Services for the Public
Genealogy Research
The Laguna Niguel facility has extensive microfilm holdings of value for genealogy research, among them:
- Federal population censuses for all States, 1790-1930 (including indexes for 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920);
- censuses of Native Americans living on reservations in southern California and Arizona;
- indexes to compiled military service records;
- military post returns for forts in California and Arizona;
- pension and bounty land warrant applications and indexes;
- passenger arrival records and indexes for ships entering the ports of Baltimore, Boston, Galveston, Philadelphia, and San Francisco;
- naturalization records.
Self-service microfilm readers and reader-printers are available without appointment. A 2-hour limit is imposed when researchers are waiting.
Additional help
Search NARA's Online Microfilm Catalog, which allows researchers to determine the microfilm publications held by the Laguna Niguel facility.
See our Genealogy section of the web site, for additional general information about NARA's genealogical resources.
Attend workshops on genealogy at NARA's Laguna Niguel facility or at our other locations nationwide.
Genealogical Resources on the World Wide Web , for
links to non NARA genealogical web sites.
E-mail your inquiry to laguna.archives@nara.gov
Call the Laguna Niguel facility at 949-360-2641, extension 0.
Historical Research
NARA's Pacific Region (Laguna Niguel) has more than 35,000 cubic feet of archival holdings dating from about l850 to the l980s. In addition to textual records there are architectural drawings, maps, and photographs. These holdings were created or received by the Federal courts and over 50 Federal agencies in Arizona, southern California, and Clark County, Nevada. Federal law requires that agencies transfer permanently valuable, noncurrent records to NARA.
Among the subjects covered are:
- private land claims of the Spanish and Mexican periods in California history;
- the opening of the public domain to homestead settlement;
- the impact of the railroads on native American life and culture;
- ethnic diversity, Chinese exclusion, and immigration and naturalization;
- the maritime industry and its development;
- the buildup of coastal defenses and military bases since the Spanish-American War;
- the growth of the naval bases and their relationship to and impact on local communities;
- the development of Corps of Engineers civil works projects relating to flood control, beach erosion control, pollution abatement, and the uses of navigable waterways;
The archival holdings are arranged by record group (abbreviated RG), a body of records from an agency or bureau, identified by an RG number. Selected finding aids, including a comprehensive guide to the archival holdings, are available by mail and online. Research can be initiated in person, or by telephone, mail, fax, or electronic mail at laguna.archives@nara.gov. Individuals who wish to use archival holdings on site will facilitate their research by calling before visiting.
Before using archival holdings, every researcher must obtain a research identification card. An applicant must show identification that includes a photograph, such as a driver's license, passport, or school or business ID card, prove his or her current home address, and complete a short form giving name, address, telephone number, and brief description of the proposed research topic. A researcher ID card, valid for 1 year and renewable, is then issued. It must be presented during each visit.
Microfilmed records
In addition to unique original records, the Laguna Niguel facility has extensive holdings of National Archives microfilm publications. These publications reproduce primary sources for the study of history, economics, public administration, political science, law, ethnology, genealogy, and other subjects. Included are records relating to U.S. diplomacy, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and Reconstruction, World War II, Native American-Government relations, and westward expansion.
Self-service microfilm readers and reader-printers are available without appointment. A 2-hour limit is imposed when researchers are waiting.
Bankruptcy Case Files
Bankruptcy cases filed after 1960 are held at our Riverside county facility. Information on access to these cases filed in 1961 or later is available online.
The Laguna Niguel facility has bankruptcy and other case files from Federal, U.S. district and bankruptcy courts in Arizona, southern California, and Clark County, Nevada dating from the 1870s to 1960.
Photocopying
For a fee, the staff will make or arrange for copies of documents, including certified copies for legal use, unless the physical condition of the documents does not allow reproduction. Copies of microfilm can be made at self-service copiers or by other arrangement for a fee.
Public Programs
Public programs include workshops on genealogy, research in archives, and teaching history using archival documents; tours of the facility; student internships; exhibits; and lectures. Groups and classes can be accommodated by special arrangement. Please contact Paul Wormser at (949) 360-2640 or via electronic mail.
