The Stanislaus River Archives Center

The Stanislaus River Archives Center is at 68 North Washington, Sonora, CA. It is open on Fridays 3:30-7:30 and Saturdays from 1-6pm. Also look for announcements of special events to be held there at other times.

The overall purpose of the Stanislaus River Archives Center is to remember the world-renown beauty and world-class whitewater of the Stanislaus River Canyon; to honor those who gave so much on behalf of this special river; to educate people about water economics, politics, and solutions to California's water problems; and to save future rivers from the same fate that befell the Stanislaus.

The Stanislaus River Archives Center is meant to function as a museum, photography gallery, and research center. It can host photography shows, poetry readings, and film showings by the many artists who depicted the special beauty and the painful loss of the Stanislaus. It can chronicle historical accounts from visitors that might otherwise be lost. It can be a place to present the Stanislaus River to those who never knew it...and a place for local residents to share their memories and stories about it.

Finally, the Center can house The Stanislaus Notebooks, Martin Blake's (see photo of Martin below) 20-volume compilation of much of the photos, newspaper articles, poetry and prose relating to the Stanislaus River struggle from 1962 to the present day.