The Searls Historical Library has Nevada County's largest collection of historical photos. You can use this search page to look for and preview this digital collection and start to visually explore the rich history in Nevada County, Nevada City, and Grass Valley.

Enter a name, company, place or keyword to search across tens of thousands of photo index records, using the search box. Then click "Go" (or hit Enter).

Or you can browse a collection by choosing from one of the links below.

DR 1 (Misc. Drawer Photos) - 205 photos

DR 2 (Misc. Drawer Photos) - 171 photos

DR 3 (Misc. Drawer Photos) - 64 photos

DR 4 (Misc. Drawer Photos) - 9 photos

GP- (Moore Glass Plate Collection) - 1,901 photos

GP-COMSTOCK (Comstock Glass Plate Collection) - 54 photos

GP-DAVIS (Davis Glass Plate Collection) - 24 photos

GP-FRANK (Frank Glass Plate Collection) - 60 photos

GP-HARTUNG (Hartung Glass Plate Collection) - 19 photos

GP-INGRAM (Ingram Glass Plate Collection) - 39 photos

GP-JHART (J. Hart Glass Plate Collection) - 25 photos

GP-MISC (Misc. Glass Plate Collection) - 14 photos

GP-OP (Official Photo Company Glass Plate Collection) - 17 photos

GP-TYLER (Tyler Glass Plate Collection) - 15 photos

PIC 1-A (Misc. Photos) - 190 photos

PIC 1-B (Misc. Photos) - 333 photos

PIC 1-C (Misc. Photos) - 156 photos

PIC 2-A (Misc. Photos) - 134 photos

PIC 2-B (Misc. Photos) - 145 photos

PIC 2-C (Misc. Photos) - 137 photos

PIC 2-D (Misc. Photos) - 188 photos

PIC 2-E (Misc. Photos) - 57 photos

PIC 2-F (Misc. Photos) - 30 photos

PIC 2-MISC (Misc. Photos) - 6 photos

PIC 3-AIR (Aircraft) - 22 photos

PIC 3-CEM (Cemeteries) - 178 photos

PIC 3-CHI (Chinese) - 179 photos

PIC 3-CHU (Churches) - 15 photos

PIC 3-COL (Colfax) - 13 photos

PIC 3-COR (Cornwall) - 9 photos

PIC 3-COS (Costumes/period dress) - 33 photos

PIC 3-DON (Donner) - 87 photos

PIC 3-ECV (E. Clampus Vitus) - 10 photos

PIC 3-FRA (Fraternal Organizations) - 3 photos

PIC 3-G (Glenbrook Race Track/Lake Olympia) - 76 photos

PIC 3-IND (Native People) - 24 photos

PIC 3-JUL (4th July) - 344 photos

PIC 3-LU (Lumber) - 294 photos

PIC 3-MOO (Mooney Flat) - 3 photos

PIC 3-MUS (Musicians) - 7 photos

PIC 3-NATIONAL HOTEL (National Hotel) - 1 photos

PIC 3-NCHS-VIDEO (NCHS Videos) - 12 photos

PIC 3-RED (Red Dog & Chalk Bluff) - 161 photos

PIC 3-SIERRA (Sierra County) - 24 photos

PIC 4-A (Misc. Photos) - 30 photos

PIC 4-BLO (North Bloomfield) - 22 photos

PIC 4-BLU (Blue Canyon) - 2 photos

PIC 4-BOC (Boca) - 29 photos

PIC 4-BRI (Bridgeport) - 154 photos

PIC 4-CHE (Cherokee) - 10 photos

PIC 4-CHI (Chinese) - 30 photos

PIC 4-CHU (Churches)

