Searls Historical Library - Photo Search and Preview


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.

Photo Search and Preview

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

  • Got a question or a issue?