Research

• H.A. Minton (PCAD) was the architect chosen to remodel the Shinn house after Lucy Shinn died in 1915. Florence was listed as the client on some of the blueprints that we found in the archives. 

• In 1910 Minton married Julia Gallegos , a local Mission San Jose woman in 1910. He went on to build Bank of Italy (later Bank of America) Buildings. At one time the San Jose Bank of Italy building was the tallest building between San Francisco and Los Angeles [needs reference]. Wikipedia

There is a bunkhouse in the back of Shinn Park that is the remaining building from the Shinn Ranch China Camp. This very modest building has lots of stories to tell about the long history of Chinese workers at the Shinn Ranch/Nursery starting in 1870 and on until the 1960s. It is the last building of the Shinn Ranch China Camp. 

After the Transcontinental Railroad was completed to Oakland in 1870, there were Chinese working in many industries (railroad, salt, sugar, nursery), working in homes (as cooks and servants), and were running businesses (merchants, contracting) in Southern Alameda County. This old bunkhouse building is an important piece of the history of our township as well as the Shinn family, because it is more than words. It is a physical reminder of the people who lived here. You can step inside and imagine the ranch work done here, talking after work, and sleeping,.

There are records of workers:

• in Lucy Shinn's letters in the 1870s. The family hired workers in the fields and house.

• in Milicent Shinn's child development studies in the 1890s and in the 1900s-1910s. Fong Gan was their cook from the 1890s to 1910s and was a favorite of young Joe Jr.

• in the ranch records, there are many references for work done and pay.

• on backs of old photos and in emails.

• American Association for State and Local History

  • Technical Leaflets

• The Inclusive Historian's Handbook

• Connecting to Collections Care (FAIC) recommended by Alameda County librarian (JC)

• San Leandro Historical Society

• Historical Marker Database and how inaccurate many are.

• The history of mission San Jose, California, 1797-1835 by Francis Florence McCarthy; with an epilogue covering the period from 1835 to 1855, by Raymund F. Wood

• From the Tehama County Genealogical & Historical Society 

• Golden Nuggett library

• Solano County

• 1868 Earthquake

• California's Pioneer Era

• Pioneer Nurserymen - E.J. Wickson

• History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions : together with a full and particular... M. W. Wood, 1883

• History of Washington Township, Alameda County, California, by the Country Club of the Washington Township

In their preface "The Country Club, under whose auspices this history is published, was the outcome of two political equity societies, one of Centreville and one of Niles. The first meeting of the Woman's Club of Washington Township, afterward re-named the Country Club, was held in December, 1897, at the home of Mrs. C. H. Allen, Centreville. At that time there were present twenty-five women from different parts of the township, who became charter members of the club then organized. At the present writing six of the seven villages in the township are represented, and there are a few members from outside districts.

"Believing that the history of this township would be valuable as a part of Alameda County and of the State, the women of the Country Club began this work early in May, 1903. Every active member contributed something to it, and the heads of the various committees compiled the material into papers, which were read at a "Golden Jubilee" meeting, held May 19th, in the Town Hall of Centreville, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the township. The past and the present, represented by the pioneers, their children and grandchildren, crowded the hall, which was tastefully decorated with great branches of golden mustard blooms, California poppies, and wild oats in luxuriant profusion.

"On either side of the platform were tables covered with valued relics and papers belonging to early days. The papers read at this meeting proved so interesting that the Club decided to preserve them in permanent form. To the old settlers some of the records may appear incorrect, and some so familiar as to seem unimportant; but the compilers believe that every fact and incident related is of interest and worth recounting, for the events of the past are rapidly fading away; and it is hoped that the reading of these pages may revive old memories and incite each pioneer now living to put in writing his early California experience, particularly that part of it which relates to this locality and its first settlement by Americans; so that not only historical facts may be gathered, but traditions also may be collected and kept for future use.

"The work is not free from errors, and claims no literary merit; the details of such an undertaking are many and difficult; but much painstaking lal)or has been given by those having the matter in charge, to guard as far as could be done against inaccuracies, and to make it not only interesting but reliable.

"If, after all our efforts, mistakes are found we trust our readers will not be harsh critics, but will consider how difficult it is to attain to perfection in anything, and how hard to get exact accounts of the happenings of even fifty years ago when so few records were kept.

"Thanks are due to many individuals throughout the township as well as to former residents, for valuable assistance. Our limited space does not allow detailed mention of names, but the Club is especially grateful to Mr. J. M. Horner, the first American settler, and to Mr. Wm. Barry, Secretary of the Pioneer Society, for important data.

"We send forth this little volume believing that it will prove interesting and of some worth to many readers. We hope that the younger generation and the newer occupants of these lands will not only be entertained, but profited, by the reading, and that the old settlers, the few remaining pioneers to whom we al owe so much, may live over the past in these pages, recalling with pleasure the days full of the stirring events which meant so much to them and their associates who, now "life's fitful fever over, sleep well."

