Unlike a library, an archive contains mostly unique, one of a kind materials which require special handling and storage environments. A research visit to an archives, therefore, is different than a visit to a library. Research at the Kelley House Museum is a team effort between the researcher and the archivist. The staff at the Kelley House is happy to assist you with your research projects, whether you are delving into family history, researching house and property or looking for photographic images.
Research Appointments: To make the most of your time and money, appointments are recommended. Call us at 707-937-5791 or email us to make an appointment.
The Kelley House Archives represents over 150 years of Mendocino coastal history with one of the most comprehensive collections for researching and understanding its past and its present. Teaming up with PastPerfect Software, we are now able to provide access to approximately 3000 entries of maps, documents, books, photographs, oral histories and artifacts that make up our collection. This is the first phase of a long-term project enabling visitors to search and explore our collection on-line.
You can now view over 1500 images of people, towns, schools, ships, and logging as well as photographs of the many artifacts the Kelley House has collected over time. Research family history, find out more about the historic houses in the town of Mendocino and learn the many fascinating stories of the people who created our unique Mendocino history. Through our on-line catalog, the connections between people, places and events finally come alive.
Searching: The on-line catalog has several ways to search for information from a simple search using keywords or browsing random images to a more involved search using search strings. A few minutes spent trying some of these options would be useful in finding your best strategy.
Printing: You can print out many of your searches and images. Please note that on-line images are not high resolution and are for discovery and reference purposes only. Images of appropriate quality are available in various formats, both electronic and print.
While the museum has been collecting since 1973, at present, only a quarter of the collection is available through our database. We plan to add extensively to the number of items available for on-line reference and research to the extent of our resources. Please contact the Kelley House Museum if you are unable to find what you are looking for. This catalog also acknowledges the many donors who have enhanced the collections with their generous donations.
