The city’s original street level can be seen below a section of the K Street Mall in this 2007 photograph. Photo by Lance Armstrong

Editor’s Note: This is part eight in a series about the history of the Sacramento River.

In the last article of this series, longtime Pocket resident Barbara Lagomarsino described how she became interested in the raising of the streets of Sacramento – an undertaking that created the city’s mysterious underground.
Raising the streets was far from a simple endeavor. The board of trustees of Sacramento City supported the raising of the streets and assumed the obligation to provide the necessary materials. In this case, thousands of yards of soil were to be deposited along streets in front of buildings.
Lagomarsino wrote: “Property owners were responsible for readying the length of streets, fronting on their property, for receiving the fill. Dirt was to be deposited along the streets to depths of about 10 feet, and such vast quantities of earth could not be left in heaps.”
The piles of soil would soon become piles of mud.
Continuing, Lagomarsino wrote: “To contain the dirt, each property owner arranged individually to have a brick bulkhead wall built at the edge of the street line in front of his property. The bulkheads extended from the ground up to the established grade, to which leveled dirt would later be piled in the street.”
Many of these brick bulkheads are still visible in Old Sacramento and whenever there is construction in the core downtown area.
The task of the business owner could seem arduous and expensive, but Lagomarsino wrote: “In the autumn of 1866, a bulkhead was built to high grade for only $3 a running foot.”
And while some of the bulkheads have collapsed, many are still standing more than 150 years later.
But the task of raising a building above the bulkheads was never easy.
Lagomarsino recounted the story of the St. George Hotel, which was raised in 1866.
“Two hundred and fifty (jackscrews) were put into place under that job in early August. It was about two weeks before work on the $7,450 contract was begun. By October, the whole job was finished; 160 feet by 76 feet, weighing about 1,900 tons, the building had been raised 8 feet (with very little damage inside and out).”
These massive modifications to the city’s structures also affected the infrastructure. The soil brought in to raise the streets covered fire hydrants and buried water lines beneath several feet of new soil; this made it difficult for the fire department to respond effectively. And if a water line broke, service was interrupted to the entire city.
Lagomarsino wrote, “In October 1865, a water line under newly raised 2nd Street broke.
Without warning, all water in the city was turned off at 5 o’clock in the evening.”
But it was not only underground water pipes that were affected. Because the streets were raised, buildings could not get proper water pressure from the old delivery system. In August 1867, the city water tank had to be raised 5 feet in order to provide enough pressure to carry water as high as four floors.
Lagomarsino’s research revealed that “most businesses were closed during the raising of their buildings. However, not all buildings were vacated while they were being raised.
In 1864, a wooden tenement in the Chinese section of town in (sic) I Street, between 2nd and 3rd (streets) was being raised during gale winds when it toppled over, scattering its occupants as it fell.”
Ultimately, Lagomarsino’s research concluded “such catastrophes were extremely rare. Most buildings were raised without problems and stood solidly afterwards.”
But even in the 19th century, buyers had to beware of nefarious and unscrupulous contractors who could not complete the jobs that they promised they would finish at certain arranged times.
Lagomarsino told the story of a house that was owned by Mary Esqueval on the block bounded by 2nd, 3rd, K and L streets.
Esqueval had arranged for a builder named Joel Johnson to raise her home and make elaborate changes that would significantly upgrade the beauty and condition of the house.
“The whole process was to take two weeks. The total cost was $500 in gold and silver, $100 to be paid when the screws were set, $200 more when the brickwork and sidewalks were finished and the final $200 when the job was completed. Unfortunately, the work was not so craftsmen-like as the agreement suggested it would be. He did not finish the work and she had to hire someone to raise the kitchen as well as to repair damage caused by raising the main house. All doors had to be re-hung; the whole house had to be painted and papered; the roof on the main building had to be fixed; and various other jobs had to be finished. The house settled several inches and developed cracks within a few months after he left the job. Both water and gas pipes were injured. Johnson had obviously not satisfied this customer.”
Shoddy construction was not the only problem with raising Sacramento.
While the responsibility of the city and the property owners was outlined in the raising of the streets and buildings, it was never clearly defined.
For instance, the sidewalks became the responsibility of the individual property owner. Hence, the completion of sidewalks at building level was very inconsistent.
In some cases, the sidewalks were not completed and a gapping hole existed in front of the building.
In other cases, the sidewalks were completed to street level, but the buildings had not yet been raised.
Lagomarsino wrote: “Under the best of conditions, a walk through Sacramento’s rising downtown area could be a hazardous up and down affair, especially at night. Among complaints, made editorially by local papers about dangerous sidewalks during the years of raising was one when a man fell 12 feet off a sidewalk to a vacant lot below. Another one, a man fell off a raised sidewalk onto an unraised street, and another when a man, ‘said to be perfectly sober’ following a sidewalk under construction, walked off the end of it and fell 9 or 10 feet onto the sidewalk below.”
All of this integrated construction to raise the city in order to achieve flood protection took several years and during those years, the streets were a perilous obstacle course for pedestrians and horse-drawn vehicles. Even today, the dangers of Sacramento’s underground are still visible even if the surface barriers have been gone for more than 150 years.
By 1873, the grading, raising and reconstruction was finished.
The lives of the citizenry and businesses had been disrupted for a decade. But was it worth it to the residents of Sacramento?
The answer may be found in the fact that Sacramento has not experienced any of the devastating floods that were common before the raising of the city and the creation of the underground.
The indomitable city once again displayed its courage, creativity and cooperation in the face of natural disaster.
But is the big flood still coming? The next article of this series will address the ultimate conclusion of the threat from hydraulic mining, some dangers that threatened severe damaged, the introduction of more modern mechanisms for flood control and the efforts of citizens and government agencies to partner in the control of rising waters.
Evidence of the Sacramento underground is still visible in many places and the Sacramento History Museum at 101 I St. in Old Sacramento now offers guided tours of some areas of the abandoned lower city.
Tickets are currently on sale on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and tours leave every half hour. Beginning June 1, tours will be offered daily.
The costs of the tours are $15/adults and $10/youth, 6 to 17 years old.
For additional information regarding these tours, call (916) 808-7059.

