California: Bibliography and Sources

California Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

John H. Long, Editor; Peggy Tuck Sinko, Historical Compiler; Laura Rico-Beck, GIS Specialist and Digital Compiler; Peter Siczewicz, ArcIMS Interactive Map Designer; Emily Kelley, Research Associate; Robert Will, Cartographic Assistant

Copyright The Newberry Library 2003


Armor, Samuel. History of Orange County, California, with Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified with Its Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present. Los Angeles: Historic Record Company, 1921.

Bancroft, Hubert Howe. History of California. 7 vols. Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, vols. 18–24. San Francisco, 1884–1890.

Beck, Warren A., and Ynez D. Haase. Historical Atlas of California. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1974. Contains good maps of Mexican land grants.

Beers, Henry Putney. Spanish and Mexican Records of the American Southwest: A Bibliographical Guide to Archive and Manuscript Sources. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1979.

Brown, Alan K. Place Names of San Mateo County. San Mateo: San Mateo County Historical Association, 1975.

[California] Official California Legislative Information, 23 September 2002, http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/statute.html. California statutes are available online beginning with the 1993 legislative session.

California. Statutes of California. San Jose [et al.], 1850–1993. Title varies. The session laws of the state of California. Session laws beginning in 1993 are available online at Official California Legislative Information Web site. Cited as Calif. Stats.

California Supreme Court. Reports of Cases Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of California. 1852–. Cited as Cal. Rpts.

Chambers, W. L., and Harry L. Wells. History of Butte County, California. 2 vols. 1882. Reprint in one volume, Berkeley: Howell-North Books, 1973.

Chappell, Maxine. "Early History of Mono County." California Historical Society Quarterly 26 (1947): 233–248.

Cowan, Robert Ernest, and Robert Granniss Cowan. Bibliography of the History of California, 1510–1930. 4 vols. in 1. Los Angeles: n.p., 1964.

Cox, Isaac. Annals of Trinity County, Containing a History of the Discovery, Settlement and Progress, Together with a Description of the Resources and Present Condition of Trinity County. As Also Sketches of Important Events that Have Transpired Therein from Its Settlement to the Present Time. Finally, Short Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Citizens. 1858. Reprinted with additional material, Eugene, Ore.: John Henry Nash, 1940.

Coy, Owen C. California County Boundaries: A Study of the Division of the State into Counties and the Subsequent Changes in Their Boundaries. 1923. Reprint with addendum, Fresno: Valley Publishers, 1973.

Deering's California Codes: Government Code Annotated of the State of California, Adopted April 13, 1943 with Amendments through Chapter 28 of the 1993 Session of the 1993–1994 Legislature, § 21450–§ 25349. San Francisco: Bancroft-Whitney Law Publishers, 1993.

Donley, Michael W., et al. Atlas of California. Culver City, Cal.: Pacific Book Center, 1979.

Dubester, Henry J. State Censuses: An Annotated Bibliography of Censuses of Population Taken after the Year 1790 by States and Territories of the United States. 1948. Reprint, New York: Burt Franklin, 1969. The standard guide for its subject.

Durrenberger, Robert W. Patterns on the Land: Geographical, Historical and Political Maps of California. Palo Alto, Cal.: National Press Books, 1965.

Eddy, William M., comp. Approved and Declared to Be the Official Map of the State of California by an Act of the Legislature Passed March 25th, 1853. New York: J. H. Colton, 1854.

Farr, Finis C., ed. History of Imperial County, California. Berkeley: Elms and Frank, 1918.

Filby, P. William, comp. American and British Genealogy and Heraldry: A Selected List of Books. 3d ed. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1983.

Filby, P. William, comp. American and British Genealogy and Heraldry: 1982–1985 Supplement. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1987.

Filby, P. William, comp. Bibliography of American County Histories. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1985.

Goddard, George H. Britton and Rey's Map of the State of California. Compiled from the U.S. Land and Coast Surveys, the Several Military, Scientific and Rail Road Explorations, the State and County Boundary Surveys Made Under the Order of the Surveyor General of California and from Private Surveys. San Francisco, 1857.

[Green, Will S.] Colusa County, California. Illustrations Descriptive of Its Scenery, Fine Residences, Public Buildings, Manufactories, Hotels, Farm Scenes, Business Houses, Schools, Churches, Mines, Mills, Etc. with Historical Sketch of the County. 1880. Reprinted with supplement as History of Colusa County, California, and General History of the State. Sacramento: Sacramento Lithograph Co., 1950.

