FYCA

Friends of the Yolo County Archives

The Archives Preserves The Past And Saves Our Stories.

Friends of the Yolo County Archives (FYCA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation whose purpose is to support the services, staff, and facilities of the Yolo County Archives.  Membership in Friends of the Yolo County Archives is open to all interested persons.   

More: About FYCA 

The Archives Ledger

In the latest edition of The Archives Ledger:

Read it here:  The Archives Ledger

Archives Renovation Update

Archives Will Reopen in July

YCARC Coordinator Heather Lanctot reports:

"The Yolo County Archives facility renovation is in the home-stretch and we are looking forward to opening back up to the public for appointments starting the week of July 15th."

More:  Renovation

River Cats Game on August 10th

River Cats vs. Nashville Sounds 

Saturday, August 10th at 7:05pm 

Raley Field, West Sacramento, CA

Join the Board of Friends of the Yolo County Archives for an evening with the Sacramento River Cats at the annual membership meeting event.  We will be placed at the Solon Club  overlooking the first base line where we can socialize at high top tables or watch the game from reserved seats. This event is for family members of all ages.  A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated by the River Cats to FYCA.  We look forward to seeing you! For more information contact Ryan Baum at ccdollar@hotmail.com

Follow this link to buy tickets: https://groupmatics.events/event/FYCA

The deadline to purchase tickets is August 9th. 

Big Day of Giving

Thanks to Our Donors!

We think our Big Day of Giving donors deserve a parade! Thank you for helping us raise over $1700.00 to preserve and promote Yolo County history. We look forward to sharing our projects and outreach this next year. Pictured here is the German Maypole Float at the Woodland Rose Carnival Parade. (Photo courtesy of the Yolo County Archives, A Visual History of Yolo County, GB1574.)

Women's History Month

Celebrate the Archives Team!

Women make history and they preserve it too! Thanks to Marta Knight, Heather Lanctot, Iulia Bodeanu, and Ruby Buentello for all of their work in preserving Yolo County's rich history!  

Connect with FYCA

Membership

Please support the work of the Archives and the Friends by beginning  or renewing  your membership.

FYCA Board Meeting

FYCA Quarterly Board Meeting

Thursday, May 2, 2019, at 2:00 PM.

Yolo County Archives 

Details:  Board Meeting Agenda     Notes from Most Recent Board Meeting

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Yolo Archives Report

Yolo Archives Annual Report

Heather Lanctot,  Archives and Records Center Coordinator, has created the Yolo County Archives 2018 Annual Report.  

Heather reports:  "In 2018, the Archives tackled a number of projects and juggled the uncertaines of a renovation project. In anticipation of our facility renovation, we processed as much of our collection backlog as possible and made sure that everything was ready to be temporarily moved off-site. In addition, we continued to engage with our community at a number of events and helped to bring awareness to our collection. At the beginning of October the department welcomed Iulia Bodeanu, the new Museum Curator, who started to work towards the goal of a complete review of the Yolo County Historical Collection. We are excited for 2019 where we will continue to pursue increased collection preservation and access in a newly renovated facility "

Yolo Library Report

Monthly Report--April, 2019

Mark Fink, County Librarian and Chief Archivist 

More:  Yolo Library Report

Philanthropy Day 2018

The Friends of the Yolo County Archives honored Mel Russell at Yolo Community Foundation's 2018 Philanthropy Day Celebration for her dedicated work on the Lest We Forget Project. Congratulations to Mel and to all of the honorees! 

Philanthropy Day Honorees
Program 1
Program 2
Ryan Baum Presents Award to Mel
Mel Russell Thanks the Crowd

Recent Event

Portraits of Sacrifice Photo Exhibit

Special Opening Hours:  November 10-11, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Meier Administration Building, 625 Court Street, Woodland

Portraits of Sacrifice: Words and Images from the Lest We Forget Project honors the Yolo County men who lost their lives during World War I. Special exhibit hours on November 10 and 11 are from 9 am to 4 pm and include piano music from the war era and display of a rare Blue Max medal from 10:00 am to 2 pm. 

