Welcome to Living History!
Sun, 02/22/2009 - 12:50 — webmaster
PromenadingThe Old Sacramento Living History Program is a volunteer historical group whose goal is to bring the early days of Sacramento City to life through historical re-enactments, vignettes and strolls on the streets of Old Sacramento, California. We present people from Sacramento between 1849 and 1870, from the Gold Rush to the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. Visitors to Old Sacramento are likely to encounter us strolling the streets of Old Sacramento on weekends and holidays. We provide tours of the gold-rush city as well as special events. Our members have developed expertise in costuming, weaponry, domestic arts, crafts, literature, politics, and many other aspects of early Victorian-era life in America. New members of all ages and ethnic groups are needed.
History of the American Waltz
Tue, 06/22/2010 - 20:09 — webmasterThe American Waltz is the dance's most common name today, but it is also known as American Slow Waltz, American Box Step and sometimes the Boston Waltz or simply the Boston. The Boston Waltz is the dance's original name because it was introduced in Boston during the 1830s.
The dance was much slower than the prevailing standard waltz of the 19th century, the rotary or circular waltz and the Viennese Waltz, being danced at merely 28-30 measures per minute, rather than the Viennese or Quick Waltz's 54-58 measures per minute. This allowed dancers not only the ease of a slower tempo, but afforded them more time during the music's measures to introduce elements like rise and fall which we have come to distinguish waltz by in the modern mind.
Calling Cards
Sat, 06/12/2010 - 21:27 — webmasterI have been requested to review the conventions for use of the calling card.
As you are likely to know, calling cards have been used for decades in polite society. They are an important part of the custom of paying calls on ones friends and neighbors. Upon arriving during calling hours on a lady’s calling day, or upon calling on a gentleman, one presents a calling card to the servant who answers the door. One waits patiently in the receiving hall while the servant determines if the person you are calling is “at home.” The receiving area usually has a display of the calling cards of previously received callers. Reviewing these is a good way of catching up on the connections of your friend. Most gracious households provide some other amusements such as well-chosen prints or perhaps a Bible tract in their hall.
Underground Tour Old Sacramento
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 22:55 — webmasterBeginning on Saturday, July 10, 2010 the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation (HOSF) will unveil guided tours of Old Sacramento’s underground and hollow sidewalks.
The tours will be offered hourly on Thursdays through Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (the last tour departs at 5:00 p.m.). Tours will last approximately 45 minutes and cost
$15 for adults and $10 for youths. Private groups will be able to book weekday and evening tours.
The tours will be high quality presentations utilizing extensive original historic research. Visitors to the Old Sacramento Underground will have new eyes with which to see the district
and understand the city’s history after they view the disappearing windows and doors, dipping alleyways, exposed retaining walls, and walk into underground hollow sidewalks and tour under historic structures.
Summer 2010 Tours
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 22:53 — webmaster
Sacramento City comes alive from the perspective of a 1850s personality. Sacramento City: California's Gold Rush Legacy introduces visitors, school groups, and interested locals to Sacramento's fascinating history. A historically attired docent uses the original and reconstructed gold rush era buildings as the backdrop for the tour and describes the town as it was in 1850. From miners, to merchants, politicians, pony express riders, and employees of the transcontinental railroad- Sacramento City: California's Gold Rush Legacy has it all.
General Information:
The Sacramento City: California's Gold Rush Legacy Tour is available
every Saturday June 19th- August 28th at 11:00am with no reservations
needed. Tours leave the Sacramento History Museum, located at 101 I
Street in Old Sacramento.
Private tours and school tours can be scheduled year round with a
Colt 1849 Revolver Teardown
Sat, 07/25/2009 - 10:28 — webmasterThe most popular personal weapon in the 1850's was the .32 caliber five or six shot Colt revolver. 150,000 were made during the decade. (The runner-up is the 1851 Navy with 93,000.) This article will tear down a relic example of this revolver along with a modern reproduction.
More gold rush and civil war era firearms are in our Virtual Museum, at this link.
1849 Colt Revolver
Spring Work for April
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 20:22 — webmasterAPRIL—By the first of April, the cellar should be carefully looked over, and all impurities removed; if the soap-grease has not been throw into the lye (as it accumulated during the winter) it should now be sent to the factory, or be mixed with strong lye, preparatory to soap-making.
All refuse vegetables ought to be thrown out; the potatoes selected; the small ones given to the cow, if there is one, and the best reserved for spring use.
Juvenile Roguery
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 19:25 — webmasterThe arrest of the juvenile thieves at San Francisco, mentioned in our telegraphic dispatches yesterday, led to the discosure of a singular series of robberies. one of the principal rogues in the gang, whose name is Durkin, confesses, according to the Herald's report, that he has accomplished so many robberies that it is impossible for him to recollect and enumerate them; but that within eight months he was committed nearly six hundred robberies—in some places getting not more than three bits, and in others securing one hundred dollars.
A Man Shot! - Great Excitement in Consequence!
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 18:57 — webmasterOn Monday night about 9 o'clock, a report spread that a man had been shot by a woman, and hurrying feet were heard in all quarters of people running to ascertain the particulars. Repairing to the street, and joining the crowd of anxious inquirers, after hearing the different stories of those professing to be familiar with the facts, the following particulars were gathered:
