Editor’s Note: This is part 10 in a series about the rich history of and associated with East Sacramento’s award-winning East Lawn Memorial Park.

Sacramento has been known as a political city, a city of trees and many other things during a large portion of its existence. And among its greatest achievements was becoming a city of breweries, which included the Buffalo Brewing Company.
In the previous article of this series, Philip Scheld, who was interred at East Lawn Cemetery (today’s East Lawn Memorial Park), was celebrated for his proprietorship of the Sacramento Brewery, which was established a short distance from Sutter’s Fort in 1849.
Many other breweries were opened in the capital city during the 19th century.
An example of the production of local breweries during the 19th century was recorded in the county assessment books for 1872.
This source notes that in that year, Sacramento had eight breweries that produced 252,000 gallons of beer.
Furthermore, according to the 1880 book, “The History of Sacramento County, California,” the area’s eight local breweries in 1878 “made, in aggregate, 530,200 gallons of beer, and in 1879, 560,000 (gallons of beer).”
With a walk around East Lawn Memorial Park, one can find the final resting places of several men who were associated with the Buffalo Brewing Company, which was also known as the Buffalo Brewery, and was for many years under the direction of Buffalo Brewery, Inc.
Certainly the most notable of these brewery men were the German-born Herman H. Grau (1846-1915) and William E. Gerber (1852-1928), who were both interred at East Lawn Cemetery.
Herman, a former East Coast brewer who came to Sacramento from Buffalo, N.Y. in about 1886, was the man who organized the Buffalo Brewery, which would eventually become the largest brewery west of the Mississippi.
At the age of 12, Herman came to America and settled in Buffalo, N.Y.
Along with his wife, New York native J.F. Bertha (Ziegele) Grau (1848-1915), who he married in Buffalo prior to coming to Sacramento, Herman had nine children.
Herman’s association with William became an important part of the city’s brewery history, as these men laid out the plans for the Buffalo Brewery.
In addition to his involvement with the Buffalo Brewery, William, a New York native who came to Sacramento in 1860 and was eventually the secretary of the Buffalo Brewery, served, at different times during his life, as president of the California National Bank and chairman of that bank’s board.
William, who studied in Sacramento schools and the St. Louis Academy and at a business school in Buffalo, was also, at a various times, a bookkeeper and co-owner of a grocery store, state fish and game commissioner, auditor of Sacramento County and the city treasurer of Sacramento.
Also interred at the cemetery was Hattie A. Gerber (1857-1928), who was the mother of his five children.
Construction on the Buffalo Brewery, which was located on the block bounded by 21st, 22nd, Q and R streets, began in 1888.
In being that this section of Sacramento was many years away from being built out at that time, upon its completion, the large brewery structure could be seen from a considerable distance within the city.
With the opening of the Buffalo Brewery in 1890, Herman became the company’s first general manager and Adolph Heilbron (1833-1913) served as the brewery’s first president. Heilbron’s final resting place is located at the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery at 1000 Broadway.
Also interred at East Lawn were Henry Gerber (1851-1928), one of the brewery’s first stockholders, and Henry I. Seymour (1861-1913).
Seymour was among the prominent men of the brewery, as he replaced Grau as the company’s general manager in 1896 and continued to serve in that role for 17 years.
But Seymour was not new to the brewery when he became its general manager, as he had been working for the brewery since 1890.
Another well-known person in local brewery history was Sacramento native Frank J. Ruhstaller (1872-1943), whose father was Swiss native Frank Ruhstaller (1846-1907), who was an original officer of the Buffalo Brewery.
The brewery resume of Frank Ruhstaller, who was interred at today’s Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, also included serving as the proprietor of the City Brewery at the northeast corner of 12th and H streets and the superintendent of the Sacramento Brewing Co.
As for the resume of Frank J. Ruhstaller, he became the president of the Buffalo Brewery in 1913, following the death of Heilbron. He retired from that position in April 1939.
Additionally, the younger Ruhstaller served as the assistant manager of the City Brewery and superintendent of the Sacramento Brewing Co., and was a member of the city’s war rationing board during World War II.
In speaking about Frank J. Ruhstaller during his retirement dinner at the old Elks Temple at 11th and J streets, Superior Court Judge Peter J. Shields said, “Charities, kindnesses and justices have characterized his whole existence. The aroma of good deeds during his life has perfumed the entire community. He has been modest, never seeking the limelight nor the vanities of life.”
Frank J. Ruhstaller’s wife, Alice Marie (Root) Ruhstaller (1871-1969), was also interred at East Lawn. The couple, who was married in Sacramento on Nov. 22, 1899, was residents of East Sacramento, residing in the Fabulous Forties neighborhood at 1301 44th St.
Much has been said and written about the Buffalo Brewery, which created beer that was popular well beyond Sacramento.
During its pre-Prohibition days, the Buffalo Brewery distributed its beer great distances.
In addition to shipping this beverage to many parts of Northern California, including San Francisco, the brewery also sent its beer to the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska, Central America, along the Mediterranean, Russia, Japan and China.
A summary about the brewery in the Feb. 2, 1907 edition of The Union included the following words: “Sacramento boasts of many large manufacturing enterprises, but none are more in keeping with the general progress of this section than (the Buffalo Brewery). It is known by the excellence of its product. New Brew and Bohemian, its special brands, are known throughout the Pacific Coast. Ask any dealer and he will tell you there are none superior to them.”
The brewery, which experienced much physical growth at its local plant, returned to full, post-Prohibition production in December 1933 and continued its operations at its historic site until 1949.
The brewery buildings were razed in 1949 and 1950 in preparation for the construction of the newspaper, radio and television operations of McClatchy Newspapers – publishers of The Sacramento Bee – which was then headed by its president, Eleanor McClatchy.

Lance@valcomnews.com

This unique-looking, early 1960s structure is located at the entrance of the Sacramento Zoo. Photo by Lance Armstrong

Note: This is part three in a series regarding past and present details about the Sacramento Zoo.

