Learn
More About California History --
Visit a State Historic Park Near You!
Historic
park
(alphabetical)
Click
links to visit for more information and travel directions
County
Anderson Marsh
Lake
Archeological site with history of Pomo Indians
Antelope Valley Indian Museum
Los Angeles
Closed indefinitely
Bale Grist Mill
Napa
Water-powered grist mill built in 1846; center of early Napa life
Benicia Capitol
Solano
Seat of California government from 1853-54; before Sacramento
Bidwell Mansion
Butte
Three-story, 26-room Victorial mansion build by early settlers from the East
Bodie
Mono
Gold mining ghost town founded in 1877
California Citrus
Riverside
Artifacts of early citus industry will regular live music concerts
Chumash Painted Cave
Santa Barbara
Pre-Spanish Chumash religious drawings
Colonel Allensworth
Tulare
100-year-old settlement first founded by African-Americans
Columbia
Tuolumne
Reconstructed Town of the 1850s gold mining era
Coswell Ranch/John Marsh
Contra Costa
Not official named or opened yet
El Presidio de Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
4th and last Spanish presidio, founded in 1782
Empire Mine
Nevada
Gold mine in the Sierra foothills
Folsom Powerhouse
Sacramento
Powerhouse built in 1895 with turbines turned by American River
Fort Humboldt
Humboldt
Military outpost built in 1853 to keep the peace between settlers and Native Americans
Fort Ross
Sonoma
Reconstruction of Russian outpost in California built in 1812
Fort Tejon
Kern
Astride the main route from Southern Calif. into the Central Valley, it was built to protect settlers in 1854
Governor's Mansion
Sacramento
Built in 1877, the state purchased this fine Victorian in 1903 to house its governors
Indian Grinding Rock
Amador
The largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America
Jack London
Sonoma
Home where Jack London lived and wrote from 1905 until his death
La Purisima Mission
Santa Barbara
11th of California's 23 Franciscan mission built in 1787 and restored in 1933
Leland Stanford Mansion
Sacramento
Built in 1857 and purchased by Gov. Leland Stanford in 1862, now a museum of early California
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
32 Acre open space dedicated to recreation and education of early Los Angeles
Los Encinos
Los Angeles
Historic buildings from the ranching days in the San Fernando Valley
Maiakoff Diggins
Nevada
California's largest hydraulic mine where whole cliffs were washed away in search of gold
San Francisco
Conference Center build to fund the preservation of historic buildings on Tomales Bay
El Dorado
The place where it all started on the South Fork of the American River in 1848
Monterey
Ten historic buildings and custom house in the capital of California under three flags
Sacramento
Restored gold rush buildings now operating as shops and restaurants on the waterfront
San Diego
Historic buildings from the Mexican and American periods in the heart of San Diego
Marin
Miwoc Indian village dating from 6,000 B.C. overlooking San Pablo Bay
Sonoma
Home of Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo and center of a large ranching and farming operation
San Mateo
Built in 1872, this is one of the tallest lighthouses in North America
Los Angeles
Home of Gov. Pio Pico built in 1853 including gardens and restored house
Monterey
Lightstation sits high above rugged Big Sur coast, first lit in 1889
Tuolumne
In the heart of the Gold Country, with working steam railroad and roundhouse
San Benito
Reconstrucction of the largest town in Central Calif. in Mexican period; contains homes, hotels and halls around a central plaza
San Diego
Park closed by recent wildfires, may reopen this year; stay tuned
Santa Cruz
Restoration of mission site built in 1791 and nearby adobe buildings
Los Angeles
Panoramic views of rugged natural landscape
Shasta
Queen city of northern mining district with old mines and houses from the 1860s
Sonoma
Northernmost Franciscan mission and site of Bear Flag Revolt
Sacramento
Exhibits and artifacts from the 150 Native American Tribes that called California home
Sacramento
Reconstruction of fort where Swiss John A. Sutter settled in 1839 and aided settlers coming from the East
Kern
Winter village of the Kawaiisu people who migrated from the Great Basin to this site overlooking Tehacapi Valley
Madera
Native American ceremonial site with special events and tours
Los Angeles
17 pieces of sculpture, some rising 100 feet constructed for a variety of materials
Trinity
Oldest continuously used Chinese temple in California with displays of art objects, mining tools and weapons
Los Angeles
1930s home of writer, radio star and philosopher
Tehama
Adobe home of William Ide, president for 22 days of the Bear Flag Republic
Yolo
Historic theater that regularly presents musical and dramatic productions for adults and children