California Cultural and Natural History

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Personal use of the documents made available for download on this site is encouraged.  However, no document or any portion thereof may be used for commercial purposes, nor may they be published in any medium or format without prior written permission from the State of California.  All commercial rights to use materials made available on this site are reserved by the State of California unless expressly granted otherwise in writing.  For commercial use, contact the Interpretation and Education Division at (916) 654-2249 or Interpretation.Staff@parks.ca.gov.

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Science, Poetry and Parks: A Sourcebook for Interpreters of California's Natural History (2002)

Science, Poetry and Parks is a specialized bibliography--a survey of the literature that describes, explains and celebrates California's rich natural history. Included here are citations for more than 700 selected works, accompanied by notes suggesting why each might be of value or interest to the reader. This volume has been developed primarily as a reference for park interpreters, but teachers, camp leaders, naturalists, and nature-oriented park visitors should be able to make good use of it as well

California in Time

These chronologies have been compiled to help parks professionals better understand the path of California history as it has affected lands that are now part of the California State Park System, and how other American and world events have affected all of California. While not comprehensive (that would be a nearly impossible task), these chronologies highlight numerous significant and consequential events, and put them in a broader context.

California in Time: From the War with Mexico to Statehood (2003) (PDF, 894 KB)

California in Time: the Fight over Slavery Through the Civil War (2011)
Introduction (PDF, 209 KB)
Timeline (PDF, 3.3 MB)

Five Views: An Ethnic History Site Survey for California (1988)

Organized by ethnic groups, this reference provides an overview of various historical periods and details significant California historic sites associated with California Indians, Japanese Americans, Mexican Americans, African Americans, and Chinese Americans.

The Baker’s Handbook, or How to Make a Lot of Dough in 19th Century California (1990)

This handbook has been developed to assist individuals interested in re-creating an authentic mid-l9th century bakery in Columbia State Historic Park. The information provided, however, may also be applied to other 19th century bakery operations. This manual contains background information on: Columbia’s development and early bakeries; bakers and customers of the 19th century; bakery ingredients and products; typical bakery interiors and furnishings; the operational practices of early California bakeries; and advertising. Period graphics and written accounts have been included to illustrate or clarify points in the text. Recommendations and further references are also given in the section entitled "Advice to Bakers" at the end of each chapter.