From Cultural Landscapes 101 from the National Park Service

• Library of Congress

  • Preservation resources

• National Archives and Records Administration

  • Preservation resources

• National Parks Service

  • Museum Management Program's Conserve O Grams

• American Institute for Conservation

  • AIC Wiki, a compendia of working knowledge on materials and techniques used to preserve and treat works of art and historic artifacts.

• Northeast Document Conservation Center

  • Preservation Leaflets

• Image Permanence Institute

  • Graphics Atlas, which helps you identify the type of various prints and photographs.

• Canadian Conservation Institute

  • Agents of Deterioration: Physical forces, fire, water, light, temperature, relative humidity, pests, pollutants, dissociation, thieves, and vandals.

    • Free poster: Framework for Preserving Heritage Collections: Strategies for Avoiding or Reducing Damage

    • Light damage calculator

  • General preventive conservation guidelines for collections

  • Environmental guidelines for museums

  • Care of objects and collections

• Housekeeping guides for historic homes, museums, and your own personal collections!

  • Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts' Collection Housekeeping Guide

  • Minnesota Historical Society's Historic Housekeeping Handbook

• Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material

  • Visual glossary of conservation issues

• The Fine Arts Conservancy

  • Visual glossary for damage to paintings

• Preservation Self-Assessment Program, a free online tool that helps collection managers prioritize efforts to improve conditions of collections.

• Recommended on a survey on facebook by AASLH. 

• Managing previously un-managed collections

Parchment - Diplomas!

• Godey's Lady's Book 1842 to 1873

From talk on zoom SFPL.

Gawain Weaver talked on zoom November 2023.

• Process ID Charts

• Fixed in Time blog for ID'ing photos with a free PDF version

• Photographers ID website NYPL

• 
  

Andrew Jackson Downing and his brother, Charles Downing, are best known to some as experts of pomology and horticulture. To others A.J. Downing was known as the founder of American landscape architecture.  See the references in wikipedia for links to some of his books.  The Dover Reprint "Victorian Cottage Residences" for this book "Cottage residences, or, A series of designs for rural cottages and cottage villas, and their gardens and grounds: adapted to North America" was in a box in the basement. Was it an influence for the early MPHF branding as "Victorian Gentleman Farmer"?

1876 GEORGE PALLISER'S MODEL HOMES FOR THE PEOPLE at UCB

1878 Palliser's model homes. Showing a variety of designs for model dwellings 1878 note Pattern IX that resembles the Shinn home. And yet the Shinn House was built in 1876, so was that pattern available earlier than 1878?

1883 Palliser's Model Homes; Showing a Variety of Designs for Model Dwellings

An Affordable Housing Pattern Book for Durham, North Carolina 2007 Master's Project by Renee Autumn Rey. Chapter 1 is "A Review of the Literature: The History of Pattern Books" Of Palliser's first book, which we have not found online, she said "Nearly five thousand copies of Model Homes were sold in two years, and they were distributed in every state and province." Is Pattern IX in that book? Or was it available in another way, such as by mail.

Old Houses in Farmington - shows the John Clark house where Abraham and Milicent Clark lived.

Clark descendants

A record of the descendants of John Clark, of Farminton, Conn. The male branches brought down to 1882. The female branches one generation after the Clark name is lost in marriage Julius Gay 1882

Houses in Connecticut 

The Village of Beautiful Homes

Researching the History of a House

Architectural Review 1879-1883

Architect and Engineer 1905-

Palliser's publications

Charles C.Miller Architecture: Designs for Street Fronts, Suburban Houses, and Cottages,Including Details for both Exterior and Interior 

An Affordable Housing Pattern Book for Durham, North Carolina

Yokohama Nursery timeline - James Shinn? mentioned that they used nurseries in Kyoto and Yokohama in an advert.

Shinn's Nurseries. MOLH has an original. UC Davis may have additional version.

Why register?  "to insure that properties significant in national, state, and local history are considered in the planning of federal undertakings; and to encourage historic preservation initiatives by state and local governments and the private sector."

• SHPO's programs page for National Register of Historic Register. See Effects summary

• Their page about the program.

• Fact Sheet from SHPO

  • possible tax breaks

  • Listed properties may use the State Historic Building Code, a more flexible alternative to the Uniform Building Code. The use of this code may save owners money when repairing or rehabilitating their properties.

  • Mills Act?

  • Possible grants

  • Listed properties are recognized for their architectural or historic worth, an intangible benefit that is nonetheless valuable. Listing in the Register is primarily an honor, meaning that a property has been researched and evaluated according to established procedures and determined to be worthy of preservation. 

  • Properties listed in, or officially determined eligible for listing in the National Register are automatically listed in the California Register of Historical Resources. 

