The progress of cultural resources management (CRM) in California is best understood with reference to broader contexts: national and regional economic conditions; environmental policy developments; legislation and case law; and evolving perspectives on archaeological goals, methods, and theory. CRM has come a long way since 1966, when salvage archaeology was practiced by bands of dedicated volunteers. The ensuing 25 years have witnessed enhanced legal protection for historic properties, emergence of large-scale CRM programs at all levels of government, dramatic growth of CRM specialization in the private sector, increased funding, and integration of resource management into processes of land-use planning and development. As a result, archaeological porperties are now better managed than they were 25 years ago. Nonetheless, these gains often have been attended by loss of research focus, negligent reporting of findings, and regulatory constraints. A vital challenge is to secure the benefits of CRM without sacrificing the very raison d'être for historic preservation and for archaeology itself.