While the Society had hoped for many years to acquire a History Center, it was the magnificent gift of the Louis L. and Mildred Stein Collection that made it imperative to find a home for the Center.

A 40-year accumulation of photographs, periodicals, letters, documents, books, maps and other memorabilia, the Stein Collection is considered by museum officials to be one of the largest and most significant ever to be given to a historical society in one comprehensive package. Certainly it is the most voluminous and complete collection of personal, commercial, agricultural and civic records of Contra Costa County's past.

An example of the vast scope of this gift is the inclusion of the John Marsh papers-documents which exist nowhere else and which will be eagerly welcomed by scholars and writers. Another example is an original, signed letter by Jose Amador describing the sale of 4000 acres of his Mexican land grant to Leo Norris.

From original ledgers of tax records and land cases to assessors' books and maps, from detailed materials about the County's early railroads to rare, old-time photographs, the Collection touches every aspect of County history.

All told, the Stein Collection is comprised of about 40,000 individual pieces of memorabilia in addition to several hundred books and legal, bound documents.

The process of cataloging and inventorying this treasury of historical manuscripts and ephemera is now in progress and will continue for some time to come. The Society is fortunate to have within its membership a number of achivists and museum specialists who are over-seeing the project. Volunteers to help with this activity are welcome.

While the Stein Collection will remain the History Center's basic collection, other materials are being offered and accepted. It is hoped that as time goes on, additional acquisitions will contribute to one of the most important research centers in Northern California.