Gudde, Erwin G. California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names. 4th ed. Revised and enlarged by William Bright. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998.

Guinn, J. M. "How California Escaped State Division." Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California 6 (1905):223–232.

Heckrotte, Warren, ed. California 49: Forty-Nine Maps of California from the Sixteenth Century to the Present. California Map Society, Occasional Paper No. 6.  San Francisco: California Map Society, 1999.

History of Mendocino County, California, Comprising Its Geography, Geology, Topography, Climatography, Springs and Timber. Also Extended Sketches of Its Mills and Mining, Mines and Mining Interests. San Francisco, 1880.

History of Placer County, California, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Oakland, Cal., 1882.

History of San Bernardino County, California, with Illustrations Descriptive of Its Scenery, Farms, Residences, Public Buildings, Factories, Hotels, Business Houses, Schools, Churches, Etc. 1883. Reprinted with additional material, Riverside, Cal.: Riverside Museum Press, 1965.

History of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, California, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. 1883. Reprinted with introduction by Walker A. Tompkins, Berkeley: Howell-North Books, 1961.

History of Solano County. Comprising an Account of Its Geographical Position; the Origin of Its Name; Topography, Geology and Springs; Its Organization; Township System; Early Settlement, with Descriptions of Scenes as Viewed by the Pioneers, the First American Argonauts of California; the Bear Flag; the Discovery of Gold; the Progress of Population and Agriculture; the Mexican Grants; the Principal Murders; Incidents of Settlement, Elections, and Table of County Officials, and Histories of Its Cities, Towns, Villages, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc. As, Also, a Full and Particular Biography of Its Early Settlers and Principal Inhabitants. San Francisco, 1879.

History of Sutter County, California, with Illustrations Descriptive of Its Scenery, Residences, Public Buildings, Fine Blocks and Manufactories. From Original Sketches by Artists of the Highest Ability.1879. Reprinted with introduction by Earl Ramey, Berkeley: Howell-North Books, 1974.

Illustrated History of San Mateo County, California. 1878. Reprinted with an introduction by Gilbert Richards, Woodside, Cal.: Gilbert Richards Publications, 1974.

Kane, Joseph Nathan. American Counties: Origins of Names, Dates of Creation and Organization, Area, Population, Historical Data, and Published Sources. 3d ed. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1972.

Kasch, Charles. "Klamath County, California." California Historical Society Quarterly 34 (1955): 265–273.

Koch, Margaret. Santa Cruz County: Parade of the Past. Fresno: Valley Publishers, 1973.

Lainhart, Ann S. State Census Records. [Baltimore]: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992.

MacDonald, Grace E., comp. Check-List of Session Laws. New York: H. W. Wilson Co., 1936. Complemented by Pollack (below), this guide lists all state session laws through 1935.

MacDonald, Grace E., comp. Check-List of Statutes of States of the United States of America, Including Revisions, Compilations, Digests, Codes and Indexes. Providence: Oxford Press, 1937. The most complete guide to state codes through 1937.

Map of Marin County, California: Compiled by H. Austin, County Surveyor, from Official Surveys and Records. San Francisco, 1873.

Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare, and Kern, California. Illustrated. Containing a History of This Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of Its Occupancy to the Present Time, Together with Glimpses of Its Prospective Future: With Profuse Illustrations of Its Beautiful Scenery, Full-Page Portraits of Some of Its Most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of Many of Its Pioneers, and Also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., [1892?].

Outcalt, John. History of Merced County, California, with a Biographical Review of the Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified with Its Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present. Los Angeles: Historic Record Company, 1925.

Parry, Clive, ed. Consolidated Treaty Series. 231 volumes. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications, 1969–1981.

Paullin, Charles O. Atlas of the Historical Geography of the United States. Edited by John K. Wright. Washington, D.C., and New York: Carnegie Institution of Washington and American Geographical Society of New York, 1932. Excellent section on international and interstate boundary disputes.

Political Code of the State of California [1872]. Annotated by Creed Haymond and John C. Burch. 2 vols. San Francisco, 1874.

Pollack, Ervin H., comp. Supplement with Bibliographical Notes, Emendations, and Additions to the Check List of Session Laws, Complied by Grace E. MacDonald. Preliminary ed. Boston: National Association of State Libraries, 1941. Fills gap in MacDonald’s 1936 compilation (above) to produce the most complete list of state session laws through 1935.