The original street level of downtown Sacramento can be seen at the old Fulton’s Prime Rib Restaurant site at 906 2nd St. in Old Sacramento. Photo by Lance Armstrong

Editor’s Note: This is part six in a series about the history of the Sacramento River.

Within a quarter century of its founding, flooding had become the bane of Sacramento. It was a city born out of convenience rather than vision.
From 1839 to 1849, the area was known as “Sutter’s Embarcadero.”
According to local historian Barbara Lagomarsino’s essay, entitled “Sacramento on the Rise,” “A man named McVickar proposed around this time (1848) to build a grogshop right on the river bank – but in the limbs of a sycamore tree, about twenty feet up” and that “access was to be by ladder or canoe, whichever circumstances preferred.”
Sacramento City, as Sacramento was known during its earliest years, was founded by John A. Sutter, Jr., who despite his father’s wishes, established the town at the confluence of the two rivers, instead of on higher ground.
The more visionary John Sutter, Sr. had already planned a city, complete with engineered docks and canals in the more appropriate location of the current William Land Park area.
But the selected location of Sacramento City offered a sandbar that precluded the need for docks and piers. It also left the new city vulnerable to seasonal inundations.
The building of levees, the filling of creeks and the rechanneling of watercourses only set the stage for one of the most ambitious flood control efforts ever attempted.
The indomitable city now had the indomitable task of literally raising its streets above the level of serious flooding.
This endeavor would take time, money and a cooperative effort of paramount proportions.
Since prehistoric times, humans recognized that erecting their housing upon stilts could provide protection from rising waters.
But the concept of raising a large section of the city, including businesses that required walk-up traffic, was a challenge of unparalleled proportions.
The project began simply enough as businesses raised their buildings to protect their valuable merchandise.
The problem then became that a city built upon banks of mud was without sidewalks. And customers, during the muddy winter months and the searing heat of summer, had to trudge up flights of stairs just to reach entrances.
A solution was required that could accommodate customers and protect inventory and citizens from floods.
Stilts solved the problem of protecting the businesses from floods, but one still required a boat to go shopping during the rainy seasons.
The stilts were an insipient beginning, but the ultimate salvation was found in raising the city streets as much as about 15 feet and abandoning the first floor entrances in the business district.
Essentially, Sacramento was to become a city built upon a city.
In addition to stilts, in the 1850s, some street levels were modestly and independently raised on a business to business basis.
But it took the flood of 1861-62 for the citizenry to come to the conclusion that a massive street raising, fortification of buildings and a reconstruction of the sewer system was necessary.
The optimum level to which the streets would have to be raised for protection from flooding equal to the great flood of 1861-62 was referred to as “high grade.” This level varied from a few feet on the edges of the flood prone area to as much as 15 feet in the central business district.
According to an article, entitled “The Uptown Underground,” in the February 1998 issue of Comstock’s magazine, a March 18, 1862 vote determined that the grade level of J Street would be raised two feet above the high-water mark. The motion passed with only two dissenting votes.
And in Lagomarsino’s aforementioned article, she wrote: “Finally, in February 1863, the supervisors passed an ordinance establishing the official street grades of Sacramento’s business district well above all previous high-water marks. This monumental endeavor required a public/private cooperative effort of unprecedented magnitude for the young city.”
In the July 18, 1969 edition of The Sacramento Union, historian Ted Baggelman, in an article regarding the development of the K Street Mall, referred to the 1860s cooperative effort, as follows: “The city pledged to fill in between the bulkheads to the necessary level, pave the street, and construct curbs. The merchants obligated themselves to pay the construction costs for the portion of the eight foot bulkhead in front of his establishment, and bear the costs of raising or altering his building and restoring the sidewalk at the new street level.”
The impact and effect of raising the city’s streets was much more complex than simply hauling in soil and tamping it. It became a complex integration of altering buildings and the water and sewer systems, paving streets, and building sidewalks.
On Jan. 1, 1867, The Union published an article regarding this redevelopment.
It was noted in the article that some streets “have been raised to the ‘high grade’ on the level with the embankments on the waterfront, which necessitates building of bulkheads and raising or reconstructing buildings; and in many cases old buildings have been torn down and new ones built to correspond with the improvements around them.”
The article also mentioned that “the Pacific Railroad Company have (sic) also entered upon the work of filling up Sutter Slough, north of I Street, and grading the ground from First Street to Sixth (Street), for the purpose of erecting thereon buildings for machine shops, car manufactories, etc.” These are the same buildings in the “railyards” area that the city and state are preserving and developing as part of the California State Railroad Museum.
Building owners were forced to decide whether their structures were worth saving or how they could be adapted.
Baggelman considered the owners’ consternation, as he wrote: “Pity the poor merchant who had to move his store up to the second floor, which then became the first floor; or worse yet, the property owner who decided to have his building raised (to the new level), which, at one inch a day took four months to reach the required eight feet.”
An apparatus known as a “jackscrew” was the preferred method of raising buildings, and it was not always an easy or successful endeavor.
In Lagomarsino’s article, she mentioned a raised tenement structure that was on jackscrews in the Chinese section of town, and notes that it collapsed during high winds in 1864.
She also referred to an annex of the Union Hotel, which was located on 2nd Street, between J and K streets, as follows: “(The annex was) perched on dozens of jackscrews, eight feet above the ground, waiting for a new foundation. Before that could be supplied, however, in the middle of the night, most of the building collapsed, leaving a jumble of furniture, bricks and fixtures piled around the jackscrews.”
Fortunately, most of the buildings were raised without incident; although, the process could be expensive when performed by professionals.

