Historic Sacramento

Sacramento would be a lovely place to live if only they could do something about the weather. It’s October, yet the late afternoon temperature has hit 100 degrees about half of our days here. People quickly learn to get out early and finish walking the dog, taking a stroll, jogging (if they must), because by 10:30 am it’s pretty hot outside. The heat keeps rising, too, so that between 4 and 5 pm, it is often still well over 90, and I can say from recent experience that is not a good time to try and walk anywhere. My advice is to visit Sacramento between November and May.

Apart from the heat, the city has a lot going for it. The Sacramento river flows alongside downtown, and was important for transportation of people and goods via big river steamboats from the 1800s through the 1930s. Old photos show bustling wharves with ships moving in and out.

A broad, paved walk along the river includes plaques inscribed with quotes from Wind in the Willows about river life along with informational pieces.

Today, Old Sacramento covers just a few blocks adjacent to the river. Historic storefronts and brick streets give a glimpse into the past, as does the Railroad Museum.

Spanning the river from one corner of Old Sacramento to West Sacramento is a beautiful and historic bridge. A vertical lift bridge, it can be raised to allow boats to pass underneath. The center section can be raised 100 ft. above the high water mark. Built in 1934, the distinctive style is Streamline Moderne (I love that name!), and though the color of the bridge is hotly debated each time it’s redone, the current gold color shimmers in the afternoon sun.

Old Sacramento is at one end of the Capitol Mall, and the iconic state Capitol Building is at the other. On a different day, I visited the State Capitol Museum with my friend Suzy. Rooms on the main floor have been renovated as period examples of state government offices. They show off the gorgeous woodwork, mosaics, and rather elementary office machinery from the turn of the 20th century.

As a resident of Eureka, I was pleased to see the motto of California, “Eureka,” shown prominently in the Capitol.

(L-R): Restored woodwork, the Capitol dome, the Great Seal of the State of California.

Last but not least, we looked at the official portraits of past governors of California. These range from the wing collars and black suits of the late 19th and early 20th century, right up to…..Jerry Brown. His is the only official portrait not painted in a traditional style. I give him high marks for choosing something really different, but that is actually a reasonable likeness.

Official Portraits of CA governors (L-R): James Gillett, Pat Brown [father of=], Jerry Brown and visitors.

Having toured the historic portion of the capitol, we exited and found ourselves by a figure of a Miwok man. The Miwok are one of the many indigenous groups in California. This is not everyday clothing, this is a man dressed for a dance or ceremony, wearing a distinctive headdress.

The Capitol building is the eye of a storm for the next few years. We were able to visit, but a lot of the area is fenced off as a substantial new office complex is constructed onto the rear of the capitol building. It will increase the space available for offices without taking back the beautifully restored historic rooms. With the need for earthquake-resistant construction, it sounds like the work will be underway for 5-7 years. In the meantime, the machinery of the state goes on around the machinery of construction.