Speaker Series

May 18

Dave Stuart

Dave is an archeologist/anthropologist and has spoken to us a few times in the past. He began his career at Caswell State Park on then lower Stanislaus River, where he helped indigenous women gather basketry materials. His interest stirred, Dave studied anthropology and biology at Modesto JC, Fresno State, and the University of Colorado. He did fieldwork – primarily CRM surveys-in the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada from Tahoe to Tehachapi. Dave was the first Assistant State Archeologist not Colorado. He was an archeologist/cultural resource specialist/planner for the National Park Service, working primarily in Florida, Louisiana, and the Southwest. Dave returned to California and developed museums and programs for the city of Ventura, then he directed the Sacramento Science Center (now MoSAC), the Sacramento History Museum on Old Sacramento, and the San Joaquin County Historical museum in Micke Grove Regional Park near Lodi. Since retiring 7 years ago, he has coauthored a book, assisted planning of the new Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area, and written several articles on Native cultures and the history of the Bay-Delta region – the book he is now researching.

“Indigenous Peoples of California’s Bay-Delta Region”

Dave will touch on Native languages of the San Francisco Bay Area, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and the adjacent Central Valley heartland (“Bay-Delta”) region and will summarize migration and the spread of indigenous ancestors throughput the area. He will describe the traditional lifeways of the California Native American’s from our region, including their care for local habitats to sustainably support a population that was among then highest in pre-colonial North America. Then he will discuss the colonial period and highlight the impact these regional Native people had on California’s colonial history.

Bay-Delta Native nations were disrupted by the missionaries and soldiers that invaded the Bay Area on behalf of the Spanish monarchy. The Delta was initially a barrier to Spanish incursions into the interior heartland, became a refuge that helped Native cultures and autonomy, then became a base for indigenous armed resistance. Disease and depredations eroded the strength of heartland nations and many people went to Mission San Jose and other missions. Baptized Native Americans were turned out by the missions in the Mexican-era to become “serfs” for early settler/barons such as John Marsh, Johann Sutter, and Charles Weber. Indigenous people directly and indirectly assisted the USA victory over Mexico, only to suffer state-and federal-genocide during and after the Gold Rush, Nevertheless, California Natives survived and continent to be nourished neighbors.

29th Annual Spring Tea

“Parlor Games”

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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). We appreciate any help and we have a great bunch of people to work with and we have a lot of fun.

Annual Events

The Elk Grove Historical Society hosts, supports and/or partners with SEVEN specific events through the year. See list on Menu under “Annual Events.”

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 to view video

If at anytime you would like a personal tour of the museums other than on 1st Saturday, please contact Dinah Withrow at (916) 204-4656 or dinahcct@comcast.net and we will schedule a tour with you.

Tom Russell Research Center

The Elk Grove Historical Society has become the history research center of Elk Grove and has spent many years gathering, collecting, and organizing information of the area. We have ten file drawers of local family sir names and there are other files labeled Churches, Schools, Cemeteries, Organizations, Clubs, Businesses, Events, Places, Elk Grove, Local Cities, etc. We have the entire collection of Elk Grove High School yearbooks from the very first issued in 1912. Also, we are fortunate to have the entire Elk Grove Citizen newspaper archives. Plus, we have a huge variety of books in the library on a multitude of topics, including the Donner Party, the Miwok, Railroads, and Genology, to name just a few.

The whole purpose is to allow the community access to our history. If you want to search our files, just call and make a two hour appointment and peruse the subject matter at will. We have a copy machine at 25 cents a copy. Call the museum and leave a message at (916) 685-8115 or eghs@elkgrovehistoricalsociety.com and we will call back and set up a time to visit. Or you can call Louis Silveira at (916) 682-1335 or lssilveira@comcast.net who gladly accommodate and set up a meeting.

[Click here] for direct link to Bookstore

Enjoy. Thank you.