West Coast Civil War Collectors was created in 1998 in Southern California by a small group of individuals from varied backgrounds and occupations, each of whom shares a common interest in the American Civil War and a passion for collecting its artifacts. The group is informal in nature but serious in purpose and mission: The research, collection and preservation of Civil War relics and ephemera -- and the sharing of these unique artifacts within the Civil War community and the general public. WCCWC members have exhibited items from their individual collections in schools, libraries, state historical sites, Civil War shows, and at Civil War Round Tables. Their collecting interests are diverse and include original weapons, uniforms and accouterments, musical instruments, camp items, photographs, soldier letters and diaries, period artwork, regimental histories, and post-war artifacts.