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| CGS Members at the UC Bancroft Library on July 11, 2018 |
A special thank you to Lorna Wallace, who planned the recent CGS
field trip to the Bancroft Library on the UC Berkeley campus. This wonderful repository is one of the largest and most heavily
used libraries of manuscripts, rare books, and unique materials in the country.
It is not primarily a genealogy library but has much to offer the serious
researcher. It focuses on telling the history of California, the West, and
Latin America from a broad perspective. The library’s collection includes the
original Spanish land grants for the state, including the Luis Maria Peralta
land grant that included Oakland.
Two archivists hosted a group of about 25 CGS members. They
displayed historical materials for us to explore in two separate rooms. They
gave our group a good introduction and history of the Bancroft collection and
explained the process of finding and gaining access to research material.
Lorna had wisely encouraged participants to sign up for a free
AEON membership and browse the library website prior to our tour. CGS
board member Chris Pattillo followed her advice and found a copy of the Hicks
Adams Bass Pattillo Family History. It included online access to the book.
“I also found Samuel Murray Stover Enroute To California, written in
1849 by my 2nd grand uncle as he traveled from East Tennessee to California. It
was published in 1939 by Samuel’s grandson H.M. Folsom,” Pattillo said. “Even
though I had seen a reproduction of the journal before, it was fun to see it in
its original format.”
Visitors also enjoyed browsing some of the
Bancroft’s permanent exhibits, including taking selfies with the life-size cutouts
of women who played a significant role in California’s history. If you live near
Berkeley, take advantage of this world-class archive. If you’re farther afield,
the Bancroft is well worth planning a trip.
Information provided by Chris Pattillo and Lorna Wallace. Photos by Chris Pattillo and Vicki Contente.
Copyright © 2018 by California Genealogical Society
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