Preserving original and trustworthy records is crucial to the functioning of a civil society. With this in mind, the City of San Diego launched its Archives Program in 1987, establishing the Archives Center to serve as a central source of information and materials regarding the history and development of the City of San Diego.
Among the primary functions of the Archives Center is the identification, preservation and storage of records with permanent reference value that capture the City's history. These records do not simply provide a chronology of events, but rather, they provide a window into the City's past: the culture, values, challenges and issues that helped to shape the City of San Diego we know today.
In Fiscal Year 2014, the Mayor and City Council renewed their commitment to transparency and access by funding the City Clerk Archives Access and Preservation Project. This support is largely responsible for the preservation efforts and the easy digital access of many of the City's Pioneer Statehood records - maps and books dating to the 1850's. These fascinating and educational records join the existing collections housed in the City's Archives Center which include records dating from approximately 1835 to 1960.