Step by Step California

Passenger Arrival Records

Chinese Research

Jeanie Low's talk at CHS

Bay Area Chinese Genealogy Group

Census

Free Census Project 

Blogs

• Shinnannigans

Charles and Julia Shinn in the Forest Service

• The Madera County Historian 1967

Milicent Shinn 

• • Celebrating 150 Years of Women at UC Berkeley

Lucy Shinn

• Obituary - Monday July 12, 1915 

The Mayhews and coming to California

• 1948 Around the Horn Oakland Tribune, Volume 149, Number 137, 14 November 1948

• 1952 Knave Oakland Tribune, Volume 156, Number 97, 6 April 1952

• 1952 Knave Oakland Tribune, Volume 156, Number 104, 13 April 1952

• Plenty of Game 1885

Note: who wrote the Knave?

Smithsonian Traveling Trunks Extra and Ordinary: Overlooked Stories of Extraordinary Women 

Exhibition Design

Telling the story of a storyteller

G. Wayne Clough - Democratization of Knowledge Through Digitization in Libraries, Museums, and Archives

• Incentives and Grants for Historic Preservation State Office of Historic Preservation

• The comprehensive publication "Preservation Resources Online" publication has been fully updated.  The best part - it is entirely FREE!  Please contact us at info@preservationdirectory.com and we will email you a free copy! (We did)

What Topics Does "Preservation Resources Online" Cover?

• Primary Online Resources for Historic Preservation

• Funding Sources (tax incentives, grants, funding programs)

• The National Register of Historic Places

• Researching the History of Your Home / Property

• Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation

• Historic Real Estate

• Building Restoration Resources

• Educational Resources & Programs

• Employment Resources

• Laws, Rules, Regulations & Legislative Resources

• Downtown & Main Street Revitalization

• Identifying Architectural Styles

• Heritage Travel Resources

• Books & Publications

• Endangered History Programs & Resources

Contact them at info@preservationdirectory.com to get PreservationResourcesOnline.pdf

• RESERVATION RESOURCES ONLINE - FREE RESOURCE HAS BEEN UPDATED (mentioned by Christina Dikas 10/27/2023)
  We are happy to announce that our comprehensive publication "Preservation Resources Online" publication (PDF) has been fully updated.  The best part - it is entirely FREE!  Please contact us at info@preservationdirectory.com and we will email you a free copy! ( need to pay for access monthly or yearly)
  
  What Topics Does "Preservation Resources Online" Cover?

• Primary Online Resources for Historic Preservation

• Funding Sources (tax incentives, grants, funding programs)

• The National Register of Historic Places

• Researching the History of Your Home / Property

• Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation

• Historic Real Estate

• Building Restoration Resources

• Educational Resources & Programs

• Employment Resources

• Laws, Rules, Regulations & Legislative Resources

• Downtown & Main Street Revitalization

• Identifying Architectural Styles

• Heritage Travel Resources

• Books & Publications

• Endangered History Programs & Resources
  
  Interested in receiving a free copy (PDF format)?  Please contact us at info@preservationdirectory.com.  

Vendors recommended by Ready or Not

• Archival Products, 

• Conservation Resources, 

• Gaylord Archival, 

• Hollinger Metal Edge, and 

• University Products. 

Rethinking Social Studies in the Elementary Classroom series

Beth Slutsky, Ph.D.

California History-Social Science Project

Department of History

U.C. Davis

Bsslutsky@ucdavis.edu

• Here is a link to the recording of the session.

• Here is a link to the main presentation, which contains embedded links to Erin’s lesson and suggested materials.

• Here is a link to a very short survey that we invite you to complete. 

• Here is a link to Kate’s Picture Book Recommendations

She forwarded me to UCB

Writing Guide for History

Conflict over Living History

• California Humanities

  • Session on September 11, 2023

  • Grant Portal, carefully review program Guidelines and FAQ. For full details, please visit website. 

SFPL has a Genealogy work group. To sign up

How to Research SF Building

• Kiosk Hardware for every budget

• Conflict over the role of “living history” — and other changes — flares at Bent’s Old Fort

• Exhibits

• Monographs Prepared for A Documentary History of Migratory Farm Labor in California, 1938

Chinese American Research Guide

• Goodness it gets complex after Mexico owned California and then California became a state.

  • "I Heartily Regret That I Ever Touched a Title in California": Henry Wager Halleck, the Californios, and the Clash of Legal Cultures Author(s): Beverly E. Bastian Source: California History , Winter, 1993/1994, Vol. 72, No. 4 (Winter, 1993/1994), pp. 310-323 Published. Available on request.

  • The Nomination to the National Register - has some helpful information

• Water Rights

  • Spring Valley Water Company
    Spring Valley Water records - Go to the index page. Won't tell you the owner, but the builder or the person who hooked up the water.  If questions, write to Brian who will send it to the speaker. FoundSF Bancroft has Spring Valley Water records (OAC). If you know the date of buiding or renovations, Carter's. Daily Pacific Builder.

• Phone books

  • Chinese phone book in SF