#castatelibrary

Do you ever find yourself wondering about the history of your town and county? Then you’ll love nerding out with this California History Section favorite, “Historic Spots in California.” Filled with interesting (and for a historian) downright useful information about all 58 of California’s counties and numerous tidbits about their cities as well, this highly readable work gives a good overview of the Golden State’s past, county by county and city by city. If you are looking for a fun, informative book that is perfect for reading at intervals, this is the book for you!

This week’s haiku is by 16th century Japanese poet Teitoku (1571-1654), and is included in the anthology titled: “A Little Treasury of Haiku.” The American Haiku Archives is a special collection that has been housed in the California State Library, California History Section since 1996 and contains over 2300 items including manuscript materials, books and periodicals.

This week’s haiku is by famed poet Basho (1644-1694), and is included in the anthology titled: “A Little Treasury of Haiku.” The American Haiku Archives is a special collection that has been housed in the California State Library, California History Section since 1996 and contains over 2300 items including manuscript materials, books and periodicals. 

This week’s haiku is by Lee J. Richmond, and is included in her book titled: “Roads to Spring.” The American Haiku Archives is a special collection that has been housed in the California State Library, California History Section since 1996 and contains over 2300 items including manuscript materials, books and periodicals. 

Here in Northern California, many would agree that today’s tech-infested San Francisco is unrecognizable from the great city it once was. However, the 1960s throwback How to Enjoy 1 to 10 Perfect Days in San Francisco by Jack Shelton might change your mind. The 1962 edition of this popular travel series lists 10 separate itineraries for ‘Perfect’ San Francisco days, most of which are still relevant more than half a century later! While there are of course the timeless attractions like Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Golden Gate Park, many of the hotels, restaurants and shops listed are still open and thriving as well. From cocktails at the Top of the Mark after a swanky lunch at Tadich Grill (the city’s oldest restaurant, established in 1849), to a walk down to the Buena Vista Café for its famous Irish Coffee during a stay at the Fairmont hotel, you will be impressed by how remarkably current the suggestions feel. Though this guidebook does divulge tell-tale signs of antiquity- a visit to House of Prime Rib will likely cost you more than $6 today, for example- it is refreshing to know that the classic San Francisco that we know and love still persists throughout the years.

This week’s haiku is by Susan Antolin, and is included in her book titled: “Artichoke Season.” The American Haiku Archives is a special collection that has been housed in the California State Library, California History Section since 1996 and contains over 2300 items including manuscript materials, books and periodicals.   

In honor of women’s history month we are featuring Global Women in the Start-Up World. This fascinating set of interviews looks at a cohort of female entrepreneurs who uprooted their entire lives to move to a foreign country, the United States, and start tech firms in the Silicon Valley. In their sometimes painfully honest accounts we see the challenges associated with not only adapting to a different culture but also with being a woman in a male-dominated field. If you find reads about Silicon Valley fascinating or love watching people succeed against enormous odds, then this is the book for you.

Since Leap Day only comes around every few years, why not celebrate by picking up a book that recounts this and other holidays from the viewpoint of California miners? “Leaves from an Argonaut’s Notebook: A Collection of Holiday and other Stories Illustrative of the Brighter Side of Mining Life in Pioneer Days” is a historic book from the Gold Rush, that was brushed off and reprinted for modern audiences to enjoy. The tales go through all of the seasons, and tell stories of the holidays that often prove to be markers of times passed as much as they are celebrations. While much of the literature from that era was a bit morose, this book by Judge T.E. Jones is an uplifting take on some of the darker days from our state’s past.

This week’s haiku is by Gary Hotham, and is included in his book titled: “Spilled Milk: Haiku Destinies.”  The American Haiku Archives is a special collection that has been housed in the California State Library, California History Section since 1996 and contains over 2300 items including manuscript materials, books and periodicals.

Glimpses from the American Haiku Archives-
This week’s haiku, Oldest Family, is an excerpt from ‘County Seat’ by Clement Hoyt, and is included in his book titled: “Storm of Stars.” The American Haiku Archives is a special collection that has been housed in the California State Library, California History Section since 1996 and contains over 2300 items including manuscript materials, books and periodicals.

This Book of the Week item is an invitation to a Mardi Gras celebration held at Hotel Oakland in 1919. This item consists of an envelope and the invitation. The invitation has a greeting on the front titled ‘Loyal and Joyous Subjects’ in red ink and it unfolds to reveal a piece of original artwork done by California artist, Norman Edwards. If you don’t have any Mardi Gras plans, then come on by the California State Library to view items like the invitation displayed here!