PIC 4-COL (North Columbia) - 7 photos

PIC 4-COU (Nevada County) - 165 photos

PIC 4-FLO (Floriston) - 19 photos

PIC 4-FOR (Forest City) - 16 photos

PIC 4-FRE (French Corral) - 35 photos

PIC 4-GAS (Gaston) - 19 photos

PIC 4-GHO (Ghost Towns) - 81 photos

PIC 4-GR (Grass Valley) - 1,531 photos

PIC 4-GRA (Graniteville) - 84 photos

PIC 4-MEA (Meadowlake/Summit City) - 16 photos

PIC 4-NEV (Nevada City) - 2,425 photos

PIC 4-NEW (Newtown) - 4 photos

PIC 4-OM (Omega) - 10 photos

PIC 4-REL (Relief Hill) - 26 photos

PIC 4-REN (Rensselaerville, NY) - 22 photos

PIC 4-ROU (Rough & Ready) - 79 photos

PIC 4-SAN (North San Juan) - 131 photos

PIC 4-TRU (Truckee) - 49 photos

PIC 4-WAS (Town of Washington) - 171 photos

PIC 4-YOU (You Bet) - 36 photos

PIC 4-YUBA (Yuba County) - 30 photos

PIC 5-BIG (Biggs Collection) - 598 photos

PIC 5-CABIN (Cabins) - 44 photos

PIC 5-FH (Firehouse #1) - 145 photos

PIC 5-MIL (Military) - 11 photos

PIC 5-MIN-A (Mining) - 418 photos

PIC 5-MIN-B (Mining) - 480 photos

PIC 5-MIN-C (Mining) - 733 photos

PIC 5-MIN-D (Mining) - 374 photos

PIC 5-N (Nevada County (Out of town)) - 134 photos

PIC 5-NCHS (Historical Society) - 82 photos

PIC 5-NID (Nevada Irrigation District) - 210 photos

PIC 5-PHO (Samples of photographers work) - 77 photos

PIC 5-PLA (Placer County) - 28 photos

PIC 5-RAN (Ranches) - 167 photos

PIC 5-ROO (Rood Center) - 21 photos

PIC 5-SCH (Schools) - 313 photos

PIC 5-SEARLS (Searls Collection) - 51 photos

PIC 5-THE (Theatre) - 56 photos

PIC 5-THE-M (Lola Montez) - 78 photos

PIC 5-TRA-AIR (Airplanes) - 46 photos

PIC 5-TRA-AUTO (Automobiles, trucks) - 88 photos

PIC 5-TRA-H (Horses and horse drawn vehicles) - 71 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR B,T,T (NCNGRR bridges & trestles, tracks) - 70 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR DEPOT (NCNGRR Depots) - 98 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR DISASTERS (NCNGRR train wrecks) - 22 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR ENG. (NCNGRR steam engines) - 178 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR FIRES (Fires at NCNGRR properties) - 16 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR MISC (Misc. NCNGRR photos) - 37 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR MUSE (NCNGRR Museum photos) - 51 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR PERSONNEL (NCNGRR personnel) - 20 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR RAIL BUS (Rail Bus) - 21 photos

PIC 5-TRA-NAR ROLLING STOCK (NCNGRR box cars, cabooses, etc.) - 62 photos

PIC 5-TRA-RR (Other Nevada County Railroads) - 43 photos

PIC 5-TRA-TRO (Trolley) - 41 photos

PIC 5-WASHINGTON SCHOOL (Washington School, Grass Valley) - 30 photos

PIC 5-WED (Weddings) - 7 photos

PIC 6-1 HOUSES (Unidentified houses) - 12 photos

PIC 6-2 GOLD RUSH ARCHITECTURE (Gold Rush Architecture examples)