As referred to in the last article of this series, the Sacramento Zoo has experienced many changes throughout the years.
The zoo became a much different looking place in the 1960s.
On July 26, 1960, The Sacramento Bee presented a proposed layout of the zoo under a major modernization and expansion project that had been then-recently approved by the city council.
The 21 sections shown on the illustrated layout were birds, aquatic birds, seals, small animals, otter, orangutan and gorilla, monkeys, gibbons, chimpanzee, open air grottos for tigers, lions and bears, cat cages, monkey island, field animals, alligators, reptile house, penguins, flamingos and non-flying tropical birds, bird house, entrance and concessions and new rose garden.
The initial phase of the zoo’s building project included the entrance structure and concessions building, a flamingo pond, five moat enclosed animal confinement areas and new animal cages.
The project’s second phase, which would be completed at a cost of about $90,000, included confinement areas for penguins and alligators and cages for monkeys, gorillas, reptiles and small animals.
Prior to the 1960-61 project, many animals were housed in wooden cages that had been constructed by Works Progress Administration laborers during the Depression.
Assisting with the reptile house, which would exhibit the zoo’s first snakes, was Kenneth C. Johnson.
In addition to serving as the director of the Sacramento Civil Defense Area, Johnson was one of the region’s most notable reptile experts and owned one of Northern California’s most extensive private collections of snakes.
The monkey island exhibit, which would be constructed by John F. Otto, Inc. (today’s Otto Construction), would allow zoo visitors to obtain a full view of its monkeys.
Among the monkeys that were transferred to monkey island upon its completion was Spooky, who had been a resident of the zoo since its opening in 1927.
In an update about the project, The Bee reported on Aug. 7, 1960 that $200,000 had been allocated by the city, while an additional $100,000 in contributions was being sought from the public. The latter sum would be used to modernize the old portion of the zoo.
It was also mentioned in the same Bee article that Emil A. Bahnfleth, president of the Sacramento Zoological Society at that time, announced that individuals donating $100 or more would have their names placed on special donors plaques at the zoo’s entrance.
Anyone donating $5 to $99 would receive an Honorary Z-B (“Zoo Builder”) certificate.
As for Bahnfleth, whose name was later memorialized through the naming of Emil Bahnfleth Park at 950 Seamas Ave., he never witnessed the opening of the expanded zoo, as he died at the age of 70 on March 30, 1961.
With the new, spacious zoo only two months away from the completion of its initial phase, The Sacramento Union, on April 9, 1961, ran an article, which included the following words: “The sumptuous new quarters are designed with an eye to convenience and animal comfort, and are a combination of sweeping, curved architectural lines, sharp, straight lines and blended landscaping that brings the creatures virtually into their natural setting and provides zoo visitors with a walk through the park.”

The annual ZooZoom 5k and 10k run fundraiser is featured in this 1987 advertisement. This year, the event will be held at William Land Park on April 14. Photo courtesy of Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento Room

The article also noted that the society’s campaign to raise $100,000 had reached the $41,000 mark.
While anticipating the opening of the newly improved zoo, which was designed by architect Douglas M. Kelt, the zoo’s superintendent, Anthony A. “Hank” Spencer said, “People don’t know what this means to me. I’m the kind of guy who is lucky enough to have his hobby and his work all wrapped up in one job. And think what it will mean to the animals. Oh, it’s a wonderful thing.”
In preparation for its reopening, the zoo was closed for the 10 days prior to its June 11, 1961 dedication, which would be directed by the city and the zoological society.
During that time, the animals were moved to their new locations.
The reopening of the zoo was a grand occasion that drew thousands of people, including special guests, state Senator Albert S. Rodda; Assemblymen W. A. “Jimmie” Hicks and Edwin L. Z’berg; Leslie E. Wood, chairman of the county board of supervisors; Milton Schwartz, chairman of the city board of education; Maj. Gen. Robert B. Landry, commander of the Sacramento Air Materiel Area at McClellan Air Force Base; Brig. Gen. Norman Callish, commander of Mather Air Force Base; and Col. Leo Tamamian of the Sacramento Signal Depot (later renamed the Sacramento Army Depot).
To present more people with the opportunity to visit the zoo during its reopening week and to bring awareness to the $100,000 Zoo Builders campaign, Mayor James B. McKinney proclaimed the week as Zoo Builders Week, and the zoo maintained longer hours, as it remained open until 7 p.m.
Later changes for the zoo during the 1960s included the redesigning and rearranging of animal enclosures.
A new master plan for continued improvements and another expansion of the zoo was approved by the city council on July 9, 1970. The master plan was the first of its kind in the zoo’s then-43-year-history.
A month later, the Sacramento Zoological Society adopted its docent program. The program has since grown to include about 1,400 volunteers, who donate about 34,000 hours of their time to the zoo each year.
In September 1971, the zoo experienced a major change, as William “Bill” Meeker replaced Spencer as the zoo’s superintendent.
Four years later, the zoo received accreditation by the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums – today’s Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The zoo became a participant in the International Species Inventory System in 1979. The mission of ISIS is “to facilitate international collaboration in the collection and sharing of knowledge on animals and their environments for zoos, aquariums and related conservation organizations to serve institutional, regional and global animal management and conservation goals.”
The first ZooZoom, the zoo’s annual 5k and 10k run fundraiser, was held at William Land Park in October 1980. This year, the event will be held at the park on April 14.
Other events that have attracted visitors to the zoo during its history include the California Celebration multicultural day (May), the King of Feasts food and wine luau (June), Zoo Camp (June through August), the “Boo at the Zoo” Halloween event (October) and Holiday Magic (December).
Another highlight of the zoo occurred in 1983, when the zoo became involved with AAZPA’s Species Survival Plan for Siberian tigers, Asian lions and Sumatran orangutans.
In 1987, the zoo celebrated its 60th anniversary and zoo guests, 60 years old or older, were admitted into the zoo free of charge for the entire month of March.
During the 1990s, the zoo opened its Lake Victoria exhibit, Rare Feline Center, gift shop and office space structure and concessions and conference facility.
It was also in the 1990s when the Sacramento Zoological Society assumed complete financial and daily operational management of the zoo.
Zoo highlights of this new century have included the opening of the on-site Murray E. Fowler Veterinary Hospital and the Red Panda Forest, Australian Outback and Tall Wonders giraffe exhibits, the debut of the Conservation Carousel, and the zoo’s first Sumatran tiger birth.
In its 85th year, the now 14.3-acre zoo continues to serve its visitors through its mission to “(inspire) appreciation, respect and a connection with wildlife and nature through education, recreation and conservation.”

Elephants roam an area at the zoo in this c. 1955 photograph. These large animals are among some of the zoo’s earlier types of animals that are no longer a part of the zoo. Photo courtesy of the Sacramento Zoo

Note: This is part two in a series regarding past and present details about the Sacramento Zoo.

