The Decay of History

The deplorable condition of the California State Archives is a scandal and tragedy waiting to happen. Every important state record going back to the Constitution of 1849 is still stuffed away in a leaky old Sacramento structure built in the 1920s to house the state printing plant. The archives building does not even have an adequate fire-suppression system. And the old building will run out of space during the next five years.

Aside from the sheer safety of state records, the present archives allows only limited access for historic research and educational exhibits. Nor does the present facility provide the techno-logy required to deal with modern electronic records.

California needs to get to work on a new archives building immediately. The Legislature can get this project going by passing Senate Bill 638 sponsored by Sen. Alfred E. Alquist (D-San Jose) and sending it to Gov. George Deukmejian for his signature. The bill would provide about $2.7 million to develop working drawings for a new structure that would include a public exhibit hall and modern facilities for the processing and storing of all state records for the coming half century. The total cost is estimated by the office of Secretary of State March Fong Eu to be about $75 million. Funds would be borrowed from the State Pooled Money Investment Board.

State Archivist John F. Burns says, “Throughout this country and the world, governments have provided adequate archival facilities for their records in their own best interest.” Massachusetts, Maryland and Louisiana have recently completed new archives facilities, along with the nations of Malaysia and Botswana. California should do no less, Burns says.

In fact, every day California delays on this project puts the entire historic record of the state at risk. That cannot be allowed to continue.