The local and general history books from California are a treasure trove for genealogists exploring ancestors in the West. These publications often include biographies of Gold Rush pioneers, landowners, and community leaders, along with details about immigration, agriculture, and urban growth. County histories may feature early maps, property records, and school or church rosters. Books covering California's diverse regions—like the missions of Southern California or the mining camps of the Sierra Nevada—provide cultural and historical context for family lines. Whether your ancestors arrived in the 1850s or the mid-20th century, these works help trace personal stories amid waves of migration, innovation, and social change.
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Histories, Memories & Biographies
Local and General History
- History of Orange County, California 1,696 records
- History of Kern County, California 1,590 records
- History of Stanislaus County, California 1,562 records
- History of Fresno County, California, Volume 2 1,404 records
- Historical And Biographical Record of Southern California 1,338 records
- History of Fresno County, California 1,312 records
- History of Alameda County, California (1883) 1,192 records
- History of Sonoma County, California 1,166 records
- History of Colusa And Glenn Counties, California 1,114 records
- History of California, Volume 1 1,094 records
- History of Sacramento County, California 1,087 records
- History of Mendocino And Lake Counties, California 1,080 records
- Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California (1889) 984 records
- Illustrated History of Southern California (1890) 982 records
- History of Yolo County, California 926 records
- Memorial And Biographical History of Northern California (1891) 924 records
- History of Tulare And Kings Counties, California 922 records
- Volume of Memoirs And Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern California, Including Biographies of Many of Those Who Have Passed Away (1901) 898 records
- Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California (1890) 878 records
- History of Contra Costa County, California 852 records
- History of California, 1542 - 1800, Volume 1 848 records
- History of Pomona Valley, California 844 records
- Pen Pictures From the Garden of the World, or, Santa Clara County, California (1888) 838 records
- Los Angeles From the Mountains To the Sea, Volume 3 790 records
- History of San Diego, 1542-1907, Volume 1 (1908) 764 records
- History of the State of California And Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California 748 records
- Los Angeles From the Mountains To the Sea, Volume 2 742 records
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