The Sacramento Zoo has experienced many changes since Sacramento State College – today’s Sacramento State University – published Marvin Delfendahl’s official William Land Park Zoo guidebook in 1952.
One of the zoo’s most noticeable changes was its increase in size from its original 4.2 acres to its present 14.3 acres.
And with this increase in acreage, the zoo houses many more animals than it presented when Delfendahl created the guidebook as his thesis when the college, which was then located a short distance northeast of the zoo, was less than five years old.
One of the 1950s most notable highlights was the Aug. 21, 1956 founding of the Sacramento Zoological Society, which was formed to support and raise funds for the zoo.
Among the animals that became residents of the zoo during the 1950s were an elephant named Winky, a male giraffe, 12 white-faced gibbons from Thailand, a blue wildebeest and four penguins from Peru.
During the same decade, various publications boasted the quality of the zoo.
In the November 1951 edition of the Sacramento City Employee, for instance, the zoo was referred to as “one of the best (zoos) in the state.”
The publication also noted the following: “Zoo experts and the general public rate (the William Land Park Zoo) equal to or better than the Los Angeles Zoo, and trailing only the world-famed zoos in San Diego and San Francisco.”
An indication of the level of growth of the zoo from its inception to the 1950s was presented in an article in the Nov. 15, 1959 edition of The Sacramento Bee.
In the article, it was noted that at that time, the zoo had become “the envy of visitors from other cities twice the size of Sacramento, many of which (had) no zoo at all.”
Credited in the article for much of the zoo’s progress was Anthony A. “Hank” Spencer (1907-1972), the zoo’s longtime superintendent.
Spencer, who grew up in Sacramento around a variety of animals, including horses, dogs, cats, guinea pigs and squirrels and also rode the rodeo circuit during his youth, studied animal husbandry and veterinary science while he was a student at Sacramento High School in the 1920s, when the school was located at 18th and K streets.
After graduating from high school, Spencer studied animal husbandry, veterinary science, dairy industry, poultry and horticulture at the University of California, Berkeley’s University Farm – today’s University of California, Davis.
The 1959 article described the job of the zoo’s superintendent as a natural position for Spencer.
Spencer’s experience as a horse trader during his rodeo circuit days gave him a valuable advantage when it came to acquiring animals for the zoo.
With this skill, Spencer managed to complete many quality trades for a large number of animals, including kangaroos, lions, leopards and chimpanzees. And by 1959, the zoo’s animal collection was valued at $60,000.
In commenting about his skill in animal trading, Spencer told The Bee, “I’m getting paid for something I’d do as a hobby.”
During his three decades as superintendent of the zoo, Spencer built up the zoo from about 75 animals to hundreds of animals.
In November 1960, a 6-foot-long, 220-pound alligator named Alvin arrived at Mather Air Force Base and was then delivered to the zoo by Spencer in the back of his station wagon.
Two and a half years earlier, Alvin had been lifted out of a Florida swamp and brought to Stead Air Force Base, near Reno, to be viewed by aircrews touring Stead’s survival school wildlife museum.
The Bee noted in a November 23, 1960 article that Alvin had grown to such an extent that he “literally ate himself out of the Air Force,” as he was consistently eating five pounds of raw meat per day.
Alvin became the zoo’s fourth large alligator at that time. The zoo also housed three small alligators, which The Bee described as “so small they hardly count.”
The zoo underwent many changes in the years of the late 1950s and early 1960s, including its expansion to a total of 10 acres.
With the 1960s came a major zoo renovation, which was an investment of $250,000.
A special dedication for the first of two phases of the improved zoo was held on June 11, 1961.
To introduce the new portion of the zoo, an untraditional ribbon cutting was held as Sacramento City Councilman Kneeland H. Lobner, with the “assistance of” a rose garlanded llama, cut a ribbon in front of the zoo.
Other attractions of the day included a speech by Sacramento Zoological Society President Albert W. Hellenthal, a concert by the Sacramento Symphonic Youth Band and, of course, opportunities to visit the newly renovated portion of the zoo.
The zoo’s new features included five, large, rock-walled moats for lions, bears and tigers, a monkey island, new cages for smaller cats and field animals, spacious walkways and new trees, shrubbery and flower beds.
One did not have to enter the zoo to observe a major change to the zoo at that time, as the zoo’s still present space-aged, Orbit gasoline station-esque-style entrance had been built along Land Park Drive in time for the 1961 ceremony. The former entrance was located south of the zoo’s present entrance, which was designed by architects Kenneth C. Rickey and Fred E. Brooks, whose offices were located at 2636 Fulton Ave.
Other not-yet-built portions of the project included cages for gorillas and orangutans, enclosures for flightless birds and a reptile house.
During his aforementioned speech at the ceremony, Hellenthal said, “Anyone comparing the old (zoo) with the new (zoo) will realize the work still to be done. When (that work) is accomplished, we will have one of the most attractive zoos in the country.”

A sign outside the front gates of Del Paso Country Club boasts the club’s 96-year history. Photo by Lance Armstrong

Editor’s note: This is the twelfth part of a series related to the history of the “four corners” of Watt and El Camino avenues.

A historic tract map shows the original boundaries of Del Paso Country Club. Marconi Avenue is highlighted at the lower portion of this image. Photo by Lance Armstrong

As this 12-part series comes to a close, it is quite fitting to include a brief history of the very place that the locally renowned shopping centers and several businesses of the four corners of Watt and El Camino avenues were named after – Del Paso Country Club.
This well-known private country club, which was established in 1916, is located at 3333 Marconi Ave., just east of Town and Country Village.
When the club was founded, the north area was many years away from becoming a developed area, thus the club was constructed in a very rural location.
In selecting the name of the club, the club’s founders honored the history of the property, which had been part of the old Rancho Del Paso Mexican land grant.
The rancho was most renowned as the one-time site of the breeding and training ground of thoroughbred racehorses, the most famous of which was Ben Ali, who won the 1886 Kentucky Derby.
The idea to create a country club in the north area was that of members of the Sacramento Country Club, which was located off J Street, near Tullar Avenue (today’s 48th Street).
Members of this East Sacramento country club, which featured a nine-hole golf course on rented land, saw that the area was changing.
These changes included developers Wright and Kimbrough’s development of the nearby Tract 24.
In 1915, while standing with a group of people near the present day grounds of Del Paso Country Club, land developer Orlando A. Robertson, in referring to the site, declared, “This is it.”

