What Is The Research Library?
The Virginia Peterson Research Library is a comprehensive library with documents, publications, maps, and photographs of Paso Robles and the surrounding communities. You can explore physical copies of history or, for a small fee, use our digital reel to go through digitized newspapers. (We have over 10,000 of our newspapers from 1886 to the early 1930s digitized!) There are also plenty of resources here to help you document the history of your house or building. (More on that below.)
Location: Located in the lower levels of the Paso Robles History Museum downtown, the library offers extensive historical documents for you to peruse.
Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays from 11 AM - 3 PM Or By Appointment
Staff: Paso Robles Historical Society Volunteers
Collections
Available Newspapers
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The Moon 1892-1895
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Paso Robles Leader 1886-1919
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The Independent 1894, 1895, 1899
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The Independent 1894, 1895, 1899
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Paso Robles Record 1895-1917
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Paso Robles Star 1920-1925
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The Spotlight 1928-1931
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Paso Robles Advertiser 1930-1942
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Paso Robles Times 1935-1937
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Paso Robles Journal 1939-1959
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Sunday Review 1955-1956
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North County Journal 1964- 1967
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Paso Robles Gazette 1999-2005
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Paso Robles Press
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The Daily Press
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Paso Robles Country News
Current Archives
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Agriculture, Ranching, Farming
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Businesses, Past & Present
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Carnegie Library History & Records
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Church & Cemetery Records
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City Services Files
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Digital Reel
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Directories
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DMV Records
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Family Histories
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Family Interviews
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Historic Buildings & Homes
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Historical Resources Survey & Inventory
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Local Authors & History Books
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Local Events: Wine, Pioneer Day
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Maps
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Medical & Hospital Records
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Military
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Mineral Springs
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Notable Residents: Paderewski
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Obituaries
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Organizations In Paso Robles
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Paso Robles Area Schools, Current & Historic
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Paso Robles City Clerk Annual Report (1920-1964)
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Paso Robles High School Yearbooks, Bearcat Newsletters (1931-1984), Class Year Files
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Photographs
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Postcards
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Promotional Brochures
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Ranchos/Adobes
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Surname Files
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Tax Assessment Rolls (1892-1951)
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Transportation/Bridges Binders
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Wine History
Digital Reel - Digitized Searchable Newspapers
Cost: Small Fee To Cover Costs Of The Program
The Library has added a service that provides access to digitized newspapers. So far, we've digitized over 10,000 pages of our newspapers, dating from 1886 to the early 1930s! They are all easily searchable on our computers. Digital Reel is available in-house only for a nominal fee to cover our costs.
Past Perfect Museum Software - Digital Catalogs
Cost: Free To Use!
Our collections are currently being cataloged in Past Perfect Museum software to make our archives searchable on our Library's computers.
House & Building History
The Paso Robles Area Historical Society & Museum (PRAHS) offers a variety of resources to help you document your house or building's history.
Before beginning your work, here are some helpful tips!
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Ask neighbors about previous owners, changes to the property, and neighborhood history.
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Look at your property tax statement for the legal description.
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Request a title search from a title company.
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Visit the County Recorder’s Office for any information on previous owners & deeds.
Uncovering the above information, will greatly aid in your search for information about your property.
Need Additional Research Support?
Would you like assistance from the Paso Robles Area Historical Society & Museum team? We're happy to help! For a small fee, our team of volunteers will make every effort to help you find what you're looking for. While we can't guarantee results, we will document all sources consulted when assisting with your research.
Members get the first 2 hours of research support FREE. Each additional hour is $10, with photo scans at $5; photocopies and digital reel use are by donation.
Learn more and get started by hitting the button below!
Local Areas Covered In The Virginia Peterson Research Library
Click the map's full-screen icon in the upper-right corner to view the local areas the Historical Society covers for family histories, photos, and research.