History

04Sep 2026 by Selene Bendeck No Comments

Spring Tea: May 9, 2026

Uncategorized
lways the Saturday before Mothers Day at the museum  You may print the order form and mail it or purchase tickets on-line below. If ordering on-line, when you see this at the end of your order, Help keep Zeffy free for Elk Grove Historical Society A California Non Profit Organization  (optional) Your generosity allows Elk Grove Historical Society A California Non Profit Organization to use Zeffy's 100% free fundraising and emailing platform with unlimited support, making your impact even stronger. You can scroll down with the arrow to "other" and not pay any additional fees.
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04Sep 2026 by Selene Bendeck No Comments

Calaveras Frog Jumping Jubilee

History, Photos
A story was written by Mark Twain during his 88-day stay in Calaveras in 1865. It launched his international career. In short, Twin overheard a bartender Ross Coon at the Angels Hotel tell the whopping tale of a jumping frog contest. According to the yarn, a hustler named Jim Smiley claimed he trained a frog to make long leaps on command. Smiley bet a stranger that his frog could out jump any other. The stranger took the bet but secretly fed Smiley’s frog a handful of buckshot. Smiley in return could not make his frog leave his spot, and the bet was lost. Calaveras County has kept the spirit of Smiley and his frog Daniel Webster alive by celebrating the Jumping Frog Jubilee on the third weekend in May, ever…
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04Sep 2026 by Selene Bendeck No Comments

Clarksburg

Info
Clarksburg has been settled in stages dating back as early as the 1850’s when Merritt Island was first cleared and developed for agricultural uses. Postal authorities first established a post office in 1876, under the name “Clarksburgh” and changed the name to “Clarksburg” in 1893. The town was named for Robert C. Clark who settled at the place in 1849. In the 1900’s, the New Holland Land Company began subdividing the tracts in the area and formally established Clarksburg as an incorporated community. Clarksburg is unique among small California towns in that many of the families who initially settled the area are still present, thus lending a small-town charm to the community. It is located on the Sacramento River, in the extreme southeastern corner of Yolo County. Architect William Raymond…
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04Sep 2026 by Selene Bendeck No Comments

Stage Stop Gazette

Info
  Newsletter Archives The Elk Grove Historical Society publishes its newsletter every other month to distribute information to its members. There is no cost, just another benefit of membership. 2025 Stage Stop Gazette Nov-Dec 2025 Sept-Oct 2025 July-Aug 2025 May-June 2025 Mar-Apr 2015 Jan-Feb 2025 2024 Stage Stop Gazette Nov-Dec 2024 Sept-Oct 2024 July-Aug 2024 May-Jun 2024 Mar-Apr 2024 Jan-Feb 2024 2023 Stage Stop Gazette Nov-Dec 2023 Sept-Oct 2023 July-Aug 2023 May-Jun 2023 Mar-Apr 2023 Jan-Feb 2023 2022 Stage Stop Gazette Nov-Dec 2022 Sept-Oct 2022 July-Aug 2022 May-Jun 2022 Mar-Apr 2022 Jan-Feb 2022 2021 Stage Stop Gazette Nov-Dec 2021 Sept-Oct 2021 July-Aug 2021 May-Jun 2021 Mar-Apr 2021 Jan-Feb 2021 2020 Stage Stop Gazette Nov-Dec 2020 Sept-Oct 2020 July-Aug 2020 May-Jun 2020 Mar-Apr 2020 Jan-Feb 2020 2019 Stage Stop Gazette Nov-Dec…
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03Sep 2026 by Selene Bendeck No Comments

Early Towns South of Elk Grove

History
Copied from the Lodi News Sentinel, September 9, 1969: Older Towns Dot Valley When Lodi was Established Mokelumne Station (Lodi), Woodbridge, Staples Ferry, Lockford, Liberty, Thornton, and Tuleberg (Stockton) When Mokelumne Station, later to become Lodi, was born in Elkhorn Township in 1869, it became the newest of several scattered little towns in the San Joaquin area. Thriving Woodbridge was the biggest town of Elkhorn Township in that year and was in fact the only town of any size in the township was Staples Ferry. Elliott Township To the east in Elliott Township was Staples Ferry, the first settlement on the Mokelumne River. The original settlement was made by Thomas Pyle, who moved there with his family in November 1846. The land changed hands two times before being passed to J.W.…
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03Sep 2026 by Selene Bendeck No Comments

Elk Grove Bank Robbery in 1928

History
On Friday, February 16, 1928 the Elk Grove Branch of the Security Bank and Trust was robbed of $8,200 by two masked bandits brandishing weapons. It was the second robbery in three days. The first was Bank of Courtland on Tuesday, February 12th and bandits got away with $10,000. The following information describing the events came from a combination of the Sacramento Bee and the Sacramento Union newspapers in 1928. Photo (circa 1950): The Bank of Elk Grove was built in 1910 and was sold to the Bank of Italy in 1928 and within a year bought by Bank of America. It is located just east of the railroad tracks on Elk Grove Boulevard, known then as Main Street. It is still in existence, but not used as a bank…
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27Aug 2026 by Selene Bendeck No Comments

The James Hall House Timeline

History
1850 - James Watson Hall (1803-1872) was born in Lancaster County England in 1803, married Sarah Wild in 1824 in Rotherham, Yorkshire, England. They had five children John, Henry, Anne, and twins Thomas and William. They decided to leave England and arrived in New York City in 1840, James was 36 years old. For ten years they lived in many states, slowly working their way westward, probably hearing about the gold rush, and landing in Placerville in 1850. They built the “* Hotel” in Elk Grove that same year. It was a stage stop for a short time and later became an Elk Grove post office in May 1854, but there were evidence of problems and it closed December 1854. (James moved to Sacramento in 1856, later moved to Tehama…
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27Aug 2026 by Selene Bendeck No Comments

The Rhoads School Story

History
Two Schools - Pioneer Jared Dixon Sheldon built the first Rhoads School in the 1850’s. It was close to the Cosumnes River, which was subject to flooding. Children became sick one year from mosquito bites, which we now assume was malaria, so the school was closed in 1867. In 1872 the second Rhoads School was built on Sloughhouse Road as a community effort. Its financing was by public subscriptions, cake and pickle sales, and a benefit ball with tickets at $3.50 each. Total expenditures were $1,312.60, which included the schoolhouse, insurance and some simple furnishings; desks for students, a desk and chair for the teacher, a stove, a broom, bucket, and dipper. John P. Rhoads – Both schools were named for John P. Rhoads, who had arrived in California from…
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