Historical Resources and Links

Links to online resources provide access to historical documents, photographs and information about Santa Barbara County, California, and beyond.

I have provided some descriptions with links to the resources I used as research for my novel, “Reckoned by the Light of Stars”, below.

The repositories, also linked and named, were the sources for what I discovered.

Library of Congress
Google Books
Creative Commons
The Public Domain Review
The Online Archive of California
HathiTrust
Elephind

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Rider’s California – 1925 – A Guide-Book for Travelers

This guide offers a wealth of information about the various towns and cities in the California of 1925, and includes topics such as Fauna and Flora of California, as well as Some Notes on California Life and Customs

Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau – 19 20

The monthly Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau included articles about topics such as Farm Bookkeeping, the status of Orchard Crops, and a local county-wide drive launched against the ground squirrel, as well as an article entitled, Farmers Favor Strict Laws to Curb Activities of the Japanese, lobbying to prohibit Japanese from renting, owning or leasing land, advising that “farmers had a similar attitude toward Chinese, Hindus, and Mexicans.”

William Nagata on his Harley David son – 1926

Many old photos of are found on the Internet Archive, showcasing the daily lives of California’s residents.

Band of Chumash – Photo Permission of Black Gold Library

Rafael Solares – Santa Ynez Chumash Man – 1878

Photo of a Chumash elder, a member of Santa Barbara County’s First People.

What to Serve at Parties – 1922

Suggestions and recipes for afternoon tea, bridal breakfasts, and other meals, with popular recipes such as Ham Mousse, Marshmallow Sauce, and Airplane Tomatoes.

California State Board of Health – March 4, 1922

The March issue of the California State Board of Health bulletin warns of a loathsome form of smallpox that was on the rise in California, though its mild form could be “controlled through widespread vaccination.”

Motion Picture Directing – 1921

A guide to modern movie-making and advice for those interested in the business of directing motion pictures.

Thirteenth Annual Report of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – Dyer Anti-Lynching Law – 1922

NAACP annual report discussing the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill which did not pass the legislature due to filibuster. The bill was not introduced again until 1935.

Mob Murder in America – 1923

Describing the history of mob violence in America and the number of lynchings that took place in 1920 (61); in 1921 (64); in 1922, “at least” 57. The publication states, “All were slain without trial where they might have faced their accusers, had witnesses, and had the evidence considered by a lawful judge and jury.”

Western Poultry Book – Chicken Business from First to Last – 1910

A comprehensive look at the business of raising and caring for chickens in California, at home and for profit.

Clendennen’s Detective Manual – How to Become a Successful Detective – 1922

According to Mr. Clendennen, while in pursuit of a criminal, one “finds his way to them by golden thread of his ingeniousness and unravels them…the most fascinating calling in which a man can engage.”

California State Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation – 1918

At the forefront of modern criminology, the California State Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation sought to streamline processes and procedures using new technology and linking with other law enforcement agencies to help prevent crime.

Livingston’s Academy Instruction Book – Designing, Pattern Drafting, Dressmaking…1922

For most Americans, clothes were made at home, not purchased in a store. These detailed instructions ensured that the home designer could create the popular “One-piece dresses, kimona foundation,” master the art of the “English Two-Dart Basque,” or “Sunburst Plaiting.”

California Place Names of Indian Origin – 191 6

Little credit was ever given to California’s First People for anything, though this tome did attempt to identify place names taken from the original residents, along with historical significance.