The Sacramento River waterfront is shown in this 1907 photograph, three years following a major flood that covered about 10,000 acres in the Riverside-Pocket area. Photo courtesy of the Lance Armstrong Collection

Editor’s Note: This is part two in a series about the history of the Sacramento River.

Despite its many benefits, the Sacramento River – as well as the American River – has undoubtedly been a continuous threat to local residents since the founding of Sacramento City.
But as presented in the first article of this series, local flooding did not suddenly begin with the idea of establishing a city somewhere within the boundaries of today’s Sacramento.
One of the city’s most notable floods, the 1852-53 flood, included a rise in the Sacramento River that resulted in the water level, on New Years Day 1853, being 22 feet above the low water mark and two feet higher than the great flood of 1850.
An article published in The Sacramento Union on Monday, Jan. 10, 1853 noted that due to “very severe” and “unremitting” rains during the previous Thursday and Friday, the levels of the rivers were once again raised.
The same article described the inundation of the city at that time, as follows: “It did not come up to the mark which it attained on New Year’s Day; however, by several feet. On I Street, it reaches along the depressed ground, between 7th (Street) and the base of (today’s Cesar Chavez) Plaza, but no further down. On J (Street), it extends to 4th (Street), and unfortunate (sic), K (Street) is, as usual, pretty well submerged. The movement of small boats are (sic) confined entirely to J (Street), above 5th (Street), and from that around into K (Street) and the low ground back of and below the business part of the city.”
The area referred to in this article included all of what is known today as Old Sacramento and the site of the present day Interstate 5, including the area commonly referred to as the “boat section.”
The citizens of Sacramento City battled many hardships during the early years of the city, as the area was not only afflicted by floods and fires, but also by the tragic Squatter Riots of August 1850 and a cholera epidemic that took the lives of many locals in October and November of the same year.
The riots, which claimed the lives of several people, including Joseph McKinney, Sacramento County’s first sheriff, occurred as a result of disputes regarding land that the Sutters owned, sold or gifted.
According to the 1880 book, “History of Sacramento County, California,” cholera was brought to Sacramento from San Francisco on Oct. 20, 1850.
It was reported in the 1890 book, “An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California,” that at some point during the disease’s approximate 20 days of terror in Sacramento, the average daily mortality figure in the city reached about 60.
This number was likely higher, considering that the same book noted that many deaths were concealed and unreported.
Sutter’s Fort, once the center of trade and commerce for the region, became a hospital to house the suffering cholera patients away from the city proper, which was built along the waterfront.
Despite the suffering that many local citizens endured during the city’s first decade, one of Sacramento’s greatest disasters was still yet to come.
On Dec. 9, 1861, a heavy storm resulted in most of the city becoming saturated with floodwaters, as people frantically took refuge to higher ground.
An article in the May 24, 1866 edition of The Union recounted the magnitude of this particular winter’s flooding and noted that on Jan. 10, 1862, “there were few citizens of Sacramento, however tall, who could have stood on J Street – the Broadway or Montgomery Street of the capital – and held their chins much above the overflowing and irresistible flood, which had broken upon the city.”
A further indication of the magnitude of that flood is presented in the 1913 book, “History of Sacramento County, California.”
The reference reads: “Judging from the tales of the pioneers, the flood in the winter of 1862 must have covered not only the river bottoms, but also a large portion of what is familiarly known as ‘the plains,’ for the writer has heard old settlers tell of transporting their provisions and other merchandise from Sacramento during that winter on flatboats or barges almost to the then-town of Elk Grove. An idea of the immense volume of water that found its way to the sea on that occasion may be gained from the fact that it not only covered the great tule basin of Yolo County, but also a large portion of the plains east and south of the city to a width of many miles.”
Some journals written at that time chronicled the flood of January 1862 as turning California’s Great Central Valley into a lake 300 miles long and 40 miles wide.
The immense flood led to the city taking action to re-channel the rivers.
This action, which did not occur until 1868, will be further detailed in this series.
One other large flood occurred in the Sacramento area in the 19th century.
That flood began near the Lovdal ranch, just below the city, on the morning of Feb. 1, 1878 and within the city, it eventually reached as far as 6th and R streets.
Furthermore, as a result of the 1878 flood, the road to the city cemetery at today’s Broadway at 10th Street became impassable.
An article in The Union’s Feb. 7, 1878 edition revealed that a positive note occurred in the town of Courtland as a result of this flood.
It was mentioned in the article that the inundation in the Sacramento area was so great that it caused the river’s level below the city – at Courtland – to be lowered by four inches.
But on a negative side, Courtland’s grain crops were lost as that area’s lowlands were still underwater by April 10, 1878, the day that the floodwaters were determined to be no longer a threat to the city of Sacramento.
Also causing a negative impact in the 19th century was the fact that the continuous flooding in the area resulted in rapid changes that made the waterway hazardous for navigation, leading to many shipwrecks that plagued sailors, merchants and the city’s residents.
As mentioned in part one of this series, the Riverside-Pocket area was also inundated with floodwaters in February 1904.
This flood began at the sharp turn of the Sacramento River, near what is today the intersection of Riverside Boulevard and Sutterville Road.
The San Francisco Call noted two days after the incident that the floodwaters covered about 10,000 acres of “the richest land in the state.”
The profound words of a survivor of tragedies in the early years of Sacramento were presented in the 1913 county history book, as follows: “What with floods and fires, insurrection and the plague, the very stars seemed to fight against Sacramento in her infancy, and the foundation of her latter prosperity was laid upon the ashes of her pioneers.”
In regard to the great flood of 1861-62, which was the last flood to invade the city’s business district, it was noted in the 1913 county history book that since the time of that flood, the settlers had learned the lesson that safety could be found “in high and wide levees, properly constructed to withstand the wind and water.”
But it was also noted in the same book that “after the flood of 1862, it became evident to the businessmen of the city that it was unsafe to depend entirely on the levees.”

