Phone: 916-685-8115

E-Mail: eghs@elkgrovehistoricalsociety.com

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 562, Elk Grove, CA 95759

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We are located at

9941 East Stockton Boulevard (adjacent to the west entrance of Elk Grove Regional Park).

Heritage Park gives visitors the experience of looking into the past and the rich history of the city of Elk Grove.

The Park grounds consists of

The 1850 Elk Grove House & Stage Stop Museum
The 1853 Foulks House Museum
The 1912 San Joaquin Township Justice Court and Jail Museum
The old style Blacksmith Shop with statue
The Dennis Buscher Plaza
Bathroom facilities and lawns

The park is open for FREE tours every first Saturday of each month (February through October) from noon to 4:00 pm or upon request. We close in November to get ready for our “Old Fashioned Christmas” event.

Volunteering

Do you have a little time on your hands and want to help out at your own pace and when you are available, give us a call. Everybody at the Elk Grove Historical Society volunteers at many levels and we always have a lot of things going on (see below). The key is we appreciate any help. Contact our volunteer coordinator Pat Lake and she can help you find your interest at (951) 377-3312 cel or stanpatlake@gmail.com. We have a great bunch of people to work with and we have a lot of fun.

CURRENT INFORMATION and COMING EVENTS

Speakers Series

Each year the historical society gathers eight history speakers to share their knowledge with the community. Their hour long presentation is given on the third Monday evening of the month, usually including a power point slide show and often items on display. Here is what has been set up for 2023…

January 16 – Dr. Robert Benedetti, We really enjoyed “Famous Authors Who Wrote About the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.”

February 20 – Daniel Tarnasky, Thank you for a great presentation on the “History of Galt”

March 20 – Ex-Mayor Steve Ly

“The Origin of the Hmong Culture

The presentations are always on the third Monday evening of the month, at 6:30 pm (doors open at 6:00) at the Presbyterian Church at 8153 Elk Grove Boulevard. Turn north on to Big Horn and it’s behind the Chevron Station, Suite 50. Always Free, open to the public, and we have snacks.

April 17 – Linda Wheatly

Winding down a career in adult education and leadership development, Linda Wheatley has recently been designing a “third act” that involves book editing and genealogy. She grew up outside of Boston, gained a BS from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, then an MS from the University of Washington in Seattle. Her undergraduate experience included a year at Sonoma State, and her graduate research took her to rural Thailand. The travel bug guided her life until settling in central Vermont with two young children, who are now adults. She worked for non-profit organizations, producing learning experiences that enhance local leadership. About six years ago, Linda bought an Ancestry subscription to uncover her own family history, and now finds it impossible to resist the rabbit holes of genealogical research. She recently launched Sweet Mango Editing Services, and is almost halfway through a professional certificate through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. She finds bringing people, places, and history to life fun and fascinating; this is her first public presentation.

“Effie Foulks: Elk Grove Legend or Real Person”

The story goes that Euphemia (“Effie”) Pugh Foulks, age 35 in 1852, traveled by train, steamship, and covered wagon to what is now Elk Grove, with her five children and among a wagon train of about forty people. Her husband Alfred Foulks had died five years earlier in Mansfield, Ohio, where they farmed among a large, extended family. Elk Grove’s first settlers apparently continued to live in that covered wagon during their first California winter, waiting for the Foulks House lumber to arrive from around Cape Horn.

That is what happened, but this is what it might have been like: “Canopies of oaks and cottonwoods, many festooned with grapevines, overhung both sides of the blue current. Birds chattered in the trees and big fish darted through the pellucid depths. The air was like champagne, and (the Spaniards) drank deep of it, drank in the beauty around them.” (The words of Daniel Moraga who as you probably know named Sacramento Valley) Isn’t it lovely to imagine the oaks stretching across the Foulks’s ranch, to breath in the champagne-infused air, and listen to the probably-very-populous-and-noisy birds chattering away in the otherwise silent valley?

The family moved into Elk Grove’s first residential dwelling in 1853; the children studied, farmed, married and had kids, doing some extraordinary things and many very ordinary things. Effie came from a long line of dreamers, pioneers, and settlers: Pughs and Foulks. I’ll tell you a little more about her people and how their adventures may have inspired hers. Currently a student of the National Genealogical Society’s Certificate Program, and an anthropologist at heart, I will share her story through numerous lenses: historical, cultural, geographical, maybe even a bit of the spiritual.

May 15 – Dave Lema

David is the Chairman of the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation which was established to honor Linda after her passing in 2015. The objective of the Foundation is to research, record, and present the personal stories and family histories of the greater area of Elk Grove. To date, over 300 audio casts which tell these stories have been produced and published on the Foundation web site.

“Memorial Day Recognition – Stories of Elk Grove Area Veterans Lost in Battle During WW I, WW II, Korea & Vietnam Wars”

In recognition of Memorial Day, David will present a collage of audio casts which relate stories of Elk Grove area service members lost in Twentieth Century conflicts around the world. These audio casts bring poignant details of extraordinary courage and bravery, of expectations and hopes, and of the impact losing them had on their families and community.

June 19 – Dave Stuart

Stuart grew up in Ripon and attended Modesto Junior College and worked seasonally at Caswell State Park. He studied anthropology and biology at Fresno State and the University of Colorado. Mr. Stuart and his wife have lived in Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood for 35 years. Their grown children and grandchildren live nearby.

