Thursday Thirteen #20
I’m on vacation this week, so I thought that I’d do a Thursday Thirteen about my good ol’ home town, Sacramento. Researching for this list of facts has made me a bit homesick, but it has also reminded me why I moved to a cooler climate. Have any of you visited California’s capitol city? What do you remember about it?
13 Facts About Sacramento:
1. Sacramento is the capital of the State of California. It wasn’t always that way, though. The previous capitols were – Monterey (1849), Pueblo de San Jose (1849-1851), Vallejo (1852), Sacramento (1852-1853), Vallejo (1853), and Benicia (1853-1854). Sacramento has remained the capitol since 28 February 1854.
2. Sacramento has a fabulous Summer Shakespeare Festival. This version of Shakespeare in the Park has been around since 1986. Each year they put on two Shakespearian plays in William Land Park (across from the Zoo.) It is always worth a trip. And no, I’m not just saying this because I went to school with the current Costume Designer. This year’s plays will be Twelfth Night and The Tempest. I can’t wait.
3. Sacramento has many nicknames. It is variously known as “the Camellia Capital of the World,” “River City,” and “City of Trees. Locals tend to call it Sac or Sactown. My favorite nickname has always been “The Big Tomato.”
4. Sacramento is where the Sacramento River and the American River meet. Where two rivers meet is called a “convergence.” In this case, the convergence happens at Discovery Park. The official listings claim that Discovery Park is open year round from sunrise to sunset, but I am here to tell you that this is not quite accurate, as this park spends part of every year under water.
5. Did you know? Sacramento is part of Sacramento County, but West Sacramento is part of Yolo County. (Sacramento is the Sacramento County seat, while Woodland is the County seat for Yolo County.)
6. The Sacramento Zoo has been around since 1927. These days the zoo even has a blog. I took a couple of classes at the zoo back in the 1980s, though I didn’t get to spend the night like my friend did. I distinctly remember when they started moving from cages to the modern zoo enclosures. Curious about the “Little Zoo in the Park?” Why not check out their photo gallery.
7. The official hottest temperature on record for Sacramento is 115. The record was set back in June of 1961. That may be the official story, but I remember it being hotter than that. Perhaps it is just because they take their reading at someplace like the Capitol Building instead of the backyard of my childhood home.
8. Sacramento is home to six sports franchises: The Sacramento Kings (Basketball – NBA), Sacramento Monarchs (Basketball – WNBA), Sacramento Capitals (Tennis – WTT), The Rivercats (Baseball – Triple-A), California Storm (Soccer – WPSL), and The Sacramento Sirens (Football – IWFL).
These teams break down like this: 2 Men’s (Basketball, Baseball), 3 Women’s (Basketball, Soccer, Football) , 1 Mixed (Tennis). Edge: Women. 🙂
9. Every year on Memorial Day weekend, Sacramento hosts the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. This year will be the 35th Jubilee on May 23-26. Sadly, I don’t see the Hot Frogs Jumpin’ Band on the schedule this year. But if you like any variety of Jazz, from Mainstream to Big Band, you’ll certainly enjoy this festival.
10. The coldest temperature on record for Sacramento is 18. I believe that. The record was set in December of 1990. That was the winter that all of the exposed pipes froze and burst. After that, suddenly all of the exposed piped were wrapped ever after. (1990 was quite the year of temperature extremes. The record for August heat was set at 109, April’s heat record became 93, and June’s record low was set at 41 all in that year.)
11. Sacramento is ground zero for Museums. The Crocker Art Museum, which is “the longest continuously operating art museum in the West,” and The California State Indian Museum are just two of them. In fact, there are so many museums in the area, there is a Sacramento Museum Guide Website.
12. Old Sacramento (or Old Sac as the locals call it) is a bit like a museum all on its own. It houses the California State Railroad Museum (which actually has a running train for you to ride if you like) and seemingly endless shops. If you want to get one of those old time-y photos taken, Old Sac is the place for you. (For the record, my Senior Ball was in Old Sac.)
13. It snows in Sacramento about once every ten years. This isn’t a scientific measure, just what I remember. One year there was enough snow in our front yard to make a sort of slushy snowman. We kept a bit of said slushman in the freezer for years afterwards.
Sources:
* America the Beautiful (Database)
* California State Capitol Museum Website
* The Crocker Art Museum Website
* Discovery Park Website
* My Brain
* The Old Sacramento Website
* Sacramento County’s Official Website
* Sacramento Jazz Jubilee Website
* Sacramento River Official Website
* Sacramento Shakespeare Festival Website
* Sacramento Sports Commission
* The Sacramento Zoo Website
* Western Regional Climate Center Website
i’ve never been there.
Cool stuff! I have a friend who moved back to Sacramento from San Rafael to take a job with the Kings. Her husband makes that commute every day… Now THAT is love.
Old Sac also has some beautiful architecture. Happy TT.
Never have been; would love to; feel like I have, thanks to your TT!
You always have the most interesting T13s. I didn’t know that Sac had a Shakespeare festival! I did know that Monterey was once the capital, though.