PIC 6-ADS (Union Real Estate Ad Photos) - 2,011 photos

PIC 6-ALPHA (Alpha) - 84 photos

PIC 6-ARMORY (The Armory building) - 111 photos

PIC 6-B&M (Unidentified businesses & mines) - 5 photos

PIC 6-BAR (Barker Collection) - 44 photos

PIC 6-BARTKE (Bartke Family Album) - 83 photos

PIC 6-BER (Bergman Family Album) - 25 photos

PIC 6-BEST (Best Family Album) - 207 photos

PIC 6-BIG (Biggs family album) - 61 photos

PIC 6-BODY (Leonard Body vacation photo album) - 63 photos

PIC 6-BRA (Fred Brandt photo album) - 146 photos

PIC 6-BUL (Bullards Bar Reservoir) - 255 photos

PIC 6-C (Misc. Photos) - 1 photos

PIC 6-CAI (Cairns family album) - 428 photos

PIC 6-CAM (Camptonville) - 105 photos

PIC 6-CHA (Chapman Collection) - 967 photos

PIC 6-CHE (Ruth Chesney Collection) - 107 photos

PIC 6-CHI (Children) - 23 photos

PIC 6-CLA (Unidentified school classes) - 2 photos

PIC 6-COO (Cooley Family Collection) - 34 photos

PIC 6-COU (Unidentified couples) - 6 photos

PIC 6-COX (Cox family album) - 12 photos

PIC 6-CRAIG (Craig family album) - 181 photos

PIC 6-EMM (Emma Nevada House) - 36 photos

PIC 6-ENG (Senator Englebright, mostly D.C.) - 50 photos

PIC 6-FAI (Fair exhibits) - 2 photos

PIC 6-FAR (Nevada County Farm Bureau) - 112 photos

PIC 6-FIP (Fippen Family album) - 39 photos

PIC 6-FOO (Foote album) - 224 photos

PIC 6-FUL (John Fulton Family album) - 110 photos

PIC 6-GEA (Gearhart Family) - 16 photos

PIC 6-GROUPS (Groups) - 12 photos

PIC 6-HAC (Hackett Collection) - 85 photos

PIC 6-HAG (Hagaman Chinese Collection) - 323 photos

PIC 6-HEA (Heather Family) - 41 photos

PIC 6-HM (Hobart Mills) - 648 photos

PIC 6-HWY 20 (New route ground breaking) - 60 photos

PIC 6-INDIAN (Indian Mt. resort) - 32 photos

PIC 6-INT (Unidentified Interiors) - 8 photos

PIC 6-JEF (Marie Jeffery Collection) - 19 photos

PIC 6-LEG (Legg family album) - 80 photos

PIC 6-LIT (Litton Family Album) - 45 photos

PIC 6-LOM (Loma Rica Ranch) - 71 photos

PIC 6-MAH (Mahaffey Family album) - 93 photos

PIC 6-MAT (George Mathis Collection) - 72 photos

PIC 6-MAY (Maybert Bridge) - 16 photos

PIC 6-MEN (Unidentified men) - 34 photos

PIC 6-MINES (Unidentified mines) - 2 photos

PIC 6-MNG.MUS. (From the Mining Museum) - 291 photos

PIC 6-MOORE (Moore Collection) - 63 photos

PIC 6-MOR (Morgan/Nickless Families) - 41 photos

PIC 6-MUL (Muller Family) - 103 photos

PIC 6-NET (Nettell Family) - 63 photos

PIC 6-NOELL (Noell family) - 22 photos

PIC 6-O&W (Osborn & Woods restoration of Powell House) - 85 photos

PIC 6-O&W ART (Osborn & Woods art works) - 35 photos

PIC 6-OLY (Squaw Valley Olympics) - 21 photos

PIC 6-PAR (Partridge Family) - 36 photos

PIC 6-PET (Petroglyphs) - 5 photos

PIC 6-REC (Rector Collection) - 25 photos

PIC 6-RUCK (Edna Ruck photo Collection) - 237 photos

PIC 6-SAR (Sargent Family Album) - 57 photos

PIC 6-SEARLS (Searls Family photos) - 2 photos

PIC 6-SHA (Shaw Family) - 78 photos

PIC 6-ST. MARY'S (Mount St. Mary's) - 22 photos

PIC 6-STE (George Stewart Collection) - 184 photos

PIC 6-STO (Stoll family) - 105 photos

PIC 6-TREE (National Christmas Tree from Nevada County) - 33 photos

PIC 6-W-T-P (Wasley/Temby/Phillips families) - 78 photos

PIC 6-WAT (Watkins) - 59 photos

PIC 6-WEA (Wear Family Collection) - 16 photos

PIC 6-WOM (Unidentified women) - 26 photos

PIC 7-BIB (Brian Bibby Collection) - 13 photos

PIC 7-KAL (Kallenberger Family Collection) - 45 photos

POR 1 (Portraits) - 672 photos

POR 2 (Portraits) - 1,620 photos

POR 3 (Portraits) - 2,294 photos

POR 4 (Portraits) - 973 photos

XL- (Extra Large Photos) - 143 photos

Or you can browse one of the following virtual collections from the links below.

African American - 23 photos

Chinese American - 334 photos

Native American - 49 photos