The California Historical Society is dissolving due to long-standing financial issues worsened by COVID-19, transferring over 600,000 items of its extensive collection to Stanford University. Established in 1871 and recognized as California's official historical society since 1979, it has struggled without regular state funding. The board chair, Tony Gonzalez, described the situation as bittersweet but believes this transition will preserve the collection, which includes significant artifacts from California's history, ensuring their accessibility to the public and recognizing the importance of maintaining such historical assets.
The California Historical Society, facing longstanding financial challenges exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, has decided to dissolve and transfer its collections to Stanford University.
Tony Gonzalez said the decision to dissolve the organization was bittersweet, but emphasized that the agreement with Stanford secured the society's collections would remain intact and accessible.
We think of it as a rebirth, Gonzalez said. Stanford will not be a state historical society, but the collection will be in better hands with them.
The historical society owns one of the largest troves of printed material from the American West, ensuring its historical significance endures through Stanford.
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