A sign outside the front gates of Del Paso Country Club boasts the club’s 96-year history. Photo by Lance Armstrong

The group included Harry S. Wanzer, Fred Peck, Lauren Stuart “Stu” Upson and Steve Day.
Unfortunately for the group, a crop of grain made it difficult to see the boundaries of the property, so the group reconvened to observe the land a month later, after the crop was removed.
With the 148.3-acre site meeting the approval of the group, the property was purchased for $22,253.80. The club increased its size with its $20,000 purchase of a 1.4-acre addition 31 years later.
With arrangements made to develop the property, a Bay Area man named John Black was called to the site due to his expertise in laying out golf courses.
The nine men behind the founding of Del Paso Country Club were Wanzer, Peck, Day, Upson, Clinton Harber, James C. Carly, Harold J. Furley, William Murcell and Rudolph A. Herold.
Upson served as the club’s first president, Carly as vice president and Peck as secretary and treasurer.
Additionally, Edward Olden and his wife were the club’s first managers.
On Feb. 5, 1916, The Sacramento Bee ran an article with the headline, “Club to have fine new home.”
The article noted that the construction of the club, which would include an 18-hole golf course, a clubhouse and bowling, tennis and swimming facilities, would begin at the end of the winter weather.
The Bee also reported that these amenities, as well as landscaping and roads, would be completed at a cost of about $75,000.
Articles of incorporation for the country club were signed in January 1916.
To assist in the club’s membership campaign, which was launched on Feb. 7, 1916, a dance and dinner was held at Hotel Sacramento at 10th and K streets just eight days after the campaign began.
After much hard work and deliberation, the club was finally prepared for its Sept. 2, 1916 opening.
The Sacramento Union reported on this grand afternoon and evening gathering, which included an orchestra performance and dancing on the tennis courts.

A golfer eyes his target at Del Paso Country Club in this 1939 photograph. Photo courtesy of Del Paso Country Club

Although the club’s grounds had not been completed in their entirety, The Union noted that Sacramento could nonetheless boast a country club that could “hold its own for situation and accommodation with any (country club) in cities of similar sizes.”
The club’s living room was described by The Union as having colorful Oriental rugs, massive oak tables and luxurious couches and chairs.
Also located at the club were a kitchen, a dining room, a billiards room, a men’s lounging room and a ladies’ card room.
The club, which also included a skeet shooting range during its earlier years, hired its first golf professional, Scotland native Jim Smith, in 1916.
Three years later, Bill Selkirk was hired to replace Smith. And Selkirk continued in that role until 1924, when the club hired another golf professional, Bob Clark.
During Selkirk’s time at the club, grass was planted on the fairways and greens.
The club acquired one of its most notable golf professionals, Frank Minch, Sr., in 1925. He remained with the club for the following 40 years, during which time he became one of the state’s leading golf professionals.
Another early highlight of the club was its first golf tournament, which was held on Sept. 17, 1916.
A decade later, Joe Turnesa won the first Sacramento Open Championship, which was held at Del Paso Country Club.
Many local and national championship tournaments have been played at the club throughout its history.
To date, the club has hosted four U.S. Golf Association tournaments – the 1957 and 1976 U.S. Women’s Amateur Golf Championships, the 1960 U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur Championship and the 1982 U.S. Women’s Open Championship.
And with about a $10 million redesign and renovation of its world-renowned golf course in 2005 and 2006, the club earned the privilege of hosting the U.S. Senior Open from June 22-28, 2015.
The club also hosted the “Swing at Cancer” Celebrity Pro-Am, a one-day tournament that was founded by Bob Hurst and held from 1972 to 1997.
The tournament, which raised funds for the American Cancer Society and local cancer projects, featured such renowned participants as Bob Hope, Glen Campbell, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Sam Snead, Hale Irwin and Billy Casper.
Bob Kunz, the club’s general manager/chief operating officer, described “Swing at Cancer” as “certainly the biggest golf charity in Sacramento history and maybe one of the biggest charities in Sacramento history.”
Although those associated with Del Paso Country Club take pride in the various prestigious events that have been held at the club, as well as Del Paso’s position of hosting the 2015 U.S. Senior Open, Kunz emphasized that first and foremost, the club is a social place.
“What (the club) boils down to on a grassroots level is community,” Kunz said. “It’s a reason to get together with your friends. That’s what it’s all about. It’s all around an excuse, if you will, to get together. A club environment; you take the physical plant, a golf course is a golf course. Whether you’re here or at Ancil Hoffman (Golf Course), it’s a golf course. Yeah, it’s a difficult golf course, but it’s a golf course. The restaurant is a restaurant. The difference is the social interaction.”

This historic city of Sacramento map shows the city and its nearby vicinity during the great flood of 1861-62.

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

As a city of two rivers, Sacramento has a long history of trying to protect itself from the very entities – it waterways – that provided its birth and its life’s blood for the future.
In explaining this point, The Sacramento Bee, on Dec. 11, 1861, published the following words.
“Ever since the planting of Sacramento at the confluence of two mighty rivers, she has had to fight for existence with an energy and constancy which have developed her nerve and muscle and proved her vitality beyond that of any city of modern times.”
Sacramento, which was once referred to as the “Levee City,” experienced about an eight-year period of prosperity in regard to avoiding major floods within the city limits.
The great flood of 1853 forced businesses and residents to acknowledge the dangers of Sacramento’s rivers overflowing their banks. But this period of inactivity and a lack of inundation lulled the citizenry into a false sense of security.
In 1861, this false sense of security, along with much property, dreams and visions for the future, were again awash in a flood, the likes of which had never been seen in historic California.
As a precursor to the great flood of 1861, the level of the American River reached its highest point since 1853 – about 18 feet above the low water mark on March 27 of the same year.
During that evening, the wing dam on the east side of the city at Rabel’s tannery was swept away and the levee at that site was damaged.
As a result of the same storm, water from Sutter Lake overflowed and cut a channel through Front Street to the American River.
Furthermore, bridges along the same river from the capital city to Folsom were either swept away or useless as a means to cross this waterway.
But surprisingly, this storm was considered to have produced only minor property damage and no loss of human life.
The lack of extensive loss was due to the fact that the floodwaters receded rapidly. But the damage done to the wing dam at Rabel’s tannery would come back to haunt the city.
The rains of December 1861 came faster and were heavier than any ever experienced in the Sacramento Valley.
Both the Sacramento and American rivers, as well as all rivers to the north, rose above their previously recorded high water marks.
Once again, the big bend in the American River at Rabel’s tannery became the weak link in the chain of Sacramento levees that some politicians suggested at the time had cost as much as $1.5 million.
The irony of the flood is that the levees that were built to protect the city became dams that held the waters within its boundaries and inundated the city.
On Dec. 10, 1861, The Sacramento Union described the disaster, as follows:
“Sacramento was yesterday subjected to suffering and damage from the deepest and most destructive flood of those to which she has been exposed. It came, too, with the rapidity of a hurricane. In a few hours after the water crossed the levee, the whole city was underwater. The flood precipitated itself upon us without warning, and found people totally unprepared. The levee is now an injury, instead of a benefit, as it confines the water in the city, and has caused it to rise higher by probably two feet (more) than it would have done had no levee existed on the south side.”
Only a few places of high ground were spared the destruction of the flood of mid-December to mid-January 1861.
These locations where the floodwaters did not intrude included Sutter’s Fort and Poverty Ridge, which was roughly located between 20th, 23rd, P and W streets. Poverty Ridge was given its name due to the impoverished appearance of the people who took refuge there with their belongings and their animals during Sacramento’s periodic inundations.
The third location was a small mound along 10th Street at the site of today’s Cesar Chavez Plaza.
The rest of the city found itself underwater, ranging from a few inches to several feet.
Because the wing dam had been washed away from the great bend of the American River at Rabel’s tannery, the river broke through the A Street levee on the north side of the city, rushed down Burns’ Slough, passed Sutter’s Fort until it washed up against the R Street levee on the south side of the city.
The R Street levee held back the waters, just as it was designed to do, only from the wrong side.
The continual rush of waters, fed by more and more rain, hit the levee and rebounded back into the city proper where it continued to swing back and forth between the north and south levees, causing Sutter Lake to overflow and leaving destruction in the water’s wake.
The aforementioned Dec. 10, 1861 edition of The Union reported: “Several persons were drowned; and, had the water broken in during the night, the loss of life must (sic) have been fearfully great. Horses, cows, hogs, fowls, etc. have drowned, but how many we have no means of ascertaining. The damage to property has been great and may be greater. Thousands tonight are houseless, while hundreds of families are in second stories, without the means of making fires.”
The waters calmed, but the rains did not abate until February 1861 and some of the puddles from the flood did not dry up until the following August.
It was during the flood that Leland Stanford had to be taken by rowboat to his inauguration as governor.
If the three previous major floods had only sparked a desire for protection, the great flood of the winter of 1861-62 opened the citizenry’s eyes to the death that could be brought from life-giving waters.
The “Levee City” had then become a community with indomitable spirit, which led to major changes in how Sacramento approached and prepared for flood control.

