Speakers Series
Each year the historical society gathers eight history speakers to share their history knowledge with the community. Their hour long presentation is given on the third Monday evening of the month at 6:30 pm, usually including a power point slide show, related items on display, and sometimes a book signing.
2024
We are finished lining up our program for 2024 . If you or anyone else has an interest in giving a presentation in 2025 or knows someone else who might, please contact Louis Silveira (916) 682-1335 hm or lssilveira@comcast.net. Thank you!
July – Summer break, No speaker
August – Summer break, No speaker
September 16
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.
The Edgington/Sprinstead Story – Installment II
The Foundation will present the stories of two Elk Grove area pioneer families: The Edgingtons and the Springsteds. The stories of these families trace their travels and history beginning in Europe, to the American Colonies between 1652 and 1721, their involvement in numerous historic events and moments in early North America, through their generational migration west, eventually crossing the plains in the 1860s and 1870s to settle in Elk Grove.
Each story was extensively researched by combing through public and archival records, newspaper accounts, and reviewing personal letters, photographs, diaries, and personal mementos. Like the stories of more recent arrivals to Elk Grove, what is revealed is the richness of history and culture brought to Elk Grove by these early settlers, whose stories reflect over 300 years of the American Experience.
October 21
Andrei Pischalnikoff: Aka “Doctor R. Snick”
Andrei Pischalnikoff has been a storyteller using various media for many years. With a previous background in helping people to accept technology changes (at a workplace of over 4,000 employees) and creating persuasive public media messages, he has enjoyed researching the historic marketing work of P.T. Barnum and the patent medicine industries of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Andrei has also dabbled in being a docent and living history performer. Andrei visits the patent medicine, quackery collections and the archives at theSierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society Andrei also spends time in the Amador County of California, listening to the historians and volunteers who create events celebrating the past. Andrei portrayed a Kickapoo Medicine Showman at the 49er Wagon Train Days in April 2023 and did a presentation at the Kennedy Mine of Jackson in May of 2023.
Andrei has a passion sharing his knowledge with a specialized focus on the audience’s interests. Another passion is sharing advice on collecting artifacts, telling audiences “I am going to share with you, what I wish I could have told myself years ago when I started collecting”.
He collects various patent medicine artifacts, strange devices that claimed to cure serious diseases and a variety of ephemera related to quackery and deception. His interests extend to hoaxes, oddities and strange items of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.
The Dr. R. Snick Poisons and Cures Show
Learn about several of the poisons used in the past and how “cures” were sold, making incredible amounts of money for the purveyors, from hundreds of years ago to the 18th century and the early 20th century. Topics include; Famous poisons of the past, commonly used poisons, historic cures and poison detectors, and the dangers cures had.
For more information and fun, check out his website: https://www.doctorrsnick.com
Click here to see his 4 minute YouTube video
November – Holiday break, No speaker
December – Holiday break, No speaker
Speakers for 2025
We are finished lining up our program for 2024 . If you or anyone else has an interest in giving a history presentation in 2025 or knows someone else who might, please contact Louis Silveira (916) 682-1335 hm or lssilveira@comcast.net. Thank you!
Jan 20 – None schedule at this time
February 17
Amy Gorder
Amy Gorder is a native of the California Central Valley, where ghosts of 1849 loom large. Growing up surrounded by historical landmarks and stories of fascinating characters sparked her love of history and California Gold Rush legends. As a mother, grandmother, and former 3rd and 4th-grade teacher (Franklin Elementary), Amy learned that nothing captures a child’s attention faster than a ghost story with relatable, adventurous characters. Amy lives south of Sacramento with her husband, Chris, where she shares her fondness for spooky stories with their four adult children and ten grandchildren. Ghosts of Autumn was her 1st children’s book and will be followed by Ghosts of Winter, which is due to be released in the summer of 2024.
Ghosts of Winter
Amy spoke to us last year about her first book, Ghosts of Autumn, in her 4-book series of historical ghost stories for young children. She returns with her second book, Ghosts of Winter. The fun part for us is that she uses our Historical Society Stage Stop/House as a foundation for her story and it’s really fun to read and see the connections, let alone the ghost story. It is a very entertaining evening and she brings books to sign if you are interested. Bring your young’ens!
Amy wrote this about her first book:
“Third and fourth graders love adventures that are fun and exciting and spark the imagination. They enjoy a story that’s a little scary but not too intense that gives them a chance to read independently. The key to this age group is to keep them engaged. That’s what Ghosts of Autumn aims to do.”
Mar 17 – None schedule at this time
April 2 – None schedule at this time
Mar 1 – None schedule at this time
June 1 – None schedule at this time
Summer Break – July and August
September 1 – None schedule at this time
October 2 – None schedule at this time
Holiday Break – November and December
Basic Information to Know
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, usually with a power point presentation, often several artifacts on display, and sometimes a book signing. Please considering coming and seeing for yourself.
There are no presentations in the following months; July & August for summer break and November & December for holiday break. Sorry!
They are always on the third Monday evenings of the month, at 6:30 pm (doors open at 6:00 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.