San Leandro History Collection

Step into San Leandro's cherry-paneled History Room, modeled after the 1909 Carnegie-built library, and explore the treasures and stories of our past. This special collection contains more than 7,000 books on San Leandro and California history.  There are over 2,500 historic photographs of San Leandro as well as maps, pamphlets, newspaper clippings and City of San Leandro documents. Copies of the photographs in the Historical Photograph and Document Collection may be checked out but all other History Room materials are for in-library use only.

• Explore Polk's Directories from the 1920s through the 1960s in which you can look up a San Leandro street and find the names and occupations of former residents who lived at each address.
   
• Find historic maps that show the San Leandro of yesteryear.
   
• Take a walk down memory lane through old Marina High and San Leandro High School yearbooks.
   
• Visualize riding street cars down East 14th Street while leafing through the Key System Album.
   
• Discover the history of the Cherry Festival, with the queens, scandals and triumphs of the past.
   
• Read about the Estudillo and Peralta families, whose ranchos San Leandro and San Antonio spread across most of the East Bay.
   

• The San Leandro Historical Photograph and Document Collection includes many fascinating photos of street scenes, farms, festivals, people, buildings and businesses.  One photo shows the stately looking Alameda County Courthouse before the 1868 earthquake, while another reveals its remnants after the quake.  The 8" x 10" black and white prints can be viewed in the San Leandro History Room or digital versions of the photos can be seen by clicking here.