The project’s excavation crew stands on the mausoleum site in this February 1926 photograph. Photo courtesy of East Lawn Memorial Park

Editor’s Note: This is part four in a series about the rich history of and associated with East Sacramento’s award-winning East Lawn Memorial Park.

For many years, visitors of East Sacramento’s East Lawn Memorial Park have been impressed by the beauty and size of this cemetery’s historic mausoleum. But as presented in the previous part of this series, not everyone supported the idea to have the original portion of this building constructed.
Newspapers of the day ran a variety of articles and advertisements supporting or opposing the proposed building, which would be located in the southern section of the cemetery.
For instance, the headline of an article on The Sacramento Bee’s editorial page on April 23, 1925 read, “East Lawn no place for mausoleum.”
In contrast, The Bee ran an East Lawn Cemetery Association advertisement, which noted, “Sacramento should encourage the erection of this beautiful, modern mausoleum.”
The final approval of whether this structure would be built at East Lawn was left to local citizens.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1925, votes were cast for and against the ordinance permitting the rezoning of about three acres of the cemetery, so that the mausoleum could be built at that site.
The following day’s edition of The Bee presented the results of the election. The final ballot count was 6,060 for the ordinance and 3,789 against it.

The mausoleum’s east corridor is shown in this modern photograph. Photo courtesy of East Lawn Memorial Park

The article noted the following: “Under the ordinance, as adopted yesterday by the people, it will be permissible for the East Lawn Cemetery Association to erect a mausoleum, in accordance with plans, which have for some time been prepared, within the cemetery grounds.”
Through the provision of the city charter, the ordinance became effective five days after the official canvass of votes by the city council.
With the rezoning of the property approved, plans for the construction of the mausoleum could finally move forward.
Frank Seymour Baillie (1869-1951), who served as the manager of East Lawn for 26 years and was the consulting engineer for the mausoleum project, announced on Nov. 5, 1925 that ground would be immediately cleared for grading in preparation for the building’s actual construction.
In the process of undergoing the mausoleum project, the cemetery was purchased by the Welch Holding Co., which was led by its president, Ernest M. Welch, and his father, Charles, his uncle, William, and his friend, Hans Tuthill.
Baillie – a former Portland, Ore. resident who purchased a home at 1360 44th St. in about 1927 – joined this partnership shortly after the cemetery’s change in ownership.
At various times during its history, the Welch Holding Co. operated 27 different West Coast cemeteries and mortuaries, the majority of which were purchased, improved upon and then resold.
East Lawn Cemetery’s then-new ownership continued the progression of the mausoleum project and made plans for various improvements at the cemetery and the expansion of its nursery. Additional details regarding the nursery will be presented later in this series.
An early update regarding progress at the mausoleum site noted that cement had been poured in preparation for the construction of the building’s L-shaped first floor.
Included with this report, which was presented by East Lawn, was a bit of advice.
The community was informed that the mausoleum’s construction period was “an advantageous time to select crypts or vaults for indoor burial – the modern, scientific form of interment.” And readers were made aware that the purchase prices were “substantially lower” than they would be once the mausoleum was completed.
Accompanying this update was East Lawn’s original logo, which featured an image of an unlit candle and the words, “When the light has gone.”
The original portion of the mausoleum was nearing completion on July 31, 1926, when The Bee presented another update regarding the status of the building’s construction.
Through this local publication, Andrew Cruikshanks, the cemetery’s superintendent, announced that the exterior of the mausoleum had been completed and marble was being placed in the structure’s interior.
The building, which the article noted would be “completed soon,” was described as a “Class A structure of steel and concrete with 900 crypts and 3,000 niches.”
In further describing the mausoleum, The Bee noted that the structure included two floors, which formed the east and west wings of the central tower.
The first floor of the building included the main forum, which was to be adjoined by the superintendent’s office, general offices, display rooms for bronze urns and another room for cut flowers.
The article also included additional descriptions, as follow: “The east and west corridors will be devoted to individual vaults and to special family vault rooms. The east wing will be devoted to private rooms and a chapel with an organ.”
The second floor was described as being designed for crypts and individual vaults.
Another latter stage update, which appeared in The Bee, noted that plans for the mausoleum, which was built of concrete, marble, bronze and art glass, had changed considerably. These changes included a different arrangement of its tower and windows.
It was also noted that the cost of the building would “far exceed the original estimate of $250,000.”
During its history, the mausoleum has been expanded at various times.
Two of these expansions were referred to in an article in the Sept. 7, 1935 edition of The Bee.
The article described these additions as the California corridor with its 400 crypts and the second floor annex of the west wing. This latter named addition was built with 250 crypts.
The building’s then-new portions, which were also constructed with reinforced steel and concrete, were built by the Campbell Construction Co., which was managed by Walter W. Campbell at 800 R St.

