Spectrum 2008 - Sept. 9th

Gold Rush Comes Alive in Old Sacramento

September 9, 2008

On Labor Day weekend, thousands arrived in Old Sacramento as the area turned back the clock to celebrate the 1848 Gold Rush that established our capital city.

After a slow summer season due to the I-5 project detours, Old Sac came alive again as thousands of area residents came to witness the shootouts, enjoy the sarsaparilla and take a stagecoach ride. Many attendees recounted Sacramento history from the gold rush days. The Railroad Museum and state historians coordinated the three-day event to provide an accurate portrait of the time period.

First introduced in 1998 and a yearly event since 2000, Gold Rush Days is put on by the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau. Volunteers from the bureau were on hand to pass out weekend schedules and information while city police worked outside to direct traffic. The wooden plank sidewalks creaked as people recreated the hustle and bustle the Gold Rush ushered in 150 years ago.

The 28 riverfront acres of Old Sacramento is comprised of 53 historical buildings and is a National and California Historical Landmark, which has become a favorite stop for shopping and dining.

The Old Sacramento Business Association provides historical walking tours and trips on the steam train for interested parties year round. But for three days each summer, the streets are once again covered in dirt, and horseless carriages give way to horse-drawn wagons.

Actor John Redgwick stood on patrol as Wells Fargo Special Agent Harry Morse, the man who helped capture famed stagecoach robber Charles "Black Bart" Bolton. He explained that they rarely reenact that scene during events as "it's a rather boring story; the capture came down to good old fashioned detective work."

And Redgwick would know; he also portrays Black Bart, whom he describes as a "fascinating character" who first arrived in Sac Town in 1850 and had a long journey before his capture in 1883.

Handlebar mustaches, pocket watches, top hats and parasols were once again seen on the streets of Sacramento. Some event participants made their own costumes as the original characters would have done. Peggy Morgan-Pond wore a gingham print dress and appreciated the mild temperatures and breezy conditions which kept her cool despite the heavy fabric and petticoat that comprised her ensemble.

The streets were filled with dance demonstrations, vendors and the very popular recreation of a grand shootout at the corner of 4th and J streets. The discovery of gold hastened the development of Sacramento, and the influx of miners eventually led to the 1850 Squatters Riots that counted among its victims the city mayor and sheriff.

The 1847 Mormon Batalion held a revival tent meeting, the preaching rising over the calls to play cards from the saloon down the dirt road. Laundry demonstrations exhibited manpower over Maytag, and women sat cross stitching, showing their talent with a needle and thread. The event emphasized hands-on learning as families bumped down the streets in antique carriages and water sloshed out of gold prospector's pans.

Thirty-seven year residents of Sacramento, Reid and Carol Buchanan, were first time visitors to the event and described the scene along the street as "simply amazing." As self-proclaimed horse lovers, the couple appreciated seeing the animals most of all.

Pony Express riders came roaring down the streets in a cloud of dust, stopping their horses only to hand off the mail to the next rider. In between rides, the animals were allowed to relax in the shade as the first postmen told of long days and cold nights on the trail.

Sacramento Railroad Museum docent Cher Johnson played the piano outside a gambling parlor erected in the street, singing hymns and period music for even visitors. Johnson was joined by Roseville residents Elizabeth and Mattison Schwieren, a 4-year-old girl who climbed on the bench and pounded on the keys despite being unable to reach the pedals. A long time piano teacher, Johnson noted that Mattison would be a good piano student one day.

Old Sacramento merchants appreciated the influx of visitors on the holiday weekend as tourists tried on hats and clothing from every era. Children could be found elbow deep in the taffy barrels at Candy Heaven and tempted by the creations at Sacramento Sweets Co.

When it came time to rest, many flocked to the outdoor Farmer's Market and Grill sponsored by Safeway, pulling up a hay bale to hear country western bands liven up the stage. Event attendees were sometimes delayed as the Tower Bridge rose to allow passage for the Spirit of Sacramento riverboat as it cruised upstream, but few complaints could be heard as 1848 Sacramento provided sights, smells and sounds for everyone to enjoy.

If you missed this year's Gold Rush Days, don't fret. Sacramento will leapfrog into the 1900s this week as the Towe Auto Museum holds the 100-year celebration of Henry Ford's Model T on September 12-14.