April 18, 1868 - James Sloan Hutchinson (below), prominent San Francisco banker, received charter from State of California for The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; June 1, 1868 - California legislation for "an Act for the more effectual prevention of cruelty to animals" went into effect.

May 17, 1872 - Bohemian Club incorporated.

November 1, 1883 - Judge Noah Levering, former member of Iowa State Historical Society, organized meeting of 15 men to form Historical Society of Southern California; 1884 - published first issue of Southern California Quarterly, nationally-acclaimed scholarly journal on region’s history; oldest historical society in California.

October 10, 1888 - Maj. Edward W. Jones, William W. Workman, Col. Harrison G. Otis, Samuel B. Lewis, J.I. Redick, Thomas A. Lewis founded Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to reverse population drain city had recently suffered; formulated two objectives: stimulate migration, market area’s products in other parts of country; Frank Wiggins, superintendent of events since 1890, initiated "California on Wheels", two year tour of railroad car outfitted with agricultural products of state sent to every town of importance in Midwest and South (visited by more than 1 million); 1896 – conventions department secured National Education Association Convention, first national convention held in Los Angeles; 1910 - Los Angeles Harbor finished (started in 1890 with Chamber resolution presented to Congress); post World War II - transition from organization that sought to attract new business to Los Angeles County to one that addressed modern issues associated with major metropolitan center; converted from county-sponsored organization to private business organization funded solely by members; 1958 – attracted Dodgers to Los Angeles; 1967 - name changed to Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

May 28, 1892 - Sierra Club founded "to explore, enjoy, and rendure accessible the mountain regions of the Pacific Coast; to publish authentic information concerning them," and "to enlist the support and cooperation of the people and government in preserving the forests and other natural features of the Sierra Nevada." John Muir elected president; 182 men and women charter members; first conservation effort -campaign to defeat a proposed reduction in the boundaries of Yosemite National Park; June 4, 1892 - Sierra Club Incorporated in San Francisco.

1903 - Edward F. Adams, San Francisco Chronicle editorial writer, John P. Young, managing editor of Chronicle, Benjamin Ide Wheeler, president of University of California, Frederick Burk, president of what became San Francisco State University, William P. Lawlor, attorney who later became a justice of the California Supreme Court, founded Commonwealth Club in San Francisco national forum open to all for impartial discussion of public issues important to membership, community, nation; 1911 - Theodore Roosevelt appeared before organization; 1990 - began offering regular programs in other regions of Bay Area; 1997 - World Forum of Silicon Valley merged with The Commonwealth Club.

May 1906 - Contents of library of Hubert Howe Bancroft (began his career as a bookseller in San Francisco in 1852, built largest book and stationery business west of Chicago, developed a passion for collecting materials on the western regions of North and South America, from Alaska to Patagonia), ferried across bay to University of California, Berkeley; established Bancroft Library; contained about 60,000 items (rare manuscripts, maps, books, pamphlets, transcripts of archives); signaled beginning of University as research institution; evolved into most accessible,  heavily used special collections library in country.

October 2, 1916 - Dr. Harry Wegeforth, Paul (Wegeforth (brother), Frank Stephens of Natural History Society, Dr. Fred Baker, Dr. Joseph Thompson held first meeting of Board of Directors of San Diego Zoo; November 24, 1916 - submitted articles for incorporation to Board of Park Commissioners; August 1921 - Park Commission approved final location of  Zoo (150 acres of land in Balboa Park, included canyons, mesas, areas perfect for cages, dens, corrals); 1922 - began to move in.

1935 - San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) was irst museum on the West Coast devoted to modern and contemporary art. From the outset, the museum has championed the most innovative and challenging art of its time, and we continue to exhibit and collect work by both modern masters and younger, less-established artists.,

(Bohemian Club), G. William Domhoff (1974). The Bohemian Grove and Other Retreats; A Study in Ruling-Class Cohesiveness. (New York, NY: Harper & Row, 250 p.). Bohemian Club (San Francisco, Calif.); Upper class -- United States; Elite (Social sciences).

(Bohemian Club), John Van der Zee (1974). The Greatest Men's Party on Earth; Inside the Bohemian Grove. (New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 182 p.). Bohemian Club (San Francisco, Calif.).

(Encinal Yacht Club), Woodruff Minor (1994). On the Bay: A Centennial History of the Encinal Yacht Club. (Alameda, CA: The Yacht Club, 279 p.). Encinal Yacht Club (Alameda, Calif.); Yacht clubs--California--Alameda--History.

(Los Angeles Athletic Club), Text by Betty Lou Young; designed by Thomas R. Young (1980). Our First Century: The Los Angeles Athletic Club, 1880-1980. (Los Angeles, CA: LAAC Press, 176 p.). Los Angeles Athletic Club--History.

(Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce), Charles Dwight Willard (1899). A History of the Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, California: From Its Foundation, September, 1888, to the Year 1900. (Los Angeles, CA: Kingsley-Barnes & Neuner, 322 p.). Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.

(Mechanics’ Institute-San Francisco), Richard Reinhardt (2005). Four Books, 300 Dollars and a Dream: An Illustrated History of the First 150 Years of the Mechanics’ Institute of San Francisco. (San Francisco, CA: Mechanics’ Institute, 123 p.). Mechanics’ Institute (San Francisco, Calif.)--History. 1854 - skilled machinists, carpenters, dealers in building supplies, manufacturers of stoves, hand tools, wheels, barrels, wagons  held first meeting to stimulate growth of industry on Pacific Coast;  how pioneer reading room for education of craftsmen became major library, research facility, social center in heart of busy city.

(Room To Read), John Wood (2006). Leaving Microsoft To Change the World: An Entrepreneur’s Odyssey To Educate the World’s Children. (New York, NY: Collins, 266 p.). Founder, Room To Read. Wood, John, 1964 Jan. 29- ; Room to Read (Organization); Education, Rural--South Asia--Case studies; Education, Rural--Southeast Asia--Case studies. Organization has donated more than 1.2 million books, established more than 2,600 libraries, 200 schools, sent 1,700 girls to school on scholarship-ultimately touched lives of 875,000 children with  lifelong gift of education. 

(Rotary Club of Sacramento), F. Melvyn Lawson (1986). A Saga of Service, 1913-1985. (Sacramento, CA: Rotary Club of Sacramento, 247 p.). Rotary Club of Sacramento--History.

(Rotary Club of San Francisco), Mitchell Postel (1983). Seventy-Five Years in San Francisco: A History of Rotary Club Number 2. (San Francisco, CA: Presidio Press for Rotary Club, 150 p.). Rotary Club of San Francisco.

(San Francisco PL), Peter Booth Wiley (1996). A Free Library in This City: The Illustrated History of the San Francisco Public Library. (San Francisco, CA: Weldon Owen, 240 p.). San Francisco Public Library--History; Public libraries--California--San Francisco--History--19th century.

(Sierra Club), Michael P. Cohen (1988). The History of the Sierra Club, 1892-1970. (San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books, 550 p.). Sierra Club--History.

(Sierra Club), Tom Turner (1991). Sierra Club: 100 Years of Protecting Nature. (New York, NY: H. N. Abrams, 288 p.). Sierra Club--History; Nature conservation--United States--History.

(Sutter Club), Timothy Comstock (1989).  The Sutter Club: One Hundred Years. (Sacramento, CA: The Club, 250 p.). Sutter Club--History.

(YMCA-Los Angeles), Harold A. Wagner (1979). As I Lived It: An Autobiographical History of the YMCA of Los Angeles, 1925-1966. (Glendale, CA: A. H. Clark Co., 332 p.). Wagner, Harold A.; YMCA of Los Angeles; Young Men's Christian associations--California--Los Angeles--Biography; Los Angeles (Calif.)--Biography.

(YMCA-San Francisco), Clifford Merrill Drury (1963). San Francisco YMCA; 100 Years by the Golden Gate, 1853-1953. (Glendale, CA: A. H. Clark Co., 256 p.). YMCA--California--San Francisco.

Business History Links

The Bancroft Library: Video Presentations

http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/info/video.html

Five brief "video presentations that explore the history and research activities" of the Bancroft Library. Featuring librarians who work at the Bancroft, "these excerpts are part of a video documentary that traces the origins, collections, and services of The Bancroft Library, one of the nation's leading archival and special collections repositories." From the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Exploratorium's Origins: From Jungle to Lab: The Study of Life's Complexity

http://www.exploratorium.edu/origins/belize-london/index.html

The website of the Exploratorium in San Francisco highlights the cooperation between London's Natural History Museum and the Las Cuevas Research Station in Belize.  The subject of this joint effort is the complexity of life and why it is studied with such intensity.  The website is divided into the sections "People", "Ideas", "Tools", "Place" and "Live".  The section entitled "Place" explains the connection between the Natural History Museum and the Las Cuevas Research Station.  The "People" section highlights the researchers at the Research Station in the jungle of Belize, and what they study specifically.  Visitors can scroll over the pictures of the researchers to read a brief bio.  Particularly interesting is the "Tools" section, which shows the level of detail the researchers get at with their tools.  "DNA analysis", "Scanning Electron Microscope", hand collecting, and "Geographic Information Systems" are the tools that visitors can learn more about by scrolling over the respective images.