This fountain was once visible from the entrance of East Lawn’s mausoleum. Photo courtesy of East Lawn Memorial Park

Editor’s Note: This is part three in a series about the rich history of and associated with East Sacramento’s award-winning East Lawn Memorial Park.

The centerpiece of East Lawn Memorial Park is its two-story mausoleum, which was built in 1926.
But many people today are unaware that efforts to have this locally renowned building constructed were threatened to be permanently abandoned in 1925.
Although the East Lawn Cemetery Association had not anticipated any governmental obstacles in having a mausoleum built on a portion of the cemetery’s property, when the association approached the city regarding this plan, the city informed the association that a commercial building could not be constructed on the grounds.
The association then learned that Wright & Kimbrough, the developers of the neighborhood that eventually became known as the Fabulous Forties, had previously had the cemetery property zoned for residential purposes only.
In response to this newfound information regarding the zoning status of the East Lawn property, the association went to the city council in hopes of obtaining a variance to build the structure.
Although the council granted this variance by a vote of 6-2 on July 9, 1925, by that time, the developers had managed to have the issue placed on the ballot for the upcoming city election.
The ballot measure raised the question whether the existence of the mausoleum would “detract from the present beauty of the (cemetery) grounds and adjoining neighborhood.”
In order to influence voters regarding this measure, leading up to the election, local newspapers ran many articles and advertisements regarding this then-proposed structure.
Among the articles written about the controversy about building the mausoleum was an article published in the April 23, 1925 edition of The Sacramento Bee.

East Lawn Memorial Park’s mausoleum was constructed in 1926. Photo courtesy of East Lawn Memorial Park

The article, which was given the headline, “East Lawn Cemetery no place for mausoleum,” presented The Bee’s stance on the construction of the mausoleum.
The article included the following words: “The Bee already has presented a number of reasons why it does not believe the petition should be granted. Not only is the zoning opposed by the overwhelming majority of the citizenry of the district, but it tends to establish as a cemetery in perpetuity, land which in the not distant future is likely to become altogether unsuited for that purpose.”
On May 19, 1925, The Bee ran a large, East Lawn Cemetery Association advertisement, which featured a photograph of the proposed site of the mausoleum.
Above the photograph were the words, “The East Lawn Mausoleum will be less noticed than the present tank.”
An arrow directed the readers view to the presence of a water tank, which could be partially seen in the far distance, above a large growth of trees, in the photograph.
The photograph was taken looking south into the cemetery from 45th Street, near Folsom Boulevard, at the highest point overlooking the cemetery.
The East Lawn advertisement noted that the mausoleum would be constructed in a direct line with this tank, more than two blocks from Folsom Boulevard.
It was also mentioned in the advertisement that the mausoleum would be less than the height of the water tower and behind the row of trees.
In making its most dominant point, the association presented the following words in the article: “Without making a special effort to pick out the mausoleum from this spot, no one would know it was there.”
In other words, the mausoleum could not be a distraction to residents of the area, if they could not see it from the distance.
The association, which was then led by its officers Fred W. Kiesel, Arthur E. Miller, Philip C. Drescher and Chauncey H. Dunn, concluded in the advertisement that the improvement of the cemetery was the lone thing, which would be determined through the decision of whether to have the mausoleum constructed.
The association also emphasized that whether or not the construction of the mausoleum was approved, relocating the cemetery was not an option, and that the relatives of the then about 4,000 people buried under the lawns would never approve of the removal and relocation of the remains of their loved ones from the cemetery.
In adding to this point, George W. Peltier, who was at that time serving as president of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank at 1012-14 8th St., said, “The strongest argument in favor of the mausoleum is the moral fact that the East Lawn Cemetery cannot be removed by law. The owners of the property, by constitutional rights, may have East Lawn Cemetery remain in its present location forever, if they so select.”
Many other notable local people endorsed the construction of the mausoleum leading up to the election.
In an April 22, 1925 letter to the Board of City Commissioners, John C. Ing, U.S. Land Office register, who resided at 1065 47th St. in East Sacramento, wrote: “I cannot now consistently and with fairness oppose what in my opinion will not tend to detract from the beauty of the cemetery, but rather do I believe will add to it.”
Also in favor of the erection of the mausoleum at East Lawn were the East Portal Civic Club of East Sacramento and the church bodies, the Sacramento Church Federation and the Sacramento Ministerial Association.
Among those who opposed the construction of a mausoleum at East Lawn were East Sacramento residents, local attorney Theodore W. Chester of 1112 40th St., Dr. Howard M. Cameron of 1340 44th St. and William J. Rooney of 1224 44th St.

The mausoleum at East Lawn Memorial Park is shown in this recent photograph. Photo by Lance Armstrong

“We appeal to all voters in all sections of the city to help us protect our homes,” said Chester in 1925. “Anything that damages any piece of property in the city damages all property in the city. Vote against the ordinance.”
“This mausoleum rezoning ordinance lets down bars that were put up for the protection of the people and their homes,” Cameron said. “Let the law alone.”
“Perhaps residents in all sections of the city do not realize how close the proposed East Lawn Mausoleum will be to our homes in East Sacramento,” said Rooney, who was the office manager for Wright & Kimbrough. “The city cannot progress if it is to be held back by structures, which properly belong outside the city limits.”
Also opposing efforts to rezone the East Lawn property was the East Sacramento Protective Association.
A later East Lawn Cemetery Association advertisement referred to the opposition’s propaganda as a “political trick” designed to deceive local voters.
The advertisement included a photograph of a Wright & Kimbrough sign that had been placed across the street from the cemetery.
Additionally, the advertisement highlighted the fact that the sign announced that the Wright & Kimbrough property had increased 25 percent in value on Aug. 1, 1925 – 23 days after the city council had rezoned a portion of the cemetery, so that the mausoleum could be constructed.
The advertisement posed the question: “How can this 25 percent increase be reconciled with the statement that property would be damaged?”
The association assured the public that if the mausoleum was to be constructed, that the project would start immediately after its approval and no public expense would be involved in the building of the structure.
Like any ballot measure, the day finally came when votes cast and then a decision was made.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1925, local residents cast their votes on the measure that would decide the fate of this proposed $250,000 structure.