Wondering where to pick a great pumpkin or what’s going on for Halloween? We’ve got you covered with some great ideas!

Get Pickin’!
Whether you’re looking for the perfect pumpkin for jack-o-lantern carving, or hoping to catch a glimpse of Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin, the good news is there’s lots of options close to home to take the family and get in the Halloween spirit!

For instance, little ones can get out and pick their own pumpkin at the pumpkin patch at Fair Oaks Boulevard Nursery on the weekends until October 28 from 11am-3pm. According to Owner Debbie Woodruff there’s also face painting, a straw bale maze, haunted house, and photo opportunities. They’ve also invited local food trucks El Chacuaco Tacos & Burritos and Papadales Food Diner to add to the experience.

“It’s just us having fun in the neighborhood,” Woodruff says. “We’re just bringing the urban feel for a pumpkin fall gathering here.”

Over in West Sacramento, Dave’s Pumpkin Patch offers five acres of pick-your-own pumpkins, as well as the Cornival, which features a number of attractions from farm animals to the Pumpkin Princess Castle to the huge Jumping Pillow, says Manager Andee Solis.

“We’ve been here for over 25 years and each year we just get bigger and better, so we’re pretty excited – this year is going to be one of our biggest yet,” Solis adds.

And in South Sacramento, visitors to Roemer Pumpkin Patch get to take a hayride to its eight acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Owner Dan Roemer says the patch features a variety of pumpkin sizes, with the largest weighing in 100 pounds. The patch also features photo opportunities, a picnic area, and a five acre corn maze.

“It’s a clean, safe, wholesome environment when they come out here,” Roemer adds. “Just come out, enjoy yourself, pick a pumpkin and spend a couple of hours in a stress-free environment.”

Here’s a look at just a few of the pumpkin patches in the Sacramento region. Editor’s note: As hours and details may have changed after press time, please make sure to call and confirm the following information before visiting. Please note most pumpkin patches close for the season on or before October 31.

Earlier this month, a local farmers market held a pumpkin painting event. / Photos by Bill Condray

Bastiano Farms Goblin Gardens Pumpkin Patch
3845 El Centro Road, Sacramento
916-925-2496
bastiaofarmsgoblingardens.com
Monday-Sunday, 10am-7pm

Dave’s Pumpkin Patch
3010 Burrows Ave., West Sacramento
916-849-9450
www.vierrafarms.com
Sunday-Thursday, 10am-dusk; Friday-Saturday, 10am-9pm (Haunted Maze open until midnight)

Fair Oaks Boulevard Nursery
4681 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento
916-483-1830
fairoaksblvdnursery.com
Weekends in October from 11am-3pm

Keema’s Pumpkin Farm
6532 Point Pleasant Road, Elk Grove
916-684-2334
Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-sundown

Roemer Pumpkin Patch
6851 Hedge Ave., Sacramento
916-381-4331
www.roemerpumpkinpatch.com
Tuesday-Friday, 2-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, 9am-5pm

Uncle Ray’s Pumpkin Patch
19376 Old River Road, West Sacramento
916-997-8573
www.unclerayspumpkinpatch.com
Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-6pm

Dia De Los Muertos/”Souls of the City”
In honor of “Day of the Dead” activities celebrated each year in Mexico and in major cities around the world, Sol Collective and the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation have teamed up to present a series of Dia De Los Muertos/“Souls of the City” events and activities in Old Sacramento that take place throughout October and culminate on November 2-3.

A schedule of the special workshops–free with Museum admission–and activities is as follows:
Papel Picado & Paper Flowers Workshop – 10/6 at Sacramento History Museum (11am-2pm)
Calavera Masks & Pinatas Workshop – 10/13 at Sacramento History Museum (11am-2pm)
Decorate Frames & Candles Workshop – 10/20 at Sacramento History Museum (11am-2pm)
Honoring Our Past Event* – 10/25 at Sacramento History Museum (6-8pm)
“Souls of the City” Pop Up at Panteon De Sacramento Event – 10/27 at La Raza Galeria Posada (11am-11pm)

Then on Friday, November 2, from 8pm to midnight, the community is invited to a free Traditional Altar & Velacion Ceremony and large-scale Altar Installation at Waterfront Park in Old Sacramento. And on Saturday, November 3, a final evening of free Dia De Los Muertos or “Souls of the City” celebratory activities will take place throughout the Old Sacramento beginning at 4pm that include family-friendly fun such as face painting, a pop-up photo booth and traditional music, with festivities concluding at 6pm with a traditional Procession and not-to-be-missed Azteca Dance performances.
For more information visit  www.historicoldsac.org or www.solcollective.org.

