History Guild

Daly City History Guild Museum and Archive


Daly City History Guild Museum & Archive

  • Location: 6351 Mission Street
    Daly City, CA 94014
  • Phone: 650-757-7177
  • Located just north of the intersection of John Daly Boulevard and Mission Street, in the original site of the old John Daly Library.
  • Free! Current Hours: Open from Noon to 3 pm every Saturday (special school and group visits by arrangement)

Mini Museum

The Daly City History Guild & Museum & Archive was established as a nonprofit organization in 1983 to preserve documents and artifacts and inspire public interest in local history. The Guild operated the "Mini-Museum" in the basement of the Serramonte Library for many years with the long-term goal of establishing a permanent, full-size museum.

When the John Daly Library moved down the street to the new War Memorial Center, the Guild was fortunate to reach an agreement with the City to lease the old library building for 20+ years for $1 a year. The Guild began renovations of the building in February of 2008 and opened the doors to the public at a Grand Opening celebration attended by 300 people on March 15, 2009.

Volunteers & Donations

With many volunteer hours and your generous donations, we are creating a non-profit, privately operated history museum for the benefit of the community. What you see today is a work-in-progress to celebrate the approaching Centennial of Daly City in 2011.

Old Car and John Daly LibraryJohn Daly Dairy Farm

The museum is located in the original John Daly Library near the historic site of the John Daly Dairy Farm where refugees fled after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. This area is the oldest part of Daly City. In 1920 a permanent library was situated in a small 25'x25' wood frame building donated by Daly City's namesake, dairyman John D. Daly, and early entrepreneur John William Marchbank.

Deco-Style

In 1938, the original one-room building was moved back against the cliffs of the old quarry when the library was expanded with a front addition in Art Deco style. This unique vintage building was the only library in Daly City for over 41 years and combines two buildings into two adjoining great rooms with a combined space of 2,400 square feet.

Exhibits

Come visit our ever-changing exhibits which include photographs and artifacts from the earliest inhabitants, the Costanoan or Ohlone Indians who had a village on the coast at Mussel Rock and early pioneers who ranched, raised dairy cows, and provided produce for San Francisco and the country. Find out about the early streetcars, railroads, old schools, hog ranches, and the crash of a WWII blimp.

Museum RenderingAll-Volunteer Organization

The History Guild is an all-volunteer organization that relies on private contributions to renovate and operate the museum building, develop exhibits, archive historical artifacts and documents, and annually present five free public history lectures and publish five editions of our newsletter The Tattler. Become a member of the Guild! Annual household membership is $25 per year. Click here to download the membership application. 

Mail completed application to:
Daly City History Guild & Museum & Archive 
6351 Mission Street
Daly City, CA 94014

Donation of Historical Items

Gifts of photographs and artifacts relating to local history are welcomed for possible museum display, as well as for inclusion in the Guild's archival collection.

Overview Resources

For an overview of Daly City history by Daly City Historians Bunny and Ken Gillespie, visit the library website. Please also visit the official website for the Daly City History Guild Museum & Archive.

Free Lecture Series

Free refreshments - everyone welcome! Lectures are presented in the Merced Room in Pacelli Gym, 145 Lake Merced Boulevard, Daly City. We hope to see you at the museum or at one of our free public lectures!