When Professor Francie Dillon was named Arts Educator of the Year by the Arts & Business Council of Sacramento during an Oct. 12 luncheon, she wasn’t sure how to get her message across in her acceptance speech. So she borrowed lessons from the hokey pokey.
Dillon teaches Literature for Children and has been performing for years at venues such as Fairytale Town and the Sacramento Public  Library, where her shows have been aimed at bringing literature to children.
She has a reputation for throwing herself into her shows, and some of her fans have been very enthusiastic about her performances.  Following one show in front of young children, a 4-year-old came up to her and said, “When it’s time, I think I’ll hire you for my wedding.”
But Dillon has had to curtail many of her activities because of an undiagnosed neurological problem that has affected her mobility and speech. “I was concerned that if I did win, would my body allow me to say what I wanted to say, the way I wanted to say it.”
While approaching the stage, she was helped by Sacramento Business Journal columnist Ed Goldman and found her strength. “It was like the person who lectures and is the entertainer came out, and it all fell into place,” Dillon says.
Noting that her success has occurred through many components, Dillon quoted the hokey pokey to the audience. “When I put my right  hand in, always at the other end has been my family and my friends who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.”
Left hand, right leg and left leg represent Fairytale Town, the library, the Sacramento Bee, and fans young and old. “And when you shake yourself all about, that’s when you acknowledge what it is to be human – the creativity, curiosity and participation in life. That is what it’s all about.”
Dillon was one of three nominees. The others were Art Professor Elaine O’Brien – who also is a Sacramento State instructor – and  Milton Bowens, lead artist in residence at the Twin Rivers Unified School District.
Dillon’s award was one of several given out Oct. 12. For more information, visit www.sacabc.org/programs/prelude-to-the-season/. For media assistance regarding Sacramento State’s arts programs, call the University’s Public Affairs office at (916) 278-6156.

A memorial recognizing victims of the Farrell’s tragedy is located at the crash site. The memorial was dedicated on Saturday, March 15, 2003. Photo by Lance Armstrong

It can be hard to believe for many people that 40 years have already passed since that horrific day when a plane crashed into Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour at 5770 Freeport Blvd., opposite the northwest corner of Executive Airport.
With such an infamous moment in the city’s history, the memories of that day remain strong in the minds of many longtime area residents.
The road to this dreadful incident can be traced back to 1964, when construction began on The Crossroads, a $1.5 million shopping center on about an 8-acre site, which had been owned by the Setzer family since the late 1930s. The project was completed during the following year.
On Sept. 13, 1970, The Sacramento Bee published an aerial view photograph, which showed the shopping center’s rectangular-shaped addition, which was nearing completion.
Included in the caption accompanying the photograph were the following words: “(The addition) will house a Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour and four other shops.”
The Freeport Boulevard Farrell’s opened two months later.
And like the other locations of this Portland-based chain, which specialized in ice cream products and sandwiches, this south area eatery became a popular dining spot and an entertaining place for birthday parties.
Farrell’s, which was known for its turn-of-the-20th century décor and straw hat-wearing, uniformed employees who would sing in celebration of a guest’s birthday, had already established itself in the Sacramento area.
A Farrell’s opened at 1441 Howe Ave. on May 27, 1969.

Farrell’s name linked to tragedy
But unfortunately for Farrell’s, despite experiencing success in other Sacramento area locations, including the Downtown Plaza and Sunrise Mall, its name, on a local level, has been forever linked with that tragic day when a plane struck its Freeport Boulevard location.
In fact, in the history of local businesses, few business names cause a greater reaction among longtime Sacramentans than the name, Farrell’s.
After all, Farrell’s was associated with one of the darkest days in Sacramento history.
On Sunday, Sept. 24, 1972 at about 4:25 p.m., at the end of the Golden West Sport Aviation Air Show at the airport, a 36-year-old pilot, named Richard Bingham, attempted to take off in an F-86 Sabrejet aircraft from the 3,000-foot-long Runway 30 on the west side of the airport.
Overrunning the runway, the plane skidded across Freeport Boulevard and crashed into the very busy Farrell’s restaurant. About 100 people were inside the eatery during the incident.
Although Bingham, who was a resident of Novato, Calif., survived the crash, 22 others in the restaurant, including 12 children, were not as fortunate. Additionally, an entire family lost their lives and about 30 people were injured in the accident.
At the time of the Farrell’s plane crash and until the events of Sept. 11, 2001, it was the worst air-ground tragedy in the nation’s history.

List of victims
Those killed inside Farrell’s as a result of the crash were: Walter Warren Krier, a 32-year-old account executive with Mitchum, Jones and Templeton stockbrokers; Sandra Ann Krier, Walter’s 28-year-old wife; Walter and Sandra’s 8-year-old daughter, Jennifer Ann, and 2-year-old son, Brandon; Leon C. Warram, a 49-year-old electronics technician at McClellan Air Force Base; Leon’s 50-year-old wife, Ellen; Louis “Bud” Jugum, a 43-year-old systems analyst for the California Western States Life Insurance Co.; Louis’ 10-year-old daughter, Elaine; Nancy Keys, a 12-year-old student at Arden School; Nancy’s 14-year-old sister, Sally, who was a student at El Camino High School; 29-year-old Anthony Martin, who owned Morey’s Letterman emblem shop at 5434 14th Ave.; Anthony’s 28-year-old wife, Susan; Anthony and Susan’s children, Gregory, 6, Jeanene, 4, and Shawn, 3; Susan’s 43-year-old father, Gene LaVine; Susan’s 46-year-old mother, Margaret LaVine; Anthony and Susan’s nephews, Jeff Nash, 5, and Gary Nash, 2; 3-year-old Kristin “Kristi” Francis; 29-year-old Joan Bacci; and 8-year-old Nancy Rodriguez.
Also killed during the incident were a couple whose car was struck by the plane while they were commuting along Freeport Boulevard and Billie Gertrude Irwin, who was hit by a car while she was crossing the boulevard toward the accident scene.

Founding of the Burn Institute
The Farrell’s tragedy raised awareness of the need for a specialized burn unit in Sacramento.
Acting on his desire to have such a unit established, Cliff Haskell, a fire captain with the Sacramento Fire Department, led a drive that resulted in the founding of the Firefighters Burn Institute.
It was not long afterward that the city’s first burn unit opened at the University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.
In 2002, Kerri (Francis) McCluskey, a survivor of the Farrell’s tragedy and the identical twin sister of Kristi Francis, learned that plans were being made to renovate the building at the crash site for a police and fire public safety headquarters.
McCluskey, who suffered a broken leg in the crash, said that this news caused her to take action in the attempt to either halt the project or have the use of the old Runway 30 discontinued.