Dave is a fourth generation native of the Northern San Joaquin Valley and the Delta. He has been the Assistant State Archaeologist of Colorado and a Cultural Resources Specialist and planner for the National Park Service. He was the director of museums and programs for the City of Ventura and directed the Sacramento Science Center (now called MoSAC) and the Sacramento History Museum in Old Sacramento. After eleven years as director of our San Joaquin County Historical Museum in Micke Grove Park, Dave retired five years ago.

Other post-retirement projects were serving as interim manager of the Sacramento History Museum and researching the Indigenous cultures and history of the Bay-Delta region in support of the Clarksburg Schoolhouse project and the new Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area. Much of that research has been summarized in articles in the online magazine www.soundingsmag.net.

“The History of Motorcycles in the San Joaquin Valley 1900-1970”

David Stuart, who has presented to EGHS several times in the past, is the coauthor of a new book, Motorcycling in California’s Central Valley. It’s a pictorial history with more than 200 historic photos focusing on San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties and covering 1900 to 1970.

Stuart’s PowerPoint presentation will outline the history of motorcycling in the Northern San Joaquin Valley using historic photos from the book. It will include the origins of motorcycles at the end of the Victorian era, working riders, motorcycle club activities, dealers and shops, and various types of racing competition. Profiles of regional hall-of-fame motorcyclists spanning each of seven decades will be included.

The book was one of his post-retirement projects. Dave will have copies of the book available for sale and signing.

If you are interested in a preview of the book, click here.

July and August – Summer Recess

September 18 – Dave Lema

October 16 – Dave Freeman

David Freeman, living in the suburbs of the small Glenn County town of Artois, Glenn County, is a former map and compass toting Boy Scout. He has, over the years, updated his geo- location skills with drone imagery and LIDAR to the cutting-edge standards of today. A semi-retired Building Contractor, today he spans the gap between the historical community and the surveying establishment. David uses period maps to convert period sites and features to usable GPS coordinates using both GIS and Map Regression Analysis with the final step being the application of applied shoe leather to discover the target sites. He is currently a member of Trails West and is on the Board of Directors, Vice President and lead on the Historical Committee. He writes a regular column in the Colusa Historical Society Publication, “Wagon Wheels” on the progress of his discoveries. He also leads a group of volunteers which include 2 archaeologists, a surveyor, hydrologist and Native American specialist which are primarily hunting out the historical features and sites of Peter Lassen. For the past 13 years I have been searching and mapping historical sites and features related to the period of 1840- 1860. Using GIS coupled with Map Regression Analysis.

“The Mill and Early Development of Jared Sheldon – Sloughhouse to Rancho Murieta – circa 1843”

In this presentation we will explore the early Mill and canals of the Consumnes River development of Jared Sheldon. The canals and mill were designed and for the most part constructed by another early California pioneer Peter Lassen with evidence that some or all of the water wheel components were sawn by the former President of the Bear Flag Republic, William B. Ide. Come and help unravel this long forgotten patchwork of history.

November and December – Holiday Recess

Please understand these history presentations are for you to learn about the rich history of our community. It’s an hour of amazing people sharing what they know with a power point presentation and often several artifacts. Please considering coming and see for yourself.

They are all on the third Monday evenings of the month, at 6:30 pm at our usual place, the Presbyterian Church at 8153 Elk Grove Boulevard. Turn north on to Big Horn and it’s behind the Chevron Station, Suite 50.

Always FREE, open to the public, and we provide refreshments.

Annual Events

The Elk Grove Historical Society, besides our speaker series, hosts and partners with EIGHT specific events through the year,

Here are the next on the calendar:

2023

1. Big Day of Giving: May 4, 2023

Always the first Thursday in May. A 24-hour online event, but from 10:00 to 3:00 the museum will be open to help with your donations.

2. Civil War Days: May 6-7, 2023

To purchase tickets, click on “Civil War Days at Mahon Ranch”on the Menu to the Left

Always the first weekend in May at the Mahon Ranch (10171 Grantline Road, Elk Grove, 95624)

3. Derby Day Spring Tea: May 13, 2023

Click here to buy tickets with credit card – $50 each

Always the Saturday before Mothers Day at the museum

4. Yard Sale: June 22, 23, 24, 25

Usually the third weekend in June at the museum, 4 days from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

5. Founders Day and The Elk Grove Historical Society’s Elizabeth Pinkerton History Award presentation

The first weekend of September

6. The Mahon Ranch Hop & Brew Fest – September 17

Usually held the third Saturday in September at the Mahon Ranch (10171 Grantline Road, Elk Grove, 95624)

7. Black Tie and Santa: Sunday, November 26

The last Sunday of November at the museum from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm

8. Old Fashion Christmas

The first three weekends of December before Christmas

9. Miscellaneous Activities

We also enjoy speaker presentations (see above), free first Saturday tours, bus trips, dedications, and special events that will vary from year to year. We always need volunteers and appreciate any help anyone cares to give. Just leave a message on the museum phone (916) 685-8155

First Saturday and Virtual Museum Tours

The Museum (Heritage Park) and Rhoads School are open for FREE tours every first Saturday of each month (February through October) from noon to 4:00 pm (Rhoads School 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm) or upon request. We close in November to get ready for our “Old Fashioned Christmas” event.

We also have made a short six minute virtual tour video to give you an idea on what you may experience when you visit. Click here for the YouTube link.