Sons of the Revolution Library

Specialties

The American Heritage Library and Museum specializes in genealogical and early American history resources with emphasis on the Colonial and Revolutionary War period. It also has a fine collection of 18^th and 19^th century vital records, family histories, American military history and English genealogy. It is supported by generous donations of patriotic Americans who value our nation’s heritage.

For more than 110 years the American Heritage Library and Museum has been operated and maintained as a service to the community by the Sons of the Revolution in the State of California, an IRC 501©(3) non-​profit corporation. Use of the Library is free to anyone in keeping with the purpose of the Society «to encourage interest in the early history of the United States. .. to perpetuate the memory of the brave men who fought in the Revolutionary War, and to collect and preserve the manuscripts, records and documents relating to our past.»

In September, 2006 the Society received the Award of Merit from the American Association of State and Local History, the most prestigious national award for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.

In addition to a fine collection of books, periodicals and manuscripts, many of which are rare out-​of-​print first editions, the Library is blessed with a magnificent collection of artifacts.

The American Heritage Library and Museum is an affiliated library and museum of the California State Military Museum.

History

Established in 1893.

Founded in 1893, by the turn of the twentieth century, the Library’s collection consisted of 5,000 volumes, an impressive size for the time. Growth of the collection, through direct acquisition and gifts, has been steady over the past 100 years, and has included by gift several major private collections. Today, the Library comprises over 30,000 titles and is well known as one of the largest collections relating to the American Revolution and Colonial America in the western United States. An ongoing fund, supplemented by gifts from the community, facilitates an aggressive books and acquisition program to maintain, broaden and update the collection. The Sons of the Revolution owns the building and collections outright.

Meet the Manager

Rick B.

Manager

The Sons of the Revolution in the State of California, Inc. was founded in Los Angeles on May 8, 1893 and became duly incorporated under the laws of California on May 15, 1893. The Society is tax exempt under Section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and gifts and bequests to it are tax deductible for U. S. Income tax purposes.

The purpose of the Society is to venerate those who served in the Revolutionary war, to keep alive the traditions engendered during and as a result of that conflict, to maintain the patriotic traditions of the United States of America, and to keep ever fresh the memory of individuals who served in that war through genealogical research into the heritage of those eligible for membership in the SR.

At its Glendale headquarters the Society maintains a genealogical research library, open to members and the public at no charge.