As rumored for some time, the National Archives and Records Administration will soon close the Pacific Region office in Laguna Niguel, California. The following is from the NARA Staff Bulletin No. 584, May 2009:
"Moves and upgrades for our regional archives"
by Adrienne C. Thomas,
Acting Archivist of the United States"Laguna Niguel - We are moving out of the massive Chet Holifield Federal office building, which formerly housed both the FRC [Federal Records Center] and the Archives, as well as many other Federal agencies. The Holifield building cannot be renovated to meet standards. In addition, visitorship and usage is low and does not justify the very high rent. Therefore, the archives will rejoin the FRC at its new facility in Riverside, which is about 50 miles from Laguna Niguel. The move is expected to be complete by spring 2010."
Laguna Niguel is 65 miles south of Los Angeles and 70 miles north of San Diego. The office maintained retired records from Federal agencies and courts in Arizona, southern California, and Clark County, Nevada. These records constitute a major resource for the study of Native American history, Naval history, westward migration, Asian immigration, civil rights, and other subjects.
