City of Sacramento derives its name from its location near the confluence of the American and Sacramento River. Thus, water and railroad transportation were vital to the development of the city. During the California Gold Rush (1848–1855,) Sacramento was connected to San Francisco by rail, road, pony mail and ships.
This is the statue of a Pony Express Rider. The rider’s clothes were based on the description in Mark Twain’s book Roughing It, published in 1872. Rider’s saddle and Mochilla (what they carried the mail in) were modeled after originals that are in the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. The Pony Express was an American Express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861. 121 riders rode 650,000 miles with only one rider killed, one schedule not completed and one mail pouch lost. With the advent of Telegraph in 1860, Pony Express went bankrupt in 18 months of its commencement of operations.Blue Star Memorial Highways are highways in the United States that are marked to pay tribute to the US armed forces. The blue star was used on service flags to denote a service member fighting in the war. Today, it stands as a tribute to the men and women in the armed forces who have served, are presently serving and will serve in the future.The California Steam Navigation Company was formed in 1854 to consolidate competing steamship companies in California and they enjoyed a near-monopoly. With the advent of the railroad systems which were faster and cheaper, the steamship business was driven to unprofitable levels. in 1871, the company’s assets were purchased by the California Pacific Railroad, and the corporation was dissolved.The Delta King, a 285-foot riverboat did her daily river voyages between San Francisco and Sacramento from 1927, providing prohibition-era drinking, jazz bands, gambling, and fine dining. In 1940, the boat was recruited into service with the US Navy during World War to serve on San Francisco Bay as a floating barrack, troop transport and hospital ship.After the war, the ship became a derelict and was partially submerged for 15 months in San Francisco Bay. She was acquired by the present owners and towed to Old Sacramento and was renovated. Today she is a floating luxury hotel with her original 88 staterooms converted to 44 larger luxury suites. It houses the award-winning Pilothouse Restaurant and the ship is a destination wedding too.Next to the Delta King is the Tower Bridge is a vertical lift bridge across the Sacramento. It has also been known as M Street Bridge. This golden yellow vertical lift bridge was first opened in December of 1935 when it replaced the old Sacramento Northern Railway swing through truss bridge. In June 1976 as part of Bicentennial projects, it was painted a yellow-ochre color to match the gold leafed cupola on the nearby State Capitol.Western Pacific Passenger Depot is a former railway station in Sacramento that opened in 1910. The station was in operations until 1970. The station was equipped with indoor restrooms, large waiting room with a separate women’s waiting room, an attic storeroom, baggage room, and ticket and telegraph office.The California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento is a tribute to the Iron Horses and the people who sacrificed to make it possible in connecting California to the rest of the nation. The museum features restored locomotives and cars, some dating back to 1862.Old buildings are witnesses to the aesthetic and cultural history of a city, helping to give people a sense of place and connection to the past. Historic buildings often represent something famous or important to people who live in a city or those visiting.
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