In addition to the special hours, the exhibition will be on display during Gallery 625’s normal operating hours through November 2018. This exhibit is part of the Lest We Forget Project by Mel Russell and is supported by the Yolo County Library, the Yolo County Archives, Friends of the Yolo County Archives, and YoloArts.

Railroad Anniversary Celebration

Railroad Anniversary Celebration (08/25/2018)

More:  Railroad Celebration

Woodland's Main Street Life

"Woodland's Main Street Life: Community & Commerce 1884-1930" was researched and designed by Michelle Trujillo for the Yolo County Archives. The booklet brings to life several businesses and individuals who made downtown Woodland a vibrant and diverse community that is preserved not only in the historic structures but kept alive through the accounts of success, tragedy, and perseverance. Michelle Trujillo is working towards an M.A. in Public History at Sacramento State University. Project funding was provided by Friends of the Yolo County Archives through a grant by the Woodand Stroll Through History. 

Read / Print / Download Booklet

Download Booklet Now

The Archives In Action!

Heather, Jaime, and Mural Class members

Winters History Mural Class Visits the Yolo County Archives. 

Archives Coordinator Heather Lanctot presents a myriad of resources to members of the class. Jaime Montiel, professional muralist and class instructor, looks on.

Archives Staff News

Source:  Yolo County Library Report--October, 2018

After an extensive search and a grueling interview process, which included stakeholders from Yolo Arts, the Yolo County Historical Museum, and the Friends of the Yolo County Archives, Iulia Bodeanu has been hired as our new full-time Museum Curator. This is a new two-year, limited-term position funded by Yolo County. In this role, Iulia will engage in the review and deaccession of the County's historical collection, oversee the proper preservation and storage of the collection, generate awareness about the collection through countywide promotional efforts, design displays and exhibits in various county locations, and coordinate volunteer efforts to assist with these efforts.

Amy Ponce has been promoted to a full-time Library Assistant I position at the Mary L. Stephens Davis Branch Library, effective September 2nd. Amy has been working as a half-time Library Assistant I in the Yolo County Archives/Records Center since January 4, 2016. In her new role, Amy will focus on outreach and programming, in addition to customer service and circulation-type functions. Amy has completed coursework in Literature and Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Ruby Buentello has been promoted to a half-time Library Assistant I position assigned to the Yolo County Archives/Records Center, effective September 2nd. Ruby has been working as an extra help Library Assistant I in the Archives/Records Center since February 4, 2018. Ruby will provide public service functions and assist with outreach and programming to promote the Archives/Record Center throughout Yolo County. Ruby earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Humboldt State University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree from San Jose State University in Library and Information Science.

Looking Back

Unquestionably, no two other people have done more to preserve the history of Yolo County than Shipley Walters and Joann Larkey.  Although the collaborative history of the county that they published in 1987 may represent the centerpiece of their contributions, it is only one in a long list of the major works that they have authored on the history of this county.

And in addition to their impressive list of books and articles, they have also devoted countless hours of personal time in helping promote the work of major organizations dedicated to the preservation of Yolo County's history.

Shipley Walters worked with former County Librarian Mary Stephens DeWall in establishing the Archives and then went on to form the Friends of the Yolo County Archives. She also holds the record of hours spent as a volunteer in the Archives themselves: somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,500 hours.

Joann Larkey has devoted a major portion of her time in helping preserve the histories of Davis and Winters, and one of her most recent activities led her to help create the Winters History Project. The central activity of the project is the collection and preservation of historic photos of Winters. 

More:  Looking Back--2015 Archives Ledger Article by Ted Smith

Member and Donor News

Board Notes

Read the Draft Board Notes from the August 2nd FYCA Board Meeting.

