Local History

MCFL Local History Digital Archive

Explore the MCFL Digital Archive featuring over 2,000 images and documents from the local history collection. This collection highlights the history and daily life of Monterey County. 

MCFL Local History Collections

Our Californiana collection, comprised of approximately 3,000 non-circulating books related to Monterey County and California, housed at the Prunedale Branch. Search collection titles in our MCFL Online Catalog or in the Californiana Non-Fiction collection. To view the collection at Prunedale, call (831) 796-3080 for hours and how to make an appointment.

Historical photographs, pamphlets, papers and maps are available at the Library Administrative Office in Marina. Many photographs have been digitally reproduced and can be accessed online. To view materials in person, call: (831) 883-7512 or email KrajeskiJ@countyofmonterey.gov to make an appointment.

View MCFL collection guides on the Online Archive of California website.

High resolution digital copies are available for a fee: $20 per image (personal/research) or $35 per image (publication/commercial). If you wish to order a digital copy, please submit a Digital Image Request form. Please see our Local History Archive - Access, Use and Reproduction Policy for additional information. 

Expanded Resources for Local History and Genealogy

Historical Newspapers: Explore local newspapers from Monterey, Big Sur, King City, Carmel, Soledad, and more.

Digital stories and oral history interviews from around Monterey County.

Genealogy and Family History: Resources, both general and local, to assist you on your family history journey.

Digital Repositories with Monterey County Local History Collections: Explore these resources by searching for local place names, the names of individuals, and more! You'll find a wealth of collections about Monterey County available online, and many of them are free to access.

Local History Directory of Archives and Resources in the Monterey Region

Monterey Region Local History Directory of Archives and Resources
A detailed list of local repositories and their collections. Please contact Jo Krajeski (krajeskij@countyofmonterey.gov) for corrections and additions.

Local History Donations to Monterey County Free Libraries

We are happy to consider donations to our Monterey County-focused local history archive for preservation and access. We can also help direct you to other local historical archives. Per the MCFL Gift Policy, gifts to the local history collection require approval by the library archive specialist in conjunction with the Library Director. If accepted, a legal transfer, a deed of gift agreement, or other official acknowledgment from the donor is required. Please get in touch with us at (831) 883-7512 for more information. 

Additional resources funded by the California State Library

Archives Unbound topically focused digital collections of historical documents that support the research and study needs of scholars and students at the college and university level. Collections in Archives Unbound cover a broad range of topics from the Middle Ages forward-from Witchcraft to World War II to twentieth-century political history.