Open House at Breed Street Shul

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 , 5:00 p.m.

Open House at Breed Street Shul

Co- sponsored by the California Historical Society and Breed Street Shul Project, Inc.

Free Event at Breed Street Shul, 247 N. Breed Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033

Come celebrate the recently completed rehabilitation of the Breed Street Shul’s original 1915 building at this special event, which will include a reception, building tours, a dramatic reading of Josefina Lopez's play Boyle Heights by Casa0101 actors and musical entertainment by local artists.

RSVP to breedstreetshulopenhouse.eventbrite.com or 415.357.1848, ext. 229.

A Wild Flight of the Imagination Opening Celebration

Sunday, February 26, 2012,  2:30 - 4:30pm


A Wild Flight of the Imagination Opening Celebration


Free Event at the California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco

Put on your party clothes and come help us celebrate the opening of A Wild Flight of the Imagination: the Story of the Golden Gate Bridge. On this day in 1933 San Franciscans celebrated the ground breaking for the Bridge, a symbol of hope in a devastated economy. Come kick up your heels to the band, gather around the classic cars parked outside, and learn the story of the Bridge.  RSVP to wildflight.eventbrite.com  or 415.357.1848, ext. 229.

Real Rural Launch Party

Tuesday, January 31, 2012  5:00 – 7:00pm


Real Rural Launch Party

Free Event at the California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco

The Bill Lane Center for the American West and Roots of Change are proud to announce the launch of journalist and photographer Lisa Hamilton's innovative multimedia project "Real Rural" — bringing California's rural life to the state's urban public. Hamilton's portraits of people and places, along with surprising, provocative quotes from the subjects, will be featured on BART trains throughout the Bay Area beginning in late January, and on an interactive web site.  The California Historical Society will mount a related exhibition this fall of Hamilton's photographs shown in conjunction with relevant materials from the California Historical Society's vast collection.  Join us to see a preview of the project and meet Lisa Hamilton. RSVP to rsvp@calhist.org or 415.357.1848, ext. 229.

Working Landscapes, Working Waterscapes: Appropriate Uses on Public Lands

Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 6:00 p.m.

Discussion with beverages and hors d’oeuvres served.

Free Event at the California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco

The panel will reflect on the Drake's Bay story and controversy over the Oyster Farm’s continuation, but more importantly use it as a way to think about a larger question: how can we build a consensus, a movement even -- across sectors -- that could change the ways we think about and manage cultural and working landscapes within parks, natural areas, and wildernesses? Is there a fundamental shift in the ways we think about nature, people, ecology, and environmental history coming and how do we conceptualize it and solidify it to become better stewards of our public lands?  The panel will be moderated by award-winning journalist Jon Christensen, currently the Executive Director of the Bill Lane Center for the American West at Stanford University with panelists Richard Walker, author of The Country in the City: The Greening of the San Francisco Bay Area, and Kelly Cash, Environmental Consultant; along with invited representatives of the National Park Service. RSVP to rsvp@calhist.org or 415.357.1848, ext. 229.

California Historical Society Collections at the Autry National Center

Saturday, January 21, 2012, 3:00 p.m.

California Historical Society Collections at the Autry National Center

Tour and Reception

Free Event for California Historical Society members held at the Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles

California Historical Society members are invited to a special tour of the Romance Gallery at the Autry National Center of the American West. Curators will introduce you to four pieces of iconic art from the California Historical Society collections currently on view at the Autry. Meet the California Historical Society’s new Executive Director and board members in a post-tour reception. Reservations required. RSVP to rsvp@calhist.org or 415.357.1848, ext. 229. 

Story of an Oyster

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.


