2023 Sacramento Archives Crawl Details

Join us for the 2023 Sacramento Archives Crawl on October 7, 2023, from 10 am to 4 pm, as we explore our region's archival record in the realm of Myth, Folklore, and Legend. You can start your crawl at any of the event's four host venues - the Central Library at 828 I Street, the Center for Sacramento History at 551 Sequoia Pacific Boulevard, the California State Archives at 1020 O Street, and California State Library at 915 Capitol Mall - and take our luxury shuttle bus (click here for bus schedule) to move from spot to spot. The event is free and there's no registration required. 

Special features include a spooky 1:00 o'clock presentation by Skeleton Crew Paranormal at Central Library, an always pleasing montage of a/v content shown throughout the day at Central Library by our talented friends at California Revealed, and the terrific sounds of Stout Rebellion from 12:00 to 2:15 on the 5th floor at the California State Library! 

Also challenge yourself with our scavenger hunt which can make you eligible for prizes from Vic's Ice Cream and Time Tested Books -and- try your luck with our always fat raffle that includes prizes kindly provided by the Sacramento Kings, Republic FC, Gold Country Ghost Tours, Torchlight Brewing, Sudwerk Brewing, the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, Gold Discovery Park Association, Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, and the Sacramento Regiona Community Foundation.

If you love local history and want to get a choice behind-the-scenes look into four great archives and visit with tens of local cultural heritage groups, you won't want to miss the Crawl!

Shuttle Your Way Through History!

A little gassed after looking at a book made of poison? Take advantage of our luxury shuttle which will be running between all four venues. The schedule is as follows:

We Love Our Sponsors...

Another year and another avalanche of kindness from our sponsors. Produced by our great graphic designer, this year's poster, which lists all of our donors, is displayed below. Also take a look at this page's sweet sponsor sidebar. 

 

A Most Noble Contribution...

We thank our hometown Sacramento Kings for a massive addition to the Sacramento Archives Crawl raffle: a Kings autograph photo and swag bag valued at $150! Being an integral part of city culture since 1986, there's plenty of legend surrounding the organization. Is anyone familiar with "Tuesday Night Magic?" In their inaugural 1985-86 season, the Kings won on 11-consecutive Tuesday nights at Arco Arena, including a victory over Larry Bird's Boston Celtics who'd go on to win it all that year. It was also a big deal that the team made the playoffs in its first NBA season.

As regional repositories and cultural heritage groups, Archives Crawl participants understand the impact of their collections and the power that comes with making the past a bit more relatable and the stuff of legend nudged into closer reach, e.g. roundball kismet taking place on a chilly winter night in Natomas 37-years-ago. 

We also love this advertisement that shows LaSalle Thompson living it up at the Woodlake Resort of Convention Hotel, taken from the King's 1985/86 press guide (Frank McCormick Collection, MC 79).    

 

Who Knew that Scavenging Could Be the Stuff of Legend (and Winning!!!!)

One of the most enjoyable parts of the Crawl is our scavenger hunt. As one moves from venue to venue and table to table, questions will be posed about several of the archival items before you. Answer all of them (and your answers don't have to be correct - just do your best) and you'll automatically be entered to win something really, really big. If you're an adult, you'll be eligible to win a $100 gift card to the venerable Time Tested Books, founded in 1981; if you're a young person, you will have a chance to win a $100 gift card to the equally venerable Vic's Ice Cream, founded in 1947. Wherever you start - the Sacramento Public Library, the California State Archives, the California State Library, or the Center for Sacramento History - we can answer any and all questions you might have about the hunt. Good luck!

Free Stuff Alert

As in past years, the Archives Crawl will offer a pleasing array of free entertainment and educational programming both at the Central Library Galleria at 828 I Street and at the California State Library at 914 Capitol Mall. Take a look at the free stuff. It's free! 

Ghost tours and ghost talks...

The paranormal is fertile ground for legend, myth, and folklore. This year's Crawl will welcome Skeleton Crew Paranormal at the Central Library's West Meeting Room from 1 to 2 on October 7 for a chat, storytelling session, and q and a about the experiences of the group which operates primarily in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. They plan to bring evidence. They'll have an investigation in Ryde that evening so we might get some real-time insight into their trade.  

We will also be raffling off (also at Central Library) two tickets for an October 23 ghost tour put on by Auburn Ghost Tours. This wildly popular tour requires participants to check in at the Placer County Courthouse (101 Maple Street, Auburn, CA 95603) at 8 pm for an 8:30 pm tour. The tickets are valued at $40 each! 

A big scary thanks to Auburn Ghost Tours and Skeleton Crew Paranormal for their frightful contributions to this year's Crawl!