Sacremento, Old Town and Railway Museum March 25

Monday and there's a beautiful sunrise ... not up to AZ standards though.

Today we decided to tour Old Town Sacremento. Pretty cool area with all the historic buildings and boardwalks. We left before everything opened as Ray planned to stop at a cafe/bakery. He directed me to a french bakery called Estelle Bakery and Patisserie. Yummy!

Besides buying some treats, we also ordered some latte's as well. The courtyard the bakery faces is also for the Golden 1 Centre where the NBA Sacremento Kings play.

Afer our coffee break, we drove back  to the Old Town and started walking around. We didn't bother going into the stores ... no more room to buy anything with our declaration. lol. We did walk nearly 8000 steps up and down the streets, including their Railway Museum. Note to our readers, most of the vendors don't open until 11:00 AM.

For the most part, the historic buildings seem to be well-maintained as are their boardwalks and cobblestone roads.

History

In 1839 John Sutter arrived on the shore of the American River near its confluence with the Sacramento River. With the promise of a Mexican land grant, Sutter and his landing party established Sutter’s Fort. As the settlement grew and became permanent, it attracted other businessmen looking for opportunities. Sutter and the people he attracted created a commercial center in the area, but it was the Gold Rush in 1848 that created the City of Sacramento.

When gold was discovered in the nearby foothills by James Marshall, local merchant Sam Brannan rushed to open a store near the Sacramento River to take advantage of the convenient waterfront location. What was then called Sutter’s Embarcadero was soon known as the City of Sacramento. The city rapidly grew into a trading center for miners outfitting themselves for the gold fields.

Early Sacramento’s waterfront location was prime for commercial success, but was prone to severe flooding. The city also fell victim to repeated fires engulfing its hastily constructed buildings composed mainly of wood and canvas. In 1850 the new city experienced its first devastating flood and in 1852 the city was again wiped out by high water. It was apparent that drastic measures would have to be taken if it was to be saved.

In 1853 a mammoth project was proposed to raise the city above the flood level. The ambitious and expensive proposal was not fully accepted until another devastating flood swept through the city in 1862. Within a few years, thousands of cubic yards of earth were brought in on wagons and the daring scheme to raise the street level began. The original street level can be seen throughout Old Sacramento under the boardwalks and in basements.

The center of the commercial district gradually moved east and the original part of the city on Sutter’s Embarcadero became known as the worst skid row west of Chicago. Reformers, ministers, politicians and others spoke out against conditions in this part of the city, but little was done to change the basic conditions.

In the mid-1960s, a plan was set forth to redevelop the area and through it, the first historic district in the West was created. Today, with 53 historic buildings, Old Sacramento has more buildings of historic value condensed into its 28 acres than most areas of similar size in the West. Registered as a National and California Historic Landmark, the properties in the district are primarily owned by private owners, with individual businesses leasing shops and offices. The area has flourished and is once again a thriving commercial trade center.

You can take an underground tour of the town, from the History Museum for $25 a head for 1 hour walk and talk. We decided against it, seemed a bit much and no pictures is allowed... counts Ray out right away. The picture below is the only open "below ground level" spot you can view from the new town level. The rest is under buildings.

1

You can take horse and buggy rides.

The basement of this old hotel has a mini golf course.

On the waterfront you have some railway locomotives on display.

School Museum

Delta Queen Hotel.

The Tower Bridge:


The Tower Bridge was designed and built in 1934-36 to replace the obsolete M Street Bridge. Owned by the Sacramento Northern Railway, the M Street Bridge had been built in 1911-12 by that railroad's predecessor, the Northern Electric Railway. Initially, the 737-foot bridge and its two 250-foot towers were painted aluminum silver, according to a Caltrans statement. It was then repainted in 1977 to golden ochre, a yellow gold color with a touch of red, to match the hues of the Capitol dome, located east of the bridge.

Tower Bridge, it really is a golden colour.

The Ziggurat Building is a West Sacramento landmark, sitting on the Sacramento River directly across from Old Sacramento. Designed by Sacramento architect Edwin Kado, its historical reference would be the ancient Assyrian/Babylonian terraced pyramids or temples.

Next up, the Railway Museum. What a display. It's huge. They have three floors full of displays, so as usual, we take the elevator to the top and then work our way down using the stairs. Those knees you know. lol

About the Museum

First opened to the public in 1976, the California State Railroad Museum complex is one of Sacramento’s largest and most popular visitor destinations. Over 500,000 visit the Museum annually, with guests traveling from throughout the world to experience this world-renowned facility.

With over 225,000 square feet of total exhibit space, the buildings within the California State Railroad Museum complex use stimulating exhibits, enthusiastic and knowledgeable docents, and beautifully restored railroad cars and locomotives to illustrate railroad history in California and the West.

Throughout the main Railroad History Museum building, 21 meticulously restored locomotives and cars and numerous exhibits illustrate how railroads have shaped people’s lives, the economy, and the unique culture of California and the West. Included are a Pullman-style sleeping car and a dining car filled with railroad china.

First up on the Third Floor is a huge Lionel Model Train Display with a play area of Thomas Train for kids. You can look down from above to the main floor where the "real Engines and cars were".

On the second floor, they also have realistic model train sets with their scenes. Very painstaking work. Very realistic including the trees.

Ray was "gaga" over all the train cars over the years. Cases and cases of them on display.

The next pictures don't do justice as the models looked much brighter and more colourful in the lights. The camera didn't seem to pick it up. 

Looking down to the main floor display.

Down one more level to the main floor where the Large Train Displays are. Wow!

Locomotives

The locomotive collection of the California State Railroad Museum contains 19 steam locomotives dating from 1862 to 1944. The Museum’s locomotives illustrate the development of steam technology from its early years in the mid-nineteenth century through its apogee and climax in the 1940s.

The engines range in size from the diminutive Southern Pacific No. 1, “C.P. Huntington,” to the million-pound giant, Southern Pacific articulated cab-forward No. 4294. Fewer than 45 full-size steam locomotives built prior to 1880 exist in the United States. The Museum has eight of these, including Central Pacific Railroad locomotive No. 1, “Gov. Stanford.” While the locomotive collection of the California State Railroad Museum is extensive, only a portion is on public exhibition at any one time. The remaining engines are either undergoing restoration or awaiting restoration in the Museum’s shop facilities.

The Roundhouse.

Inside the passenger car.

First Class Cabin.

The Dining Car:

Fruit Growers Express Company Refrigerator Car No. 35832

Refrigerator cars, or “reefers,” had an enormous impact on California’s agricultural history. Before refrigerator cars were perfected, most of California’s perishable produce could only be sold locally, thereby limiting the state’s agricultural potential. Experiments with refrigerator cars began in the 1860s and by 1872 meat was being shipped successfully within the Eastern states. By 1887 wholesale meat shipping was reliable enough to allow Midwestern cities such as Chicago and Kansas City to become national meat packing centers.

Mail car:

The luxourous train car below is almost as long as two regular boxcars together. Look at the stained glass.

The last exhibit we saw was Chinese Railroad Worker's Experience.

Depicting the contribution the Chinese put into building the rail systems

What a tour. We decided to eat lunch at the Bear and Crown British Pub. Delicious. Ray decided on their lamb with coucous and I their Cottage Pie. Delicious.

Back home for 2:30 to relax for the rest of the day.