Tag: history

Nineteenth-century graffitti at Sutter’s Fort uncovered

Fun tidbit in this Bee article today about the facelift at the Central Building at Sutter’s Fort.

Clearing out the historic building has also resulted in some pleasant surprises, [Tim Gellinck, a restoration works specialist]added.

“We always knew that there was historic graffiti from the 1840s up in the attic of the building, but there was so much clutter up there that we couldn’t get to it,” Gellinck said. “Once the clutter was removed and the shingles were taken off, the light exposed quite a bit of graffiti that we didn’t realize was there.”

The crews found one particular inscription reading: “The Industrial Army Camped Here,” that was dated May 4, 1894. The Industrial Army Movement was apparently a roving populist group of unemployed laborers agitating on behalf of workers hurt by the bad economy of the time. #OccupySuttersFort!

Urban Sacramento 1959: West End

This is so awesome, a must watch for fans of the 916. Redevelopment is clearly not a new issue facing our city. Stan Atkinson in the house!

This film spotlights a controversial piece of Sacramento history– a specific period of redevelopment, during the Fall of 1959, as city officials, community leaders and state agencies were deciding how to redevelop a large portion of Sacramento’s central city known as the West End– considered to be among the largest slum areas in California. Most of the film footage and interviews comes from a documentary on urban renewal that aired on KCRA 54 years ago. The original program was produced and reported by Stan Atkinson. This segment written/narrated by Chris Lango. Edited by SteveDavisProduction.com

Sacramento’s Hidden Gems

Old Sacramento Underground from www.historicoldsac.org
Old Sacramento Underground
My son came home recently with information about a tour of “Old Sacramento Underground” which “will provide visitors with a unique glimpse into the massive and dramatic undertaking that took place when the streets were painstakingly raised in the 1860s through the 1870s to protect the city from devastating flooding.”

How have I not done this yet? Perhaps I haven’t lived here long enough, but it sounds very interesting. Has anyone taken this tour? Your thoughts?

Underground tour visitors will have the opportunity to view disappearing windows and doors, dipping alleyways, exposed retaining walls, walk into underground hollow sidewalks and tour historic buildings all while being entertained and educated by tour guides and docents who portray characters true to the period.

Man, sign me up. I enjoy docents any way I can get them.

In addition to this tour, we were asked to come up with other “hidden Sacramento gems” as part of a local history project. Well, who better to answer this question than our very own Sac Rag readers? Comment with your suggestions and I’ll pass them along.

Calling all Sacramento historians

Ok, folks, I’m looking for help settling a bet between a couple of buddies. Years ago there was a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store located at Watt & Fair Oaks next to the Casablanca restaurant. I’m looking for an approximate year that the store closed to become one of many cell phone retailers.

In similar news, I had to let go of my memory that there once was a Leatherby’s in Loehmann’s Plaza where Giovanni’s pizza no resides.

As you were.