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From Board President Anastasia Panagakos

We are pleased to announce that FYCA and the Yolo County Archives have been granted $1,000 from the Woodland Stroll Through History Committee for the project, "The History of Main Street and Preservation of the Woodland Homes Subject Collection." This project includes two components, a printed booklet detailing the businesses of Main Street with maps, photos, and documents; and the preservation of materials from the Woodland Homes Subject Collection which are in a state of deterioration. The work will be conducted by a paid intern and preliminary results shared at this year's Stroll Through History.

Big Day of Giving 2018

 Thanks to everyone for supporting Big Day of Giving!

A Successful Day!

Friends of the Yolo County Archives raised over $2,500.00 for the purpose of preserving and promoting Yolo County history. The funds will be used for archival supplies, internships, and professional development for Archives staff. And we look forward to sharing our projects and outreach during the next year. We would like to send a heartfelt thank you to our donors. 

Thanks to our members, donors, and friends! 

More  Archives In Action!

Beta Sigma Phi Collection

Yolo County Archives and Records Center Coordinator, Heather Lanctot, displays the Beta Sigma Phi Collection which was processed through a grant provided by the Friends of the Yolo County Archives. Each year FYCA provides grants in excess of $10,000 to the Yolo County Archives for special projects, supplies, and support staff. 

4-H Members Visit the Archives

Yolo County Archives coordinator Heather Lanctot gives a special tour to Golden Valley 4-H members. The kids had some great questions about historical preservation and got to see some 4-H items stored in the Archives.

Students Study History And Cursive Writing

Yolo County archives specialist, Heather Lanctot, recently visited Cesar Chavez Elementary School in Davis. She taught the students about the important of local archives and government, including a lesson on how to transcribe Board of Supervisors meeting notes from the 1850s. The students worked hard at reading "very old" cursive writing and learned interesting facts about our county.

More: Youth Outreach  DIY History

Recent Events

Black History & Multi Cultural Heritage Celebration

On Saturday, February 9th, 2019, the 17th Annual Black History and Multi Cultural Celebration will be held at the Grange Hall in Guinda in the Capay Valley on State Highway 16 (16 miles northwest of Esparto, or 30 miles west of Woodland). Woodland's Greater Second Baptist Church will be assisting the Black History Day event's founder, Clarence van Hook, in putting on the event. The event has been expanded to be the "Black History and Multi Cultural Celebration" to include many other cultures that formed Yolo County. The day's event will start at 10:00 a.m. in Guinda. The celebration will include speakers, music and performances and exhibits. Barbecued chicken and ribs will be served. Visitors are invited to bring a side dish to share. The event is free. 

Yolo County Courthouse Centennial Celebration

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Read article and see photos in the latest edition of The Archives Ledger.


2017 Yolo County Fair Exhibit

Baseball in Yolo County--Town Teams and Local Pros

The Yolo County Fair ran from August 16th through August 20th.

Bob Dunn Honored For His Service

The Friends were proud to honor Mr. Robert Dunn for his many years of service to the county archives - over a seventeen year period Bob has archived 37,482 obituaries spanning from 1850 to the present. His considerable achievement was marked with the dedication of the obituary collection in his name. Thank you Bob for your service and dedication to preserving our local history!

 More: Bob Dunn

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Please support the local businesses that support the Archives!

Recent News and Media Posts

Local Player Is Pacific Coast League MVP! (Posts)

Winters Packards and Owners in 1927  (Posts)

Davis High School Class of 1932   (Posts)

Winters Elementary Second Grade  (Posts)

Company F, Second Infantry  (Posts)

Ted Smith and Roberta Stevenson retire and attend Last Board Meeting  (News)

"Anything that grows anywhere grows everywhere in Yolo County!"  (Posts)

We bid farewell to Patty Wong, Yolo County Librarian...  (News)

We mourn the passing of William Petty, longtime Board Member...  (News)

The 15th Annual Black History and Multi-Cultural Celebration is held in Guinda.   (Posts)

The Friends host a talk and celebration for the City of Davis’ Centennial.   (Posts)

See the photo High Water, Putah Creek at the Winters Bridge, 1911.  (Posts)