Local History
Henry Meade Williams Local History Department
Park Branch Library, Mission Street and Sixth Avenue
The Local History Department is the archives for Carmel-by-the-Sea, and is devoted to acquiring, preserving, and making available historically significant items concerning the history of Carmel. These collections include: photographs, books, letters, diaries, programs, manuscripts, maps, scrapbooks, and works of art.
Local History Hours
Tuesday-Friday: 1-6 pm
Local History Librarian
Katie O’Connell
(831) 624-1615
hml.localhist@gmail.com
Online Resources
- America’s Obituaries & Death Notices: US obituaries from 1860 – current
- Ancestry Library Edition: US & international genealogy research (In-library use only)
- California Death Index: Deaths occurring 1940-1997
- Carmel House & Building Research: A resource guide put together by our local history librarian
- Carmel Pine Cone: 1915-present. The full run of the Carmel Pine Cone, Carmel’s weekly newspaper, is now available and searchable online, or on microfilm at the Park Branch Library in local history.
- Find A Grave: Millions of cemetery records
- Legacy.com: Find obituaries from over 1000 newspapers, 1998-present
- Social Security Death Index: 1935-2014, nationwide
Maps
- Carmel House Names (This map is not created or maintained by the City of Carmel-By-The-Sea.)
- Homes of Famous Carmelites (Additional information)
- Sanborn Fire Maps 1867-1970: Ask librarian for password, or use in the library
In-Library Resources
- Carmel Development Company Collection
- Carmel Preservation Foundation Collection
- Carmel Pine Cone on microfilm.
- City directories and reverse look-ups (1926-present, some gaps)
- City of Carmel Building Permits (1920-1933, 1939-1940)
- Historic Resources Inventory: Information on properties in Carmel deemed historic
- List of Deeds of Property, Carmel Development Company Papers (1903-1935)
- M.J. Murphy estimates/costs for home building/projects (1915-1917)
- Nixon File: Newspaper articles and obituaries from local newspapers (1900-present)
- Yearbooks and alumni resources
Carmel Go Scavenger Hunt
Want to explore your town, take a lovely walk and learn a bit more about the history of Carmel?
Try out the Carmel Go Scavenger Hunt, created in collaboration with Carmel River School:
Local History Lecture Series
Watch lectures the history of Point Lobos, the Carmel River, Robinson Jeffers, Henry Miller, and much more.
My Carmel Oral History Series
Watch oral history interviews with local Carmelites and learn what it was like to live in Carmel “back in the day.”
Old-time Carmel on HistoryPin
Explore Carmel’s history overlaid on today’s streets. Find Jo Mora’s studio, George Sterling’s home, Carmel’s first library and much more.
Our Library’s History
Library service in Carmel began in 1906, when the Carmel Free Library Association began lending books from a little redwood building.
Research Your Family
Use online and in-library genealogy resources to learn more about your family’s history.
Research a Building
Learn more about historic Carmel homes or buildings with library resources and information from the Planning Department.