2025 Involvement

The Elk Grove Historical Society is composed of many hard working, fun loving volunteers who enjoy history, love our community, and want to contribute to its growth. Part of our mission is to share the history of our community and that can take many forms, but we also we believe we need to support our community and as a result, it is not uncommon for us to participate in its many aspects. Below we list some of our endeavors to set an example and you are always welcome to join us.

2025

JANUARY

 

 

 

January 22 – Laguna/Sunrise Rotary

Bret (& Louis) gave a power point presentation on the “History of the Elk Grove Historical Society.”

 

FEBRUARY

 

 

February 2 – Key to the City for Jim Trimboli

In Elk Grove if you attain the age 100-years old you earn a Key to the City. Retired Elk Grove High School teacher Jim Tromboli turned 100 and received a Key from the Mayor presented to him at a huge party in his honor at the Elk Grove Park Pavilion. He was nominated by Louis who attended the event. (Note: Sadly, Jim passed March 30, 2025)

 

 

 

 

 

February 3 – Soroptimist

Jim, Annaclare, and Louis gave a presentation for the Barn Project, the Tom Russell Research Library, and the Bill Cartwright book signing.

 

 

 

 

 

February 8 – Discovery Day

The Mormon Church on Elk Grove-Florin and Vintage Park Roads held their annual Discovery Day where they present free all morning classes on ancestry and genealogy. All morning in a large hall are various diverse genealogical organizations consisting of many cultures and locations from the Sacramento region, each sharing their history and helping others find theirs. Louis set up a both explaining the Tom Russell Research Library that is a available and open to the public to peruse our history files. We may have even some interested new members.

 

 

 

 

 

February 8 – Mardi Gras

The Uplift non-profit organization which supplies support for those who need help preparing to enter the work force held their annual Mardi Gras celebration fundraiser. A traditional a Cajun style dinner provided by the Lions Club of Elk Grove was served. Fun was had by not only 24 Elk Grove Historical Society members but also 125 more supporters as they bid on the many prizes offered and the table of cakes, cupcakes pies, and many other desserts. There was a costume competition where all the purple, green and gold sparkles, bangles, and wild clothing was flaunted. It was difficult to choose a winner so 2 couples and 1 Cajun beauty win. (Bret Bartholomew and Tina Reiland won). The games were also fun and unusual. First each table was challenged to put important events of the New Orleans Mardi Gras in chronological  order starting at the 1500’s. This was so difficult but 2 celebrants succeed in getting it right. Next came the tossing and catching long string of beads around your partner’s neck. Itwas so funny many contestants were totally distracted with nonstop giggling. (Cindy Mahon and Susan Hernandez were partners and managed to catch 5 necklace) The winner had 25 necklaces around her neck. We paused here to the announcement of the winners of the Silent Auction of both the baskets and desserts. Each table won at least 1 cake which was shared by all at the table. EGHS won 5 assorted yummy desserts which was shared among our 3 tables. The last event was dancing. We all  joined the New Orleans line dance with everyone parading around as 1 long snake to a rousing When the “Saints Came Walking In.” A fun time was had by all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 13 – Sacramento Consortium of Historical Societies

Dr. Bob and Maryellen, leaders of a local Sacramento History Consortium held a Zoom meeting allowing local history organizations a place to meet and discover ways to help each other save and promote local history. Bret and Louis participated as well as many of our friends in other local historical societies, such as Tom Herzog from the Sacramento Delta River group, Dan Tarnasky of Galt, and Kay Barnes of the Orangevale History Project.

 

 

 

February 15 – Carlton Senior Living Tour

Jim & Louis led a 1-2 hour tour of Heritage Park for about eight residents of the Senior Center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 21 – Key to the City for Everrett Bradley

In Elk Grove if you attain the age 100-years old you earn a Key to the City. Retired Middle School math teacher Everrett Bradley received a Key at a family private ceremony at his senior assisted living facility in Elk Grove. Louis nominated him but was unable to attend.

 

 

 

 

 

February 28 – Ardent Magazine

Louis wrote a history article for Ardent Magazine about local “Sculptor Bruce Carty.” Bruce is the sculptor who created the large Bison and Native American statues at the Steele Realty building in Sheldon. He also created the 11′ Blacksmith statue that is located at our museum.

 

 

MARCH

 

 

 

 

March 8 – Strauss Festival Tea Fundraiser

Jim & Stan attended the Strauss fundraiser in the name of the historical society in support of the organization.

 

 

 

 

March 13 – Chamber of Commerace Leadership Class

Each year our local Chamber of Commerace offers local businesses a class that teachers them about the community and offers approaches to help their businesses thrive. One all day session is about the history of the community. Bret gave a power point presentation about the history of the community and later the entire class met at Heritage Park for a tour of the museums.

 

 

 

 

 

March 17 – Linda Wheatly visit

Linda lives in East Montpelier, Vermont and in searching her ancestry found that one branch was related to the Foulks family so traveled here in 2022 to peruse our records and our Folks House museum. She cried when she rocked in her great-great-great-great grandma’s rocking chair. She came for a few hours, but ended up spending two days. She returned home and within 6 months she returned and was one of our monthly speakers in 2023. Since then she has earned her certificate and has become a genealogist. She recently retraced the wagon train route and visited the museum once more. We have already scheduled her for a speaking date in October 2026.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 22 – Bill Cartwright book signing

Elk Grove High School Star and NBA legend Bill Cartwright wrote a book, “Living Life at the Center.” The Elk Grove Historical Society hosted a book signing and presentation. We sold 130 books and estimated 200 attended the 5 hours he was there. He engaged everyone and it was a delightful day.

