University Archives

UCLA Provost Clarence Dykstra established the University Archives in 1948 as the official repository for non-current university records.

Historical Background on UCLA
Records in the University Archives date from the late nineteenth century, when UCLA's predecessor was founded. In 1881 the California state legislature authorized the establishment in Los Angeles of a normal school for the education of teachers, which was named the Los Angeles State Normal School shortly after its creation. In 1919 the school became the second campus of the University of California and was renamed the Southern Branch of the University of California. The name was changed in 1927 to the University of California at Los Angeles, and a comma replaced the word at in 1953. The campus has been located in the Westwood area since September 1929, having moved from its previous site on Vermont Avenue near downtown Los Angeles.