The California State Fair opens tomorrow… but did you know that the State Fair used to be held IN Midtown? Bill Burg’s got the details…
By William Burg
The California Exposition and State Fairgrounds, site of the California state fair since 1968, seems like a permanent fixture to many Sacramentans. Older generations still remember the old fairgrounds at Stockton and Broadway. But that site was not the original location of the fair either; it was chosen when Sacramento’s urban growth crowded the fairgrounds out of their first permanent home – in Midtown at 20th and H Streets. Read more »
By William Burg Photos courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History
In 1910, Sacramento was a city on the edge of change. Its rowdy Gold Rush era was long past, its role as western terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad superseded by Oakland, and its place as second-largest California city long since lost to Los Angeles. Despite these setbacks, Sacramentans felt that their city was poised for greatness. Read more »
By Niki Kangas photos by Jesse Vasquez
“What does that place sell- granola or something?”
Ah, my buddy Rebecca was dead wrong, making the same mistake that many of you may have made in regard to Sacramento City Dry Goods…that is, disregarding it because it’s in Old Sac and has a nebulous name that could be easily misinterpreted. Unless you’re super-into historical reenactments- or just wander into every Old Sac store you see- you’ve probably glanced over it too. Read more »
By William Burg Photos courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History
In 1887, real estate developer Edwin Alsip subdivided the 230-acre William Doyle ranch into 56 whole and partial blocks and gave the subdivision the name “Oak Park,” named after an eight-acre oak grove at its center.
By William Burg Photos courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History
In 1935, was Sacramento a hotbed of Communist conspirators, plotting the destruction of the American government? Read more »
By Bill Burg
The Bel-Vue Apartment Building, located at 809 L Street, is an understated and long-neglected landmark that faces demolition in the near future. Some of Sacramento’s architectural landmarks are obvious, based on their prominent role in history, association with well-known individuals, or architectural grandeur and scale. Sometimes, buildings become landmarks because of their association with ordinary people, and simply avoided demolition long enough to be recognized as historic. The Bel-Vue, originally known as the American Cash Apartments, is a building of the latter sort. Despite its landmark status, it faces demolition by its owner, the city of Sacramento. Read more »
by William Burg
Before the days of the World Wide Web, social networking sites and weblogs, zines created an underground network of communication, using the post office and in-person distribution to disseminate news and ideas between subcultures. Zine creators were driven by a desire to create their own media and share ideas with others without access to traditional media outlets. Typically zines are photocopied, often clandestinely on an office photocopier or at a local copy shop, but some were professionally printed on newsprint or glossy paper. Most zines didn’t make money, or lost it prodigiously, but profit is seldom the motive for zine making. Read more »