(Note: The Elk Grove Citizen published an article about the event on page-3 of their March 28, 2025 #13 issue. All are welcome to visit our Elk Grove Citizen archives to peruse it.)

 

 

 

 

March 24 – John & Karen Jernigan visit

John and Karen Jernigan live in King City, about 4 hours south of here, and not far from Hearst Castle. There is a lot of history there and they wanted to form a historical society. They connected with the Elk Grove Historical Society so asked if they could come to our research library, see what we have done, and ask a lot of questions. They did, returned home and went to work. Now, they about to open their museum and wanted pointers on all kinds of subject matter, which we were happy to oblige. Congratulations!

After the visit, two days later, we received this email from the Jernigans…

THANKS FROM KING CITY
       Since 2018 when we first visited the Elk Grove Historical Society, your organization has been an inspiration to us for the work that you have done to preserve Elk Grove history.  We have looked to your example as we have developed plans for a history center in our town, King City in the Salinas Valley.
        We have family who live on Dillard Road and in Rancho Murieta so when we wanted to learn about your area, we were referred to the Elizabeth Pinkerton books, History Happened Here.  Those were such an inspiration to us.  We felt King City was deserving of a book that told the story of our town.  Using Elizabeth’s model of talking to the oldest people we knew, we learned so much.  That led to us helping write a book during the COVID-19 pandemic.  We partnered with our 80-year old friend, Howard Strohn, and the result of that year-long project was the book King City, Images of America by Arcadia Publishing in 2022.
     Plans for our history center in King City were delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic but have been renewed.  We are now watching as the King City Visitor and History Center is being completed in our downtown area.   It is very exciting for us and we invite any of you who are traveling on Highway 101 between Salinas and Paso Robles to look us up at the corner of Broadway and Vanderhurst Avenue in our historic district.   Our city has purchased an historic building that is being remodeled and sits next to a small park.  Our small history research room will share a portion of the building with the King City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.
      So, thank you Elk Grove Historical Society members for your ongoing commitment to the history of your area and California.  We admire your work and continue to learn from your publications, displays and events.
Sincerely,
John and Karen Jernigan

APRIL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 9 – Dennis Buscher

Long time Historical Society member and involved community member Dennis Buscher was honored by receiving the “Starts of Service”  award given by the City Council.

April 19 – “2025 Taste of Elk Grove”

Historical Society members attended the Laguna Sunrise Rotary Clubs’s “2025 Taste of Elk Grove” fundraiser.

 

 

 

April 21 – Betty (Augustine) Woolever

Long time Historical Society member and volunteer at many events, Betty Woolever passed away in 2024 at 94 years old. Betty and her family grew up in the Sloughhouse area where her father owned the Augustine Dairy ranch in 1900-1950’s. She attended the Rhoads School as a child and graduated from Elk Grove High School in 1948. Many years ago, Betty donated a  12″ x 40″  B&W panoramic photo of the ranch that we proudly hung on the wall of the museum with other such ranch panaramic photos.
Brad Taunt, 3rd child of Robert Taunt III, Betty’s stepbrother contacted us and asked if we had a copy as he would like to hang it on his wall in his house in Northern Thailand. We had a copy made from our photo and sent the new copy to him in Thailand.

April 24 – Louis Silveira

Louis represented the Elk Grove Historical Society at the April Sacramento History Consortium meeting. It was held at the Cal Guard Military Museum on Mather AFB and started with a tour and lunch at the museum followed by the meeting.

April 25 – Elk Grove Citizen article

Bret and Louis were quoted in an article involving the theft of historic landmark plaques from the community and Elk Grove Park. (Note: The Elk Grove Citizen published the article in the April 25, 2025, #17 issue. All are welcome to visit our Elk Grove Citizen archives to peruse it.)

MAY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 1 – Elk Grove High School donation

The Elk Grove Historical Society donated a Bill Cartwright autographed book and Basketball to Elk Grove High School as a Thank You for donating an annual EGHS yearbook to the Historical Society high school archives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2 – Carl Gutekunst

We were contacted by Carl Gutekunst asking for information about our Masonic Hall in Old Town Elk Grove. Evidently, the Masonic Hall was temporarily designated as a Civil Service Control Station/Clastic site in 1941 according to Civilian Exclusion Order No. 92. The government designated certain sites where the  Japanese were partly processed before being loaded on trains for internment processing and on to internment camps. He is doing research with UCLA professor Dr. Koji May-Ozawa on clastic sites, a word he coined. It just so happened that in our archive files in the museum we had a photo with the Japanese assembling outside as well as an E.C. Order No. 92 booklet that explains all the details of the order. He was grateful and said he wants to visit the area in July. We look froward to meeting with him.

 

 

 

 

May 9 – Newspaper article:

Short article promoting the upcoming 2025 Spring Tea

May 16 – Newspaper article

Article about  the Spring Tea, Quoting Barbara Claire, and Louis Silveira.