The American Haiku Archives is a special collection that has been housed in the California State Library, California History Section since 1996 and contains over 2300 items including manuscript materials, books and periodicals.  This week’s haiku is by Madeleine Findlay, and is included in her book titled: “Empty Boathouse .”

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to get swept up in “Love Untamed: Romances of the Old West!” This book by JoAnn Chartier and Chris Enss documents the real-life love affairs of thirteen high profile couples from California’s rich past. Using actual letters and diaries- many from our very own California History Room- the authors piece together a collection of passionate love stories, including those of Annie Oakley and Doc Holliday. Any lover of love will want to check out these historical chronicles of devotion on the Western Frontier.

In honor of Black History month, we are featuring South of Pico as this week’s book of the week. A scholarly examination of African American artists in Los Angeles during the 1960s and 70s, this book highlights the work of several prominent artists including Charles White, David Hammons, Senga Nengudi, Maren Hassinger, and many others. Not only does the author, Kellie Jones, examine the many challenges these incredibly talented artists faced to make it in the art world but also their varied artistic responses to events such as the Watts Riots. If you love Los Angeles, art or African American history this is the book for you! 

This week’s haiku is by David Samuel Bloch, and is included in his book titled: “Moving Stillness .”   The American Haiku Archives is a special collection that has been housed in the California State Library, California History Section since 1996 and contains over 2300 items including manuscript materials, books and periodicals. 

In honor of tomorrow’s Lunar New Year, we are featuring Three Chinese Temples in California. Written by Dr. Chuimei Ho and Dr. Bennet Bronson, this approachable, highly illustrated book describes the history of three unique Chinese-American temples, the Won Lim Temple in Weaverville, the Bok Kai Temple of Marysville and the temple complex in Oroville. Providing an armchair tour of all three temples, this book not only highlights the architectural and artistic rarity of these structures but the resilience and ingenuity of the communities that built these historic treasures. Whether or not you were born in the Year of the Rat, if you have an interest in California history, Chinese American history or the Gold Rush, this is the book for you!

In honor of the upcoming holiday celebrating the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, the featured book of the week “Crossing Border Street” by Peter Jan Honigsberg takes a look back at the 1960s Civil Rights movement in the South. Highlighting the struggles that are too often forgotten in our country’s not-so-distant past, this autobiographical novel tells the story of a young northern lawyer whose idealism drove him to rural Louisiana to help defend activists for racial equality. Honigsberg’s riveting account documents the dangers, struggle, and ultimate lasting impact of those fighting for justice during one of the most pivotal eras in American history. If you’d like to know the stories of those directly involved in the movement written with personal details and nuance that can’t be found in most history books, we recommend checking out this memoir.

The American Haiku Archives is a special collection that has been housed in the California State Library, California History Section since 1996 and contains over 2300 items including manuscript materials, books and periodicals.  This week’s haiku is by John Barlow, and is included in his book titled: “Snow About to Fall.” 

The featured Book of the Week is great for anyone wanting to get some perspective on current events through the lens of history; specifically, through our collection of historic California periodicals. Gain some hindsight from the pages of the 1918 issues of The San Francisco Newsletter, when California was also grappling with the first wave of a global pandemic. While circumstances were obviously different at the time, many of the same issues- from mask-wearing opposition and contempt for restrictions, to sweeping economic insecurity. The California History Room is currently closed to patrons while we work out the details of our re-opening, but in the meantime you can access some of our digitized materials (including our issues of The San Francisco Newsletter) on the Internet Archive from home!  https://archive.org/details/sfnewsletter95unse/page/n5/mode/2up

In honor of Juneteenth, we at the State Library would like to draw your attention to a collection of documents that we particularly value, the Thomas Gilman papers. Thomas Gilman came to California as a slave during the Gold Rush. He worked as a gold miner and was able to buy his freedom in 1852. Gilman settled in Shaw’s Flat, a community in Tuolumne County and was known for his hospitality to passersby, so much so that the expansive book, Historic Spots in California, mentions his house, which has sadly ceased to exist. The State Library has recently digitized and is in the process of transcribing his papers, which include everything from his manumission papers to a receipt for the purchase of some milk. You can see the ongoing progress on our From the Page transcription site at https://fromthepage.com/castatelibrary/thomas-gilman-collection/jpgs-from-the-page?page=1