Scarecrow Festival & Parade
Denio’s Farmers Market and Swap Meet in Roseville is inviting the entire community to join in the first “Denio’s Scarecrow Festival & Parade” on Saturday, October 20 from 10am-3pm. The day will feature a variety of activities for the entire family including pumpkin and treat bag decorating, kids carnival area, handmade treats, craft vendors, costume parade, live scarecrow auction and Trick or Treating within the scarecrow area.
Participants are invited to enter the scarecrow contest to help neighborhood schools and win fantastic prizes. All scarecrows will be available for viewing in the Denio’s Scarecrow Arena throughout the event and will be judged by popular vote from festival visitors. Cash awards will be handed out to the top two scarecrows and a third will receive a special Denio’s Choice Award. The costume parade will also have winners for the most creative and fun costumes.

An entry form and additional information about the Scarecrow Festival & Parade can be found at DeniosMarket.com.

corrie@valcomnews.com

Union Pacific – Building America for 150 Years! Event Includes:
•     Tours of the cab of legendary steam locomotive No. 844
•     An up close look of Union Pacific’s newest experimental locomotive, UP 9900
•     Board the traveling museum car to see 150 years of Union Pacific history
•     Excursion train rides
•     Entrance into the Railroad Museum and Sacramento History Museum
ROSEVILLE, Calif., September 13, 2012 – Union Pacific Railroad will continue its year-long 150TH anniversary celebration with a huge, two-day signature event in Old Sacramento September 29-30 that will include free excursion train rides and free entrance into both the California State Railroad Museum and Sacramento History Museum. The community celebration will commemorate 150 years since President Abraham Lincoln created the original Union Pacific by signing the Pacific Railway Act of July 1, 1862. In partnership with California State Parks, the Union Pacific – Building America for 150 Years! celebration will be the most elaborate event staged in the Western United States as part of Union Pacific’s sesquicentennial year to be held at the California State Railroad Museum.

“Union Pacific’s 150TH anniversary gives us a special chance to celebrate our historic past with the communities that are important to our future,” said Scott Moore, Union Pacific vice president, public affairs – Western Region. “We are proud to celebrate 150 years of innovation and building America with a signature event in Old Sacramento, which has a fascinating past rich in the history and heritage of the West.”

Saturday morning at 10 a.m., the public is invited to join Union Pacific Railroad, California State Parks and state and city officials to a special kick-off event outside the California State Railroad Museum. At the opening festivities, which are sure to delight railroad and history enthusiasts from near and far, Sacramento officials plan to honor Union Pacific’s 150th anniversary, and the railroad will proclaim the Sacramento community an official Train Town USA. The first 500 people to arrive at 9:30 in advance of the kick-off presentation will receive a limited-edition 150th Anniversary pin from Union Pacific.

In addition to live music, entertainment and period-appropriate performances happening in various locations throughout Old Sacramento State Historic Park, a variety of locomotives and other equipment will be on special display during the two-day Union Pacific – Building America for 150 Years! event in Old Sacramento, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Event highlights will include:

•     The chance for visitors to see the inside of the engineer’s cab of the crowd-favorite steam locomotive No. 844 known as the “Living Legend.”
•     The public’s first opportunity to see the experimental locomotive UP 9900 equipped with the very latest emissions-reducing technology that provides a glimpse into the future of railroading.
•     The popular 1960‘s vintage Promontory baggage car that has been retrofitted into a state-of-the-art traveling museum.
•     History-rich passenger cars and equipment.
•     Modern UP police and maintenance vehicles.
•     Free train rides on Union Pacific’s popular miniature train, UP 956.
•     Free weekend excursion train rides on the Sacramento Southern Railroad (based on availability). For visitors interested in a luxury train ride experience along the Sacramento River, train rides aboard the first-class El Dorado are available for $15 per person (ages five and under ride free) and can be booked online in advance at www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org.
•     Free entrance to the California State Railroad Museum, widely recognized as North America’s most popular train museum, and access to a special exhibit launching that weekend highlighting the legacy of the transcontinental railroad.
•     Free entrance to the Sacramento History Museum, a popular destination that offers visitors a chance to explore the region’s rich history from the days before the Gold Rush to the present.
More information about Union Pacific Railroad, the series of special events or the Union Pacific – Building America for 150 Years! celebration is available at www.up150.com and www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org.

About Union Pacific
It was 150 years ago that Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act of July 1, 1862, creating the original Union Pacific. One of America’s iconic companies, today, Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP), linking 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail and providing freight solutions and logistics expertise to the global supply chain. From 2000 through 2011, Union Pacific spent more than $31 billion on its network and operations, making needed investments in America’s infrastructure and enhancing its ability to provide safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible freight transportation. Union Pacific’s diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Energy, Industrial Products and Intermodal. The railroad serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers and emphasizes excellent customer service. Union Pacific operates competitive routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada’s rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways.