Oyster farming discussion


Free Event at the California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco


Ever wonder what it takes for an oyster to make it to your plate? Join us for an evening with Nancy and Kevin Lunny, owners of the Drakes Bay Oyster Company. They will share the many facets of oyster farming in Drakes Estero, including its history, culture and ecology, research and education at the farm, and the ABCs of how an oyster is grown. For the story of the oyster after it leaves the farm, Christian Caiazzo, chef and owner of Osteria Stellina in Point Reyes Station, will share his perspective as a chef and commitment to using local and organic ingredients at his restaurant.  RSVP to rsvp@calhist.org or 415.357.1848, ext. 229.

Oyster Farm exhibition extended through January 31, 2012

The California Historical Society hosts the exhibit Oyster Farm: Photographs of the Drakes Bay Oyster Company, featuring the documentary photography of artist Evvy Eisen. Discussing Oyster Farm, Evvy Eisen explains, “I set out to photograph the workers at the Drakes Bay Oyster Company because they are part of our community, though few of us have ever seen them or understand what they do. They stood before my camera, with dignity and patience. Their portraits communicate information specific to these individuals, but also illuminate essential aspects of the universal human condition.” Eisen’s photographs are accompanied by pieces of ephemera and other materials from the rich collections of the California Historical Society. 


The California Historical Society's gallery is open from 12pm to 5pm, Wednesdays through Saturdays. The gallery will be closed on December 24th and December 31st.  

Happy New Year!

Annual Duck Festival on the shores of Lake Merritt, Oakland, staged each New Year's Day.

Photographer: Unknown. 1923. Silver gelatin print. CHS2010.442.tif

Pasadena Tournament of Roses

A New Year’s tradition that many Californians look forward to each year is the Pasadena Tournament of Roses. Since 1890 the parade has drawn the attention of the state with its beautiful and often astonishing use of flowers to adorn floats whose themes range from the civic pride of local Southern California cities to the celebration of national historic figures such as the Tuskegee Airmen. 

Back on New Year’s Day in 1893, Hamlin Garland, a fresh visitor to Southern California, first witnessed the Pasadena Tournament of Roses. He recorded his observations of Southern California in a notebook which is today part of the University of Southern California Library’s collections. Garland’s account begins with an ominous tone, “The sun shone but the shadows were cold,” and continues with a recounting of the trampling of a young boy by horses participating in the Tournament’s races. Today’s Tournament of Roses can hardly be considered as rustic or dangerous as the Tournament of 1893, and instead observers can view the parade from much coveted seats along the sidelines of the parade’s route or from the safety of their homes as the parade is broadcast live on television.

Garland’s observations are represented in facsimile in one of a series of keepsakes designed and printed by San Francisco printer Lawton Kennedy, which featured various treasures found in California library collections and were given as mementos to members of the Book Club of California.  This among many other examples of Lawton Kennedy’s work can be found in the California Historical Society’s Kemble collection of printing ephemera. 

A Happy and Safe New Year’s to All! 

Jaime Michele Henderson, Project Archivist 

Palo Alto Walking Tour and Tea

Thursday, December 15, Friday, December 16, Saturday, December 17, and Sunday, December 18 from 11:30a.m – 2:30p.m. each day.

Palo Alto Walking Tour and Tea

$75 Member, $95 Non-Member

Palo Alto was founded by Timothy Hopkins as "University Park" in 1890 to serve as the village for the professors and students of the new Leland Stanford Jr. University. Taking a grain field across the railroad tracks from the new 8,000-acre campus, Hopkins laid out the village naming the streets for Western literary lights such as Emerson and Kipling. The village became the very first in California to have its own water, gas and telephone utilities, and the first little theatre company in the US. On this walk we will see the very special and compact downtown core of Palo Alto, with many wonderful styles of architecture. Ramona Street is the most architecturally-harmonious street in the Bay Area, and will take you back to the 1920's era with a "street of Spain". And, at the conclusion of our walkabout on Ramona Street, we will have full English afternoon tea at the Tea Time, to help celebrate our Holiday Season. Walk is easy and the venue flat. Walking tour is led by local historian Gary Holloway. RSVP required, please contact kjacobson@calhist.org or 415.357.1848, ext. 229.