On September 11, 1979, the Board of Supervisors declared the Contra Costa County Historical Society as the "Official Historical Society" of the County. Since that time, the County and the Society have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship resulting in the establishment of a History Center in the City of Pleasant Hill in 1986. The Historical Center made the Society's unique archive of letters, photos, and other historically significant documents available to the Public.
In 2000, the Society entered into a sub-lease agreement with the County for spaces located at 610 Main Street, Martinez. The County had previously entered into a 10-year lease agreement for spaces comprising 600-610-618 Main Street resulting in surplus space that was made available to the Society. This allowed the Society to establish a presence in Martinez, the County seat. In 2010, the lease was amended, extending the term by two years.
In April 2012, the Conservation and Development Department vacated spaces located at 618 Main Street leaving the Historical Society as the only tenant occupying spaced at 600-610-618 Main Street. In an effort to continue supporting the Society, and specifically the History Center, the County Administrator's Office initiated business continuity planning sessions with the Society's Executive Director and Board members resulting in a five-year contract for the period July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2017. In consideration for the financial support, the County has benefited from professional archiving services made possible by the Society's Board of Directors, Executive Director, and volunteers.
Today's action would authorize a new five-year contract with the Historical Society to ensure that the preservation of historical documents and memorabilia will continue.
The Contra Costa County Historical Society would have difficulty maintaining a similar level of service to citizens within the County.