Like many shelters and rescue groups across the State of California, the City of Sacramento’s Front Street Shelter is brimming with cats available for adoption.  In an effort to clear kennels and refrain from euthanizing healthy adoptable cats, the 99 Cent promotion will run through Sept. 1.  Cats and kittens in every shape, color and age are available to good homes.  Each cat will go home fixed, vaccinated, micro-chipped and wearing a lovely collar and ID tag.  A bag of starter food is provided as well. Cats that will reside within the city limits of Sacramento will also receive a free license.
More than 5,000 cats arrive at the Front Street Shelter each year, with a very small percentage redeemed by their original owners. To save more lives, promotional events not only improve shelter pet adoption, but also help market the myriad of other wonderful pets available in the shelter according to the shelter staff..  There are plenty of potential homes in the region, it is our hope that the promotion will encourage more people to consider shelter pet adoption in lieu of buying pets from breeders or pet stores.
The shelter is located at 2127 Front Street, just north of Broadway and south of Old Sacramento.

In today’s world of advanced communication technology, news can still travel slowly.
For instance, many longtime Arden and Carmichael residents would have trouble guessing the obvious newsworthy answer to the question: “What do the Coral Reef, the Palomino Room, Ken’s Red Barn and Buggy Whip all have in common?”
A quick answer would be that these are names of popular restaurants that have operated at various times in the north area of the city.
Although this answer is true, the newsworthy answer is these are all north area restaurants that are no longer in operation.
Certainly many years have passed since the Coral Reef at 2795 Fulton Ave., the Palomino Room at 3405 El Camino Ave. and Ken’s Red Barn at 500 Fulton Ave. were serving their customers.
But still, there are very many residents of the area who remain unaware that Buggy Whip, at 2737 Fulton Ave., ceased operation on May 8 after more than 52 years in business.
Arden-area resident Cindy Simmons, for instance, said that she was surprised to hear that Buggy Whip closed three months ago.
“I had no idea (Buggy Whip) closed,” said Cindy, who has been an occasional patron of the restaurant since the mid-1960s. “I got married (to Doug Simmons) in 1966 and we probably went there three or four times a year and we would go with other people. We would always get the same thing – the prime rib. It was a wonderful meal with the soup and salad and the whole nine yards. You could always count on a good meal at an appropriate price. We never had a bad meal there. It was always very positive. I’m really sad that they needed to close. I hope they find a way to open again.”
Fortunately for Cindy and other locals who have enjoyed dining at Buggy Whip at various times during this eating establishment’s longtime existence, some very positive news may be on its way.

Good news?
“I am edging toward the idea of reopening the restaurant,” said Larry LeSieur, who took over ownership of the restaurant in 1980 following the death of his father, Aaron LeSieur, who opened the restaurant in 1959.
But of course, many people are still left wondering why the restaurant closed in the first place.
With a quick view inside Buggy Whip’s windows, the old eatery’s tables remain set like a place that has been closed for several hours, as opposed to the past 90 days.
On one of these windows and on a glass panel on the front door are signs, which read: “Remodeling: Closed for repairs. Thank you.”
As of the publishing of this article, no recent remodeling had occurred and the restaurant building sat awaiting its unknown future.

Setting the record straight
When presented with the opportunity to share details about his landmark restaurant with readers of this publication, Larry LeSieur, 65, was eager to set the record straight.
“What really happened was (Buggy Whip) was a union restaurant for 50 years,” he said. “I talked to the union (representative). I had to sign a new contract, and I said, ‘Hey, listen, we’re going through the toughest times.’ You can’t have a mom and pop (union) restaurant. We’re the only one left, except for The Firehouse (in Old Sacramento), in all of Sacramento. And the reason we were union is because 50 years ago, everybody was union. You can’t be in the union. So, anyway, I said, ‘I can’t pay benefits. There’s no way. You can’t have health, welfare and pay these three-week vacations. You can’t do that.’ Most (employees) were only kind of part-time, too. They wouldn’t even work 40 hours (per week). So, basically, I said, ‘I can’t sign (the contract),’ and I didn’t sign it. But I didn’t get out right.”
LeSieur said that a year and a half later, the union representative who had worked with him had left his job, and LeSieur was then approached by a different union representative who told him his contract was still valid.
Eventually, however, LeSieur was sued and the restaurant was later closed.

The lawsuit
“When you get out of a contract, you have to do certain procedures, which I didn’t do,” LeSieur said. “So, they had me red handed. So, what they do is get a judgment against you. The judgment was $60,000 or $90,000. But then they said, ‘Hey, listen, we’ll let you pay $30,000, but you’ll have to sign a new contract with us.’ I said, ‘Either way, I can’t pay the $30,000, but let’s just say I would pay the $30,000, the problem is I can’t sign a new contract going forward, because I can’t make any money.’ You can’t have health and welfare benefits for a small, little mom and pop restaurant. So, I filed and that’s how I ended up in Chapter 11. And some mistakes were made and now it’s into liquidation. Otherwise, I would still be open today.”
Regarding his financial situation with the restaurant, LeSieur said he paid off most of the IRS debt, but he still owes the state board and the Education Development Department a small amount.
“It’s a lot of money, but it’s not a lot of money,” he said. “I would have to make those whole and then go back in, but the liquidation would take care of those things.”

To reopen or not to reopen
LeSieur said that if he reopens his restaurant, it would likely reappear with a slightly different name change. He said that the place would probably become known as “The Buggy Whip” – a name so subtlety different that many people would never notice that the name had been changed.
Although he does not like the idea of keeping many of his former customers in limbo, LeSieur said that he needs some time to determine what he wants his future to be in the local restaurant industry.
“The update is I’m just not quite sure what I’m going to do,” he said.

