featured include San Francisco, Sacramento, Placerville, Sonora, and Grass Valley. Read more about pictorial letter sheets here. 

Execution of Casey and Cora (1856), California Letter Sheet Collection (SFP 107), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library

Stereoview

Creating the illusion of depth, stereograph images present two offset two-dimensional images side by side. To the human eye these images, viewed through a stereoviewer, give the perception of a 3D image. Popular from the 1850s-1930s the sterograph was a fun medium for home entertainment. A small sampling of sterographs have been digitized and added to the library's online database.

San Francisco History Center Stereograph Collection, San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library