California and Local History Resources
Calisphere (https://calisphere.org) is an entryway into California’s digital collections. It provides free access to unique and historically important artifacts for research, teaching, and curious exploration. Discover over one million photographs, documents, letters, artwork, diaries, oral histories, films, advertisements, musical recordings, and more. For La Cañada-specific images, go to https://calisphere.org/search/?q=la+canada+flintridge
California Digital Newspaper Collection (https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc) contains over 1,500,000 pages of historical California newspapers published between 1846-present.
California Revealed (https://californiarevealed.org) is a California State Library initiative to help California’s public libraries, in partnership with other local heritage groups (museums, research libraries and archives) to digitize, preserve, and provide online access to archival materials, including books, newspapers, photographs, audiovisual recordings, and more.
California State Library--California History Room (https://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/digitized-resources/) is a way to tap into the California State Library’s rich resources without going to Sacramento. Materials include online exhibits using primary sources, digitized books and magazines, and digitized images.
Lanterman Oral Histories (https://californiarevealed.org/collections/lanterman-house-history-center-and-archives): The Lanterman House is in the process of digitizing and making available all of its local oral histories. There are currently 41 interviews available for viewing. Speakers and topics include:
-Bob Covey, Nancy Thurston, and Peter Breckheimer talk about the history of JPL from its beginnings to the NASA era.
-Bob Neilson and Claire Slaughter describe the process of building a La Cañada city float for the Rose Parade.
-Melissa Patton and Tim Gregory discuss the development of the Lanterman House as a museum and archives.
-Patty Compeau and Mary Lou Langedyke reminisce about teaching in La Cañada Schools.
-Joy Wilson talks about the La Cañada Historical Society and saving the city’s history.
-Adam Kline remembers Lloyd Lanterman.
-La Cañada Flintridge Horse Owners discuss riding and keeping horses in La Cañada as well as the development of horse trails over the past 150 years.
-George Klump discusses his pioneer family, the Greens, who came to La Cañada in the 1880s, as well as his own life growing up in the Crescenta-Cañada area.
LA as Subject (https://laassubject.org) is a research alliance dedicated to preserving and improving access to the archival material of Los Angeles history. Over 230 libraries, archives, museum, and other cultural institutions are represented, including the Lanterman House. Each organization describes their collections, links to their websites, and many offer small digital exhibitions. The Lanterman House and its slideshow are available here: https://laassubject.org/directory/profile/lanterman-house
Mapping the Tongva Villages of L.A.’s Past (courtesy of LA Times) https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-tongva-map/
Online Archive of California (https://oac.cdlib.org) provides free public access to detailed descriptions of primary source collections housed in California institutions, including libraries, special collections, archives, historical societies, and museums. The Lanterman House is a member of the OAC, and is working to add more finding aids.
Pasadena Digital History Collaboration (https://pasadenadigitalhistory.com) is a partnership between Pasadena City College Shatford Library, Pasadena Museum of History, Pasadena Public Library, and other community organizations. This digital resource provides access to over 53,000 digital objects that consist of family histories, institutional collections, and subject-based curated collections.