Lance@valcomnews.com

Union Pacific Railroad will continue its year-long 150th anniversary celebration with a two-day signature event in Old Sacramento Sept. 29-30.
The free event will commemorate 150 years since President Abraham Lincoln created the original Union Pacific by signing the Pacific Railway Act of July 1, 1862.
In partnership with California State Parks, the “Union Pacific – Building America for 150 Years!” celebration will be the most elaborate event staged in the Western United States as part of Union Pacific’s sesquicentennial year to be held at the California State Railroad Museum.
“Union Pacific’s 150th anniversary gives us a special chance to celebrate our historic past with the communities that are most important to our future,” said Scott Moore, Union Pacific vice president, public affairs – Western Region, in a statement. “We are proud to celebrate 150 years of innovation and building America with a signature event in Old Sacramento with its fascinating past rich in the history and heritage of the West.”
A variety of locomotives and other equipment will be on special display during the two-day event in Old Sacramento, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
More information about Union Pacific Railroad, the series of special events or the “Union Pacific – Building America for 150 Years!” celebration is available at www.up150.com and www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org.

Highlights of the “Union Pacific – Building America for 150 Years!” celebration will include:
- The chance for visitors to see the inside of the engineer’s cab of the legendary steam locomotive No. 844.
- The 1960s vintage Promontory baggage car that has been retrofitted into a state-of-the-art traveling museum.
- History-rich passenger cars and equipment.
- Modern UP police and maintenance vehicles.
- A recently launched UP locomotive that reduces emissions and provides a glimpse into the future of railroading.
- Train rides on Union Pacific’s popular miniature train, UP 956.
- Free weekend excursion train rides on the Sacramento Southern Railroad (based on availability).
- Complimentary entrance all weekend long to the California State Railroad Museum, widely recognized as North America’s most popular train museum.

RR-Museum-Photo-01

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Railroad History Museum was held on April 21, 1978. The structure was opened to the public for the first time on May 2, 1981. / Photo courtesy, California State Railroad Museum

A favorite among locals and tourists from throughout the world, the California State Railroad Museum is undoubtedly a king of railroad museums.

Widely regarded as North America’s finest and most-visited railroad museum, Sacramento’s railroad museum predates the arrival of the NBA team that won the hearts of people throughout the region after it was relocated from Kansas City, Mo. in 1985.

But unlike the local professional basketball team that with the exception of a few years failed to place an overall winning combination on the floor, the railroad museum has yet to experience a losing season on its home floor.

Whether the Kings won or loss, their popularity remained strong, thus earning Sacramento Kings fans recognition as “the best fans in the NBA.”

Fortunately for the railroad museum, however, there are no restrictions regarding its continued operation in a building that is actually older than the former Arco Arena/now Power Balance Pavilion – an outdated building by NBA standards – at 1 Sports Parkway in the Natomas area of the city.

One of the premier locomotives displayed at the museum is the former Central Pacific and Southern Pacific locomotive, C.P. Huntington. / Photo courtesy, California State Railroad Museum

Instead, various upgrades to the three-story, 100,000-square-foot, brick museum building at 111 I St. in Old Sacramento has allowed the museum to continuously thrive as a very acceptable venue, which receives more than 500,000 visitors per year.

The success of the museum has placed it in a position to celebrate a pair of notable anniversaries this year.

The first of these anniversaries will occur on May 2 with the 30th anniversary of the public opening of the aforementioned brick museum structure – the primary exhibit building, which is known as the Museum of Railroad History.

And as the community celebrates the nation’s 235th birthday this July 4, this year’s Independence Day will also mark 35 years since the opening of the reconstruction of the 1867 Central Pacific Railroad passenger station at the northwest corner of Front and J streets.

Although many people solely think of the aforementioned brick museum structure when it comes to thinking about railroad-related attractions in Old Sacramento, this building is actually only one of several structures, which Paul Hammond, the museum’s director, collectively refers to as the “museum campus.”

The “campus” or complex includes six buildings that were completed at a cost of $30 million.

In addition to the reconstructed Central Pacific Railroad passenger station and the Museum of Railroad History, the complex of buildings, which are all located in the same general vicinity, near the river in Old Sacramento, include the Central Pacific Railroad freight depot, the “Big Four Building,” the Dingley Spice Mill Building and the 1849 Eagle Theatre.

Herbert Yee, a 58-year resident of South Land Park and the oldest member of the railroad museum’s board, said that Sacramento is very fortunate to have such a fine railroad museum.

The reconstructed Central Pacific Railroad passenger station, which is located at the northwest corner of Front and J streets, will turn 35 years old on July 4. / Photo courtesy, California State Railroad Museum

“It’s great that we have the (railroad) museum here,” said Yee, whose great-grandfather Yee Fung Jeong came to the United States in 1851. “It’s the greatest attraction in Sacramento and it is a (fitting) place for the museum, actually, because it is symbolic, because (Sacramento) was the (western) hub of the (first) Transcontinental Railroad.”

The idea to construct a railroad museum in the capital city dates back to mid-1969, when a decision was made to develop the museum complex as part of the Old Sacramento State Historic Park.

