Step into the Past

Gold Rush Days
Aug. 30 - Sept. 2, 2002

Sacramento, California
 

What does it take to bring the past alive?

On Labor Day weekend 2002 in Old Sacramento, Calif., it will merely require 460 bales of hay, 155 tons of decomposed granite, 200 volunteers, and 120,000 fun-loving visitors.

Beginning with 1998's "Second Great Gold Rush" -- a celebration of the 150th anniversary of that historical event -- the City of Sacramento has, once a year, transformed its old town historical district into a vision of the Old West.

In addition to spreading the decomposed granite (to create the illusion of unpaved streets) and positioning bales of hay to hide painted curbs and provide old-timey seating, the city will be covering up parking meters and traffic signs (requiring a great many burlap bags and American flags).

During the festivities, car traffic will be prohibited from entering the 28-acre area and horse-drawn carriages will roll along the dirt-covered streets. The event also includes street dramas, period musicians, dancers, ethnic villages, arts and crafts, and interactive gold panning exhibits. Volunteers add to the illusion by dressing in costumes of the era. Admission is free.

And as impossible as it may seem -- a section of a 21st century city can be successfully transformed into a Wild West town.

Living History
Reenactments will include a depiction of the many ways fortune-seekers traveled to California ("Coming to California," Aug. 30). Sacramento's famous Squatter's Riots ("Land without Law," Aug. 31), conflicts arising between different cultures and lifestyles ("Uneasy Neighbors," Sept. 1), and how much of the riches acquired during the Gold Rush was the money that merchants made off of the miners themselves ("Mining the Miners," Sept. 2). Most of the skits will take place at Waterfront Park, Front and L streets. (See directions to Old Sacramento at end of article.)

Other street scenes and living history reenactments will include the "Stinking Tent" Saloon, a working blacksmith shop, a theater house, a jail, stagecoach drivers, an assay office, spinning and rope making exhibits, and miners and their tents, depicting the unglamorous lifestyle endured by the '49ers and their families.

Periodically through the weekend, the pony express will thunder into town, new gold discoveries will be celebrated, and the occasional horse-drawn funeral will proceed through the streets.

Authentic Grub
In addition, a main stage will be set up featuring early California period entertainment and drama. Food vendors will be selling Gold Rush era food, providing an authentic taste of early California history.

The restaurants and shops in Old Sacramento offer all the amenities. You can find excellent fare at the Rio City Café and a variety of other eateries. And if you’re looking for "old stuff," such as books, antiques and historical memorabilia, these are readily found at the Bookmine, Hammon’s Archives and Closet Antiques.

Old Sacramento is home to the largest concentration of preserved commercial structures in California. It is home to the California Railroad Museum (considered one of the world's finest railroad museums), California's first permanent live theater venue, the Eagle Theater; and a waterfront with elements of a riverside scene from the 1870s -- complete with paddle wheel and sailing vessels. For those who prefer not to venture out on holiday weekends, Old Sacramento is a great place to visit any time of the year.

How to get there
Old Sacramento is located downtown and is bordered by Interstate 5, Capitol Mall and the Sacramento River. Take the J Street exit off I-5. (See freeway and downtown maps.)

Gold Rush Days is produced by the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, which can be contacted by calling (916) 264-7777, or by visiting Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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