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.