Historic Resources
Historic Preservation Resources
The below resources provide historical preservation insight and inspiration at the local, regional, state and national levels.
City of Palo Alto
- PAST - Palo Alto Stanford Heritage is a nonprofit organization supporting the preservation of the historic architecture, neighborhoods, and character of the greater Palo Alto-Stanford area through informed citizen involvement and education.
- PAHA - The Palo Alto Historical Association's mission is to collect, preserve and make available to the public information about the history of Palo Alto.
- MOAH - The Museum of American Heritage is the Bay Area's only museum exclusively dedicated to the history of technological innovation from 1750 to 1950. Originally opened in 1990, MOAH relocated to the historic Williams House in downtown Palo Alto in 1997.
- Palo Alto History - Palo Alto History is dedicated to the stories and photographs of Palo Alto's past. Take a look back at the history of the El Palo Alto Tree, relive the political rumble that was the 1967 Palo Alto City Council recall elections, celebrate the history and renovation of Stanford Theatre and much more.
- The Stanford Theater Foundation - The Stanford Theatre Foundation is dedicated to bringing back the authentic movie-going experience of Hollywood's Golden Age. A mighty Wurlitzer theater organ can still be heard during intermissions.
- Local Architects and Builders
- Historic Photos
- Historic Newspapers - The Palo Alto City Library Digital Collection has several searchable, historic newspaper archives and the Stanford Daily has also been archived.
- Dona Juana Briones de Miranda - Learn more about the life of this significant figure in California's past.
- Palo Alto City Library Local History Resources
- PAHM - The Palo Alto History Museum is a private nonprofit organization that is developing the first history museum for the Palo Alto and Stanford community.
- SHS - The Stanford Historical Society was founded in 1976 to encourage the study and understanding of Stanford University's history and the ideals of the University's founders.
- A History of Stanford
Santa Clara County
- Santa Clara County Heritage Resource Inventory Update (March 31, 2003) - Includes a historical overview of the area and information on early inhabitants, the rancho period, and the early American period to the present.
- Mills Act - Learn more about the Mills Act in Santa Clara County
- Santa Clara County: California's Historic Silicon Valley- A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary
- Santa Clara County Heritage Resource Inventory
- Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area
- The Campbell Historical Museum and Ainsley House
- NASA Ames Research Center Historic Preservation Office
- Preservation Action Council of San Jose
- Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum
- Mountain View Historical Association
- NUMU - New Museum Los Gatos brings art, innovation, history and Bay Area stories to the wide audience of Silicon Valley
- Los Altos History Museum
- Gilroy Museum
- Winchester Mystery House Documentary - KPIX-TV documentary film from 1963, about the life and legend of heiress Sarah L. Winchester, who financed and built what came to be known as the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, between 1884-1922
- Computer History Museum
Bay Area
- People in Glass Houses: The Legacy of Joseph Eichler - Documentary that explores the history of Joseph Eichler and his Mid-Century Modern homes throughout the Bay Area.
- San Mateo County History Museum and Historical Association - The SMCHM is housed in the historic 1910 County Courthouse and explores local history through a variety of mediums.
- Filoli - Country house set in 16 acres of formal garden that is a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
- San Francisco Heritage - San Francisco Heritage's mission is to preserve and enhance San Francisco's unique architectural and cultural identity. The organization also puts on several preservation events throughout the year.
- San Francisco Museum and Historical Society
State of California
- OHP - The mission of the Office of Historic Preservation and the State Historical Resources Commission (SHRC) is to provide leadership and promote the preservation of California's irreplaceable and diverse cultural heritage.
- CPF - The California Preservation Foundation provides statewide leadership, advocacy and education to ensure the protection of California's diverse cultural heritage and historic places.
- CEQA Basics – Learn the ground rules for environmental planning and preservation with this overview of California’s Environmental Quality Act.
- State Historic Building Code – Discover the dos and don’ts of historic preservation state-wide.
- Listed California Historical Resources – Explore California’s greatest historic treasures. You may be surprised to find that many of them lie right here in Palo Alto and the Bay Area.
- CHS - The California Historical Society, founded in 1871, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire and empower people to make California's richly diverse past a meaningful part of their contemporary lives.
- Eichler Network - Since 1993, the Eichler Network has been dedicated to supporting the lifestyle of the thousands of homeowners in Northern and Southern California who own and enjoy an "Eichler" home.
- ADSC - The Art Deco Society of California's aims to increase public awareness of this unique period's art, architecture, music, design and other forms of popular culture.
National
- NTHP - The National Trust for Historic Preservation protects and celebrates America's diverse history.
- The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic Buildings (2017)
- National Park Service: Historic Preservation
- Federal Tax Incentives for Preserving Historic Properties
- ACHP - The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is an independent Federal agency that promotes the preservation, enhancement and sustainable use of our nation's diverse historic resources and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy.
- Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation
- NHPA - The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 is legislation intended to preserve historical and archaeological sites in the United States of America.
- APT - The Association for Preservation Technology International is a cross-disciplinary, membership organization dedicated to promoting the best technology for conserving historic structures and their settings.
- NCPTT- The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training advances the application of science and technology to historic preservation. Working in the fields of archaeology, architecture, landscape architecture and materials conservation, the Center accomplishes its mission through training, education, research, technology transfers and partnerships.
- HPEF - The Historic Preservation Education Foundation supports preservation education through projects and partnerships.