Online archives
Many institutions have made parts of their archival collections available online. You might have to search through a few sites, but you are likely to find some great materials to use for your research including primary sources, maps, and photographs.
San Francisco archives
- San Francisco Historical PhotographsYou can search the historical photographs that have been digitized from the SF Public Library's collection.
- Virtual Museum of the City of San FranciscoThis site is a combination of images, primary sources, and essays about San Francisco. It can be difficult to search, but you may find some interesting things here.
- Timeline of San Francisco HistoryA year by year timeline of the history of San Francisco from 1846 to 2000.
Library of Congress
- Library of Congress: Map CollectionsFrom bird's eye views to fantastical interpretations, the LoC Map Collection has throusands of interesting maps.
- Library of Congress: Prints and PhotographsThis collection includes photographs, drawings, and other images. A search on San Francisco turns up thousands of images.
- Library of Congress: Historical NewspapersChronicling America contains archives of US newspapers pre-1922 including the San Francisco Call from 1895 to 1913.
California History archives
These sites focus on the history of California, but are likely to have information about San Francisco. They have photos, primary and secondary sources, and maps.
- CalisphereThis site from the University of California is subtitled A World of Primary Sources and More. There are themed collections covering California in Transition, the Gold Rush, and the closing of the Frontier. Amazing site!
- California As I Saw It: First Person Narratives of California’s Early YearsFirst person narratives from the Library of Congress.
- California Heritage CollectionUC Berkeley digital archive, images of California history and culture.
- California HistoryJournal of the California Historical Society
- California State Library Stereoscopic ImagesFeaturing images from the Gold Rush on, viewable in 2-D or in 3-D with glasses or an Oculus Rift!