Morley Builders Research Library
Come in or access online!
We respond to queries (several thousand a year) for information on a daily basis.
Discover Santa Monica History
Our research library of books are available to our visitors free of charge.
We also have special collections of rare books, periodicals, yearbooks and telephone directories. In our holdings are Sanborn Maps, street maps, newspapers and much more.
Access to our Research Library and Special Collections is by appointment only.
310.395.2290 | research@santamonicahistory.org | Contact Us
research library Books, Maps, Directories and More
Our research library provides historical materials and information to teachers, students, scholars, publishers, the media and many others.
- Books
- Maps
- Sound Recordings and Sheet Music
- Telephone directories
- Yearbooks
- Films and Documentaries
- And more
SHEET MUSIC
Sheet music from our archive brought to life!
The 1916 Lillian Langdon song Come Along To Santa Monica with help from mezzo-soprano, Santa Monica vocal teacher Agy Norris and pianist William Beck.
We hope you enjoy this nostalgic piece of Santa Monica history.
research request Who or what are you looking for in Santa Monica?
Do you have a personal interest in or have a project where you need historical photos or documents about Santa Monica or a person? Let us know what you’re looking for, we can help!
- People
- Homes
- Buildings
- Businesses
- And more
How to Submit a Request
Complete the form online or if you have a general history question, send us a message through Contact Us.
PHOTO REPRINTS AVAILABLE
Many of the images from our archive are available for reprint or digital download.
Library Collections
- Special Collections
- Original Architectural and street plans (including 35 plans for the Third Street Promenade and blueprints of various buildings and projects and homes in Santa Monica)
- Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce Archives
- Sanborn maps
- Santa Monica city records
- Over 60 boxes of papers associated with important families, businesses and events in Santa Monica
- 7,000 original books of all the deeds and real estate transactions in Los Angeles County from 1850 to 1910. These books were recorded on microfiche by the Genealogy Society of Utah with copies given to
- Early land tract books
- Original leases of the Santa Monica Pier Carousel
- 125 original pieces of sheet music
- Old sound recordings
- Santa Monica and California book collections of Charles Tegner (early pioneer who founded Henshey’s department store), the late David Cameron (past-president of Santa Monica Historical Society and former chair of the Santa Monica Landmarks Commission)
- The Outlook newspaper library including issues of the 1975 Centennial Edition
- Chamber of Commerce publications
- Original Santa Monica City Charter
Library – Special Collections
- Approximately 1,000 rare books and periodicals covering the early history of Santa Monica, its environs, and California, including books by Fred Basten, Jeff Stanton, Luther Ingersoll, Hubert Howe Bancroft, Les Storrs, Charles Warren, W.W. Robinson, George Hastings, and Grace Heintz
- Books on local residents such as Donald W. Douglas, Jr., the Lennon Sisters, Shirley Temple, and Lawrence Welk
- Over 200 telephone directories from Santa Monica and surrounding areas dating back to 1913
- A near complete set of Santa Monica High School yearbooks, as well as yearbooks from Santa Monica City College, John Adams and Lincoln Junior High Schools (now Middle Schools), and Venice High School
- Over 150 bound editions of the Santa Monica Outlook newspaper
- Early films and documentaries
- The Historical Resources Inventory Guide to Santa Monica dating from 1928
- Videos: Hidden History of Ocean Park, Santa Monica-The Way It Was, The Face of Lincoln, Black History Film
- Audio tapes: Moe Fogel – Santa Monica’s first City Attorney, John Farquhar – grandson of the co-founder of Santa Monica, Clo Hoover – first woman mayor of Santa Monica, Grace Godino – early actress who performed at the Miles Playhouse and Morgan Wixon Theatre with Glen Ford
