Katherine Rinehart discusses The Sonoma County Archives: One of the Most Important and Endangered Repositories of Local History

The Sonoma County Archives: One of the Most Important and Endangered Repositories of Local History

Join consulting historian Katherine J. Rinehart as she discusses the Sonoma County Archives, how it came to be and what its current state is, having narrowly escaped destruction by fire twice within the last three years.

The Archives is under the control of the Sonoma County Library and contains over 5,000 cubic feet of materials consisting of photographs, oversized maps and drawings, bound volumes, boxes, and other items encompassing governmental records of the County of Sonoma, including those specific to Sonoma Valley’s history, the City of Santa Rosa, and the City of Petaluma. The Archives is also home to several local collections donated to the Library by private individuals and organizations.

Within the last three years, two fires have come within several hundreds of feet of the Archives. Efforts are underway to save them.

Katherine is the Sonoma County Heritage Network chair, co-chair of the Advocates for the Sonoma County Archives, and former Sonoma County History and Genealogy Library manager.