An important step in the creation of the museum, as well as the success of Old Sacramento, was referred to in the June 23, 1974 edition of The Sacramento Bee as follows: “Voter approval early this month of Proposition 1, the state bond issue, assured enough money to complete the railroad museum. But more importantly, it probably assured the success of Old Sacramento, a project which has lagged for several years, but has the potential of becoming Sacramento’s biggest tourist magnet.”

Old Sacramento with its railroad museum undoubtedly evolved into a must-see destination for visitors of the capital city.

Assisting in the recognition and popularity of the museum were its three Railfair events, which featured operating railroad equipment, interpretive exhibits and large, theatrical railroad productions.

Similar to the NBA’s use of one of its former players, Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West, for its logo, the Railroad Museum logo features one of the museum’s own stars, C.P. Huntington, a locomotive built for the Central Pacific Railroad in 1863. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

The first of these events occurred with the 1981 opening of the Museum of Railroad History.

Although no specific date is set for the next Railfair, the event is scheduled to be held in celebration of the opening of the Railroad Technology Museum, which will open in the historic Southern Pacific rail yard, north of I Street, as early as 2020.

Visitors of the 30-year-old railroad museum can view such historic, restored railroad equipment as Gov. Stanford, Central Pacific’s first locomotive, C.P. Huntington, the former Central Pacific locomotive that became the No. 1 engine of the Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Cab Forward No. 4294, the first California cab-forward or cab-ahead designed engine, and Fruit Growers Express Company Refrigerator Car No. 35832.

Currently at the site of the latter mentioned railroad relic is the popular “Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art and the California Dream” exhibit, which showcases more than 80 detailed and colorful, vintage fruit crate labels. The exhibit, which also includes “kid-friendly,” interactive features, continues through March 30, 2012.

It is recommended that visitors of this family-oriented museum reserve about two hours of their time to view the museum’s trains and exhibits.

In addition to his dedicated work for the museum, Hammond follows the progress of the city, as well as details about the Kings probable departure to Anaheim.

And although the capital city will likely be losing the Kings, Hammond said that Sacramento will remain a “unique city” with many offerings and a great heritage.

“I have to admit, I’m not a sports fan, but that doesn’t influence my decision to worry about the Kings,” Hammond said. “I prefer they don’t go, just because they’re one of those icon things for the city. But this city has got plenty of things going for it and the incredible heritage is a big part of it.”

The California State Railroad Museum’s two-story, 100,000-square-foot Railroad History Museum building at 111 I St. will enter its third decade of operation on May 2. / Photo courtesy, Dave Henry

And fortunately for Sacramento, a major part of that heritage is celebrated in Old Sacramento at the California State Railroad Museum.

The museum is open daily, excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is $9/adults, $4/youth, ages 6 to 17 years old, and free/children, 5 years old or younger.

For additional information regarding the museum, call (916) 445-7387 (Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), (916) 445-6645 (24-hour recorded information) or visit the Web site www.csrmf.org.

The Aerospace Museum of California will be among 26 museums that will open their doors to the public for the 13th annual free Museum Day on Feb. 5. / Photo courtesy

The free museum day is just that: a day to enjoy free admission to the many museums in Sacramento and throughout the region. This year’s event is presented by the Sacramento Association of Museums (SAM) and is sponsored by Umpqua Bank. Over 85,000 people participated in last year’s free Museum Day.

Museums are nonprofit and educational institutions that make a unique contribution to the community by interpreting and preserving the things of this world, according to the California Museum Association.

There is a museum for every taste and interest. There are art and natural history museums, science and technology centers, historical societies and museums, botanical gardens, zoos, children’s museums and much more.

“With an expanded and energized focus on the arts, culture and museum offerings in the Sacramento region, this is an exciting time to explore the rich experiences available at a wide variety of local museums,” said Paul Hammond, Sacramento Association of Museums chairman. “Sacramento Museum Day offers the perfect opportunity for everyone to visit a museum they haven’t been before – or return to an old favorite – to gain a new appreciation for or a fresh perspective about our region, our state, and our world.”

Event coordinators recommend planning ahead, and to limit the day to two or three different museums on the day of the event in order to allow adequate time to enjoy the experience. Free shuttles will operate throughout the day with stopping points located adjacent to many—but not all—participating museums. The California Museum, at 10th and O streets, serves as the central transfer point for shuttle routes in operation during Sacramento Museum Day. Volunteer “step-on” tour guides will be on-board to assist riders and narrate the route, courtesy of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Participating museums this year include: Aerospace Museum of California , the California Automobile Museum , the California Foundry History Museum , the California State Military Museum, the California State Capitol Museum, The California Museum, the California State Indian Museum, the California State Railroad Museum, the Crocker Art Museum, the Discovery Museum Science and Space Center, the Don & June Salvatori California Pharmacy Museum, Fairytale Town, the Folsom History Museum, the Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park, the Heidrick Ag History Center in Woodland, the Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park, the Museum of Medical History, the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum, Old Sacramento State Historic Park, the Sacramento Zoo, the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, the Sacramento History Museum, the Sojourner Truth Multicultural Arts Museum, Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park, the Wells Fargo History Museum on Capitol Mall and the Wells Fargo History Museum in Old Sacramento.

Detailed information about participating museums, suggested parking, public transit options, and free event shuttle routes is available at www.sacmuseums.org (click on “Events”), or by calling the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau at (916) 808-7777.

Museums, in addition to being the stewards of our cultural and natural heritage, offer everyone the invaluable opportunity to refresh, relax, recharge and renew. As the old adage goes, “You’ve got to pour into yourself before you can pour yourself out for others.”

susan@valcomnews.com