Memorial gets established
Although McCluskey was not successful in these efforts, her perseverance led to the establishment of a memorial at the crash site. The memorial was dedicated on Saturday, March 15, 2003.
Featured in the memorial is a 5-foot-tall, granite fountain that spreads water across the inscribed names of 23 victims of the tragedy.
Behind the fountain is a plaque that describes the incident that happened at the site on Sept. 24, 1972, and on the south side of the memorial is another plaque recognizing those who contributed to the establishment of the memorial.
Also included in the memorial are 11 rose bushes that were donated by Capital Nursery and represent each family who lost a loved one or loved ones during the Farrell’s tragedy.
Today, McCluskey resides in Sonora with her husband, Andrew, her 15-year-old daughter, Kristin, who was named after McCluskey’s late sister, her son, Connor, 12, and her daughter, Annika, 8.
McCluskey, who presently works as the counselor at Sonora Elementary School, said that although she will always have a void in her life without her sister, she has continuously learned to better deal with that void.
“You never get over losing someone,” McCluskey said. “You learn how to keep going. You can live two ways. For one, when you go through a tragedy, you can just give up and mope and go through life and think everything is awful. Going through the accident was horrific. I’m not going to downplay that, but you get to a point where you have to make something good come out of something bad. That’s how I’ve gotten through it, and through counseling with other kids and through the Firefighters Burn Institute, it’s like the living memorial. I still have a hole in my heart without (Kristi), but it’s a heart-shaped hole.”

Upcoming ceremony in memory of the tragedy
In memory of the Farrell’s tragedy of 1972, a ceremony will be held at the Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Memorial site at 5770 Freeport Blvd. on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m.
Attending the event will be survivors and others who are closely connected to the Farrell’s tragedy. A short program at the gathering will include a speech by McCluskey.
Jim Doucette, who serves as the executive director of the Firefighters Burn Institute and remembers seeing the smoke cloud rise above south Sacramento on Sept. 24, 1972, officially invited the public to attend the event.
“Please join us and others that have been touched by this and other burn-related tragedies in commemorating the 40th anniversary of this terrible, but significant event,” Doucette said.

lance@valcomnews.com

Although it just started a few months ago with a Facebook page, new nonprofit East Sac Give Back is already making quite an impact in the community, including helping to raise more than $3,000 toward the rebuilding efforts for the McKinley Park playground.
East Sac Give Back is the brainchild of 13-year East Sacramento resident Michael Saeltzer. A former public school teacher, Saeltzer is currently a stay-at-home dad to his 4- and 6-year-old daughters and lives in East Sacramento with them and his wife, Shinder.
“We just love (East Sacramento),” he said. “We have wonderful neighbors, nice parks, great schools, recreational sports – it’s kind of the ideal place for us.”
Saeltzer says he got the idea for East Sac Give Back after reading an article in The Sacramento Bee that talked about discrepancies between East Sacramento and nearby Oak Park.
“They did a lot of talking about how East Sacramento has a lot of healthcare, parks, restaurants and neat activities for kids, and how Oak Park is really struggling with a lot of those things,” he said. “But they didn’t talk a lot about how the communities actually relate to each other.”
Saeltzer decided to start a discussion about this issue online and after generating some positive responses from both community and business members to see what he could do to help bring the two communities together.
“The mission of East Sac Give Back is to provide the community a single philanthropic identity,” Saeltzer said. “It’s kind of unique in that it’s not just to strengthen our own community in East Sacramento, it’s actually to reach out to other communities in Sacramento also. And in the long-term we’re planning on giving 50 percent of our fundraising to another community or other communities and 50 percent to be reinvested back into East Sacramento proper.”

Having an impact
Although East Sac Give Back does not yet have its tax-exempt status – which is something Saeltzer is currently working on – the nonprofit has already been helping to raise money and work on projects toward its mission.
Right now the organization’s main efforts have been going toward helping raise money to rebuild the playground at McKinley Park in East Sacramento, which burned down the evening of July 27.
“When that happened is when I really decided that I want to pump it into high gear to see if we could get some volunteers for the rebuilding, maybe raise some funds, and bring people together in a positive way,” Saeltzer said.
By using the group’s Facebook page and a fundraising website called GoFundMe.com, in less than 48 hours East Sac Give Back raised more than $1,600 toward the rebuild. And as of Aug. 2, more than $3,000 has been raised through the website.
This total does not include donations East Sac Give Back has been receiving from area businesses that are doing their own collecting.
“I didn’t expect to get too much because times are pretty hard right now, but … we’re coming along,” Saeltzer said. “Some people are donating $100. I mean, that’s really nice. So that blew me away – that’s been exciting.”

Making a difference
In addition to helping rebuild the McKinley Park playground, East Sac Give Back is working on other projects such as looking at starting community gardening in East Sacramento.
“There’s no community gardening in East Sacramento and there’s a couple of them in Oak Park,” Saeltzer said. “We’ve been talking with some of the people in Oak Park about how they got theirs started and how we might be able to get one put in here.”
Additionally, the organization is looking into putting a circuit training course in a neighborhood park in memory of Dr. David Kilmer, who Saeltzer says passed away a few years go and was very physical fitness oriented.
And East Sac Give Back is also looking at what can be done to keep community swimming pools open for another summer.
“A lot of people have really felt happy this summer that the pools were able to stay open and some of them still need help with funding,” he said.
Saeltzer said he would also like to see East Sac Give back do some events that would bring in members of other communities, such as Del Paso Heights, Oak Park or West Sacramento, “so that people can start getting to know each other beyond just their neighborhood boundaries and maybe share their food and music and good times together.”

Forging ahead
As East Sac Give Back marches forward, Saeltzer hopes to bring on more members to his group to get more input on what the organization should be doing.
He gets many of these ideas from his Facebook page, which was set up May 5 and currently has 98 followers, and Facebook Group, which has 201 members.
Saeltzer says the convenience and ease of connecting with individuals and communities is what made him launch East Sac Give Back on Facebook.
“It’s been a great platform for me,” he said. “It’s been fairly easy to operate, it’s been free and it’s been very transparent, which I think helps a lot. It was the easiest, quickest way to get the word out.”
Saeltzer said the most important thing for him is to focus on things that bring people and communities together.
“I want (East Sac Give Back) to be continually growing and continually networking with other individuals, businesses and even other nonprofits to find out how we can do things to help out communities,” he said.

corrie@valcomnews.com