Purcell, Mae Fisher. History of Contra Costa County. Berkeley: Gillick Press, 1940.

Rabenhorst, Thomas D., and Carville V. Earle, eds. Historical U.S. County Outline Map Collection, 1840–1980. Baltimore: Department of Geography, University of Maryland (Baltimore County), 1984. A portfolio of redrawn federal maps; no supporting text or documentation.

Rocq, Margaret Miller, ed. California Local History: A Bibliography and Union List of Library Holdings. 2d ed. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1970.

Rocq, Margaret Miller, ed. California Local History: A Bibliography and Union List of Library Holdings. Supplement to the Second Edition Covering Works Published 1961 Through 1970. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1976.

Rogers, Justus H. Colusa County: It's History Traced from a State of Nature through the Early Period of Settlement and Development, to the Present Day. Orland, Cal., 1891.

Rolle, Andrew F. California: A History. 2d ed. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1969.

Royce, Charles C., comp. Indian Land Cessions in the United States.” Part 2 of Eighteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, 1896–1897. Washington, D.C., 1899. The standard authority in its field; state maps detail all Indian land-cession treaties with the federal government.

Sealock, Richard B., Margaret M. Sealock, and Margaret S. Powell. Bibliography of Place-Name Literature: United States and Canada. 3d ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 1982.

Sinko, Peggy Tuck. Guide to Local and Family History at the Newberry Library. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing, 1987.

Sinnott, James J. History of Sierra County. Vols. 1–2, 5–6. Fresno: Mid-Cal Publishers, 1977–1983. Vols. 3–4, Pioneer, Cal.: California Traveler, Inc., 1975–1976.

Sprague, C. P., and H. W. Atwell, comps. Western Shore Gazetteer and Commercial Directory, for the State of California . . . Yolo County. San Francisco, [1870].

Stanger, Frank M. South from San Francisco: San Mateo County, California, Its History and Heritage. San Mateo: San Mateo County Historical Association, 1963.

Stephenson, Richard W., comp. Land Ownership Maps: A Checklist of Nineteenth Century United States County Maps in the Library of Congress. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1967. Most of the maps listed here have been reproduced on microfiche by the Library of Congress.

Storke, Yda Addis. Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California. Illustrated. Containing a History of This Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of Its Occupancy to the Present Time, Together with Glimpses of Its Prospective Future; With Profuse Illustrations of Its Beautiful Scenery, Full-Page Steel Portraits of Its Most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of Many of Its Pioneers and Also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. Chicago, 1891.

Swindler, William F., ed. Sources and Documents of United States Constitutions. 10 vols. Dobbs Ferry, N. Y.: Oceana Publications, 1973–1979. The most complete and up-to-date compilation for the states.

Thorndale, William, and William Dollarhide. Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790–1920. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1987. An atlas of well-designed county outline maps for each state, accompanied by a bibliography and an explanation of methodology.

Tinkham, George H. History of San Joaquin County, California, with Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified with Its Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present. Los Angeles: Historic Record Company, 1923.

Topographical Railroad and County Map of the States of California and Nevada. Compiled from the Latest Explorations and Other Official Information by L. Nell, N.Y. New York: A. C. Frey and Co., 1868.

U.S. Census Bureau. “Significant Changes to Counties and County Equivalent Entities: 1970–Present.” http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/ctychng.html.

United States. Statutes at Large of the United States of America, 1789–1873. 17 vols. Boston: Little, Brown, 1845–1874. Cited as U.S. Stat.

United States Geological Survey. State of California, Base Map, Scale 1:1,000,000. Washington, D.C., U.S.G.S., 1970. Map includes public land survey lines and the boundaries of the Mexican land grants.

United States Supreme Court. United States Reports: Cases Adjudged in the Supreme Court. Vol. 91–, 1875–. Reports of cases heard before the Supreme Court of the United States. Cited as U.S. Rpts.

Uzes, Francois D. Chaining the Land: A History of Surveying in California. Sacramento: Landmark Enterprises, 1977.

Van Zandt, Franklin K. Boundaries of the United States and the Several States. Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1976. The standard compilation for its subject.

Wheat, Carl I. Maps of the California Gold Region, 1848–1857; A Biblio-Cartography of an Important Decade. San Francisco: Grabhorn Press, 1942.