We are the City of Alameda Museum. If your research is for County of Alameda, please contact the Alameda County Historical Society at 484 Lake Park Ave.; Oakland, CA 94610.

Searches for Alameda Residents

Contact the Alameda Free Library at 1550 Oak Street or call the Reference Desk at (510) 747-7713 for assistance with your research. Some useful resources at the library include:

  • Alameda City Directories from 1869 to 1943
  • Alameda newspapers from 1869
  • Newspaper clippings file
  • High school yearbooks from 1899

For additional local history resources see: Local History Resources Available at the Alameda Free Library.

Alameda Museum Research

  • Museum volunteers are available for consulting at the museum (2324 Alameda Ave). To make an appointment, call +1-510-521-1233 and leave a message, or email [email protected].
  • Our on-line catalog (under construction) can be used to search for documents or objects that can be viewed on request. One or more photos, a description, and history of the objects is included. Disclaimer: images in the on-line catalog are for education and research purposes only. Users need to adhere to copyright and intellectual property laws.

Resources on Alameda Buildings

  • The Museum has books written by curator, George Gunn, documenting Victorian and post-Victorian residential and commercial buildings from 1854 to 1904 as well as Edwardian buildings from 1905 to December 31, 1909 prior to building permits.
  • The Museum has a selection of photographs in the archives that can be accessed by searching files for residences by street or family name and businesses by name.
  • For structures built after 1910, contact the City Planning Department at 2263 Santa Clara Ave., room 190, entrance on Oak Street. Phone (510) 748-4554. There is a minimal fee for property searches. Staff can assist you regarding fees for building plan searches; select partial and complete blueprints for some residential and commercial buildings after 1910 exist on microfiche. Staff can provide access but not historical information. The Planning Dept. has publications of architectural resources of the city, i.e. historical monuments, historical building list, signs, commercial districts, and properties on study lists.