About the Solano County Archives

 

The Archives houses historical county records dating back to the establishment of Solano County government when California became a state in 1850.

In the early 1980s when the County no longer had adequate space to store and care for its historical records - and later when the Old Courthouse was renovated - many records were gifted or lent to other entities until the time that a proper facility could house them.

In 1987, the newly created Solano County Historical Records Commission became stewards of the historical collection. Ultimately the scattered records were reassembled in an old furniture warehouse. They were organized, and made available to the public by a dedicated core of volunteers.  Rose Cunningham, who had spearheaded the citizen effort to save Solano County’s documentary heritage, was officially appointed by the Board of Supervisors as the unpaid Historical Records Project Manager.

Years later the collection was moved to a less drafty warehouse, but stored in the midst of county surplus and parked county vans. A warehouse flood in June 2007 highlighted the Historical Records Commission’s long-standing recommendation to move the collection to a more appropriate setting.

In July of 2008, at the direction of the Board of Supervisors, the collection was moved to the present clean, secure, and temperature-controlled facility. Volunteers spent over 2500 hours planning the new facility, reorganizing and cleaning the collection, as well as overseeing the move.

The Archives is still managed by volunteers with nominal county funding. Ongoing efforts include the conservation of mid-20th century aerial photos, the processing of Superior Court Case files and the creation of finding aids. The continuing mission of the volunteer staff is to preserve and make publicly accessible Solano County’s rich documentary heritage.