• Archives

    Have a question about the county’s history? The Archives are your first stop for research. The archives include a variety of materials pertaining to San Mateo County’s history, including books, photographs, fine arts, letters, manuscripts, memorabilia, newspapers, selected city and county government records, pamphlets and posters.

  • Photographs

    Explore over 300,000 photographs and negatives. Included are special collections from the San Mateo Times, Bay Meadows and local photographers.
    Photo by James Van Court. Redwood City photographer James Van Court recorded residents at work and at play from 1880-1900.

  • Books

    The Archives has 1,500 volume book collection. It ranges from local history books to telephone and city directories.

  • Newspapers

    Read the breaking news from yesteryear. The archives include complete runs of many newspapers including the San Mateo County Gazette, Burlingame Advance, Foster City Progress, San Carlos Enquirer, Redwood City Tribune and So. San Francisco Enterprise.

  • Bay Area Oral History Project

    Watch video interviews of San Mateo County residents who survived the Holocaust.

Archives

Have a question about the county’s history? The Archives are your first stop for research. The archives include a variety of materials pertaining to San Mateo County’s history, including books, photographs, fine arts, letters, manuscripts, memorabilia, newspapers, selected city and county government records, pamphlets and posters.

Reproduction

Photographic and document reproductions available for a fee.

La Peninsula

Research the county's history through past issues (1941-present) of La Peninsula, the journal of the San Mateo County Historical Association.