My T13 is up, as well. Send Chocolate’s 13 Things to Do Today
I’ve never been to California yet, hopefully someday, there’s a lot I’d like to see. Coincidentally, the company that just bought my company is in Sacramento, but I’ll try not to hold that agains the city, it isn’t it’s fault! 😉
Thanks for the interesting 13, Happy Thursday! (Mine is on Milton Hershey and Hershey Pennsylvania (Mmmm chocolate!), if you’re interested!)
she, do you think that you ever will?
Susan, dear Heavens! You’re right. That *is* love. That is a nasty commute.
Sarah, true. Personally, I love their raised sidewalks.
Kay, glad to help. 🙂
TLC, I’m glad that you enjoy my 13s. One of my best friends is the assistant house manager for the Shakespeare festival this year.
Shaunesay, I hope that you get to make a trip over here some day. Actually, you may want to make a couple of trips. There’s so much to see in this state.
You have the most interesting TTs!! I’ve never been to Sacremento and have never wanted to go there. Until now. Sounds like a fascinating place!
Thanks, Bethanie! If you like museums, it’s certainly worth a trip.
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thanks Ilearned alot
😀
Having been born and raised in Sacramento, I have never heard people (local’s) call it sactown but I remember a disc jokey on KFRC out of San Francisco always called it Sacratomatoe when he gave the weather report also you did not mention the California Auto Museum anyway alway’s nice to hear something good about Sacramento
I agree that the hottest temperature may have officially been recorded at 115, but I can remember it reaching higher than that at my childhood home in the Sacramento suburb of Fair Oaks. That was in the mid 1970s.
I left Sac for many years, but returned later. I now seem to have permanently planted here.
It has reached higher than that
Rich, we used to call it Sactown. Maybe it was just in our wee corner of Fair Oaks/Carmichael. …And now I’m getting homesick. Sigh.
Hi Labby. Yep. I remember the same thing in Carmichael. Really, really hot. *whew* Welcome home.
SAC TOWN IT IS.
My Mom has been to Sacramento! She said it was, “A really fun place!”
I was born and raised in north sactown. I remember the summer heat being 120 + degrees in august year after year. I also remember Sacratamatoe, Sac., and Sactown being very popular in the 70s and 80s. Sacramento has alot of fun in the sun things to do year around for one and all. Cal-Expo to several museums. Old Sac and the festivials. K street mall, Arden Fair, Sutters Fort, and Fairytail town (? Name ?) ( for small children 2 or 3 years old and up ). There is some thing for everyone including some of the most beautiful buildings built many many years ago. I also miss my home town now.
I was born and raised in Sac (what I’ve called it pretty much my whole life) but now live across the country. With family still in the area I get to visit at least once a year. The thing I always say about Sac is that it is in the middle. Yes, there are plenty of things to see and do downtown and in the suburbs (I’m from Orangevale), but Sac is 90+ miles from Tahoe and less than two hours (depending on traffic) from SF. If you don’t like the rustic, simple things of Sac there are plenty of things close enough by to keep you having fun while staying/living there. Trips to Apple Hill, Napa, Donner Lake, or just stay around at Folsom Lake (depending on the year and duration of the drought), Nimbus or the American River, not to mention the things to do downtown as well as around town. Sac gives you the ability to stay active without the over the top feeling of a big city.
Yes, I’m very homesick.
That’s crazy. People still leaving comments here 3 & 4 years after the original post.
Ahhh, yes- “Sac”. You know, even as a native I feel I can say (without bias), that this is one of the best places to live on the planet. Sure China has a lower percentage of it’s population living in poverty. And France’s healthcare system is 10 times better. And the United Kingdom’s mass transit system is nearly as convenient as teleportation.
But if you’re a patriot, or patron of the United States, what better State than California? And if you’re gonna live in the best state, in the best Country in the world; what better city to do so in than Sacramento?
Compared to L.A, or San Francisco, our air is fresher, our crime is lower, our traffic is better (it’d take you less than a year to figure out all the freeways as oppose to 3- 5 YEARS~ in LA or SF), were far less earthquake & tidal wave prone, our rivers ensure we avoid drought/water crisis, I personally prefer the weather MUCH better in Sac, and the list goes on & on.
Many don’t know this, but Paris, France is the only city in the world which has more trees than Sacramento. I can settle for 2nd place.
We’re also America’s most culturally diverse City. Check it out: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,340694,00.html
Ahhh, yes- it’s a wonderful place to live.
I miss Sacramento, I lived there (in El Dorado Hills) from 1992 to 2002. My favorite memory was running in high school (I went to Jesuit) along the American River Bike Trail for practice each day at 3pm. 100 degree dry heat baby.
I tried running where I live now at 3pm in Sarasota FL and made it about 30 minutes before I thought I was going to pass out.
Go Kings!
I have to do a city report and this helped me
Sacramento rocks
We now use Sac city too.
Sackramento is more like it…nothing but parking fees and old run-down businesses, regulations, and homeless sleeping on the streets. Rocklin, Roseville, El Dorado, etc. those places got it right. New development, new homes, very few homeless, beautiful shopping places, stores, great businesses. And not as many brainwashed liberals. God bless America