Sacramento Archives Crawl

In celebration of National Archives Month happening in October, archives and special collections libraries from throughout the region will showcase their rarely seen holdings during the annual Sacramento Archives Crawl. This event gives the public a chance to see historic treasures from 23 Northern California institutions that will be on public display for one day only at four host locations in downtown Sacramento: the California State Archives, California State Library, Center for Sacramento History, and Sacramento Public Library (SPL). Free bus transportation between host locations will be provided; free parking is available only at the Center for Sacramento History.

The 2019 theme is Preserving the Struggle: Archives and Activism, which highlights archival material dealing with local protest, rallies, strikes, and other civic movements. Representatives from participating archives and special collections libraries will be on site at the four host archives to discuss and display their archival collections — historic photographs, documents, maps, artifacts, and books — and answer questions about how to connect with local history resources and care for historical records and artifacts.

A sampling of some of the items that will be on special display includes the following: material from John Muir’s personal archives (University of the Pacific); a new exhibit featuring photos of local demonstrations and labor strikes from The Sacramento Bee archives (Center for Sacramento History); photos of the 1933 march of the Hunger Army on the State Capitol (Sacramento Public Library); a political and environmental button collection and items related to equal rights for women (California State Archives); material on Stockton’s 2003-2007 water privatization issue and the Restore the Delta movement (San Joaquin County Historical Society & Museum); and a ginger pot recently discovered at a Chinese settlement (Rocklin Historical Society).

The following is a list of the host locations and the repositories that will be tabling at each. Crawl participants may start at any of the four locations:
-California State Archives (1020 O Street)
-California State Library (900 N Street)
-Center for Sacramento History (551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd.)
-Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento Room (828 I Street)

The special Crawl event will once again include a History Scavenger Hunt where children and adults can answer questions about the items on display at the four host locations — children and teens will have a chance to win one of two Chromebooks, and adults can enter to win a hot air balloon ride. Guests will receive a free Archives Crawl passport at the first site they visit, which provides a map of the event and information about the participating institutions. Event attendees who get their passport stamped at three of the four host sites will be given a set of limited-edition commemorative coasters that feature photos related to the Preserving the Struggle theme (while supplies last).

This event was made possible by financial support from the Friends of the Yolo County Archives, Gordon-Goldstein Foundation, Sacramento History Alliance, Sacramento Public Library Foundation, Sierra Health Foundation, and Stonebridge Properties. In-kind support was provided by the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, Sacramento Republic FC, Yolo Ballooning Adventures, Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, and Powerhouse Science Center.