Sacramento Historic Events


President Biden Visits Sacramento September 13, 2021

Timeline of Sacramento History
Sacramento and Bay Area Concert History
Historical Disasters to Hit Sacramento
KVIE: Sacramento's Unknown History
Virtual Tour: Sierra Sacramento Valley Museum of Medical History
The Start of the California Gold Rush (1849)
The First Pony Express Rider Arrived in Sacramento, 1860
History of Sacramento's Japantown
Redevelopment: Old Sacramento 1965

Sacramento Media History

Sacramento Radio History Montage #1
Sacramento Radio History Montage #2
Sacramento Radio History Montage #3
Sacramento Radio History Montage #4
Sacramento Radio History Montage #5
Sacramento 80s Radio Montage
KFBK Celebrates its 100th Anniversary
KROY Story Interview Series
The Legend of KZAP
KCRA Pilot Dann Shively Interview Series
The Rise of Alternative Radio (History of KWOD)
KWODumentary video series
KWOD Sacramento Radio Interviews with Alex Cosper
History of Sac State Radio Station KSSU


Sacramento Music History

Sacramento Music Scene History Videos
Sacramento Music Scene 1999
Sacramento Concert History 1960s
Sacramento Concert History 1970s
Sacramento Concert History 1980s
Sacramento Concert History 1990s

Sacramento History 1800s

The California Gold Rush started in 1849, which attracted visitors from around the world. The Sacramento Union and The Sacramento Bee were among the Golden State's oldest newspapers. Sacramento made national history as part of the First Transcontinental Railroad across America, developed in the 1860s. It was also one of the first regions in the country to have electric power in the 1890s.

Sacramento History 1900s

Electrification spread across America, as the Sacramento region was one of the first to use electric power distribution via the Powerhouse Pub in Folsom.

Sacramento History 1910s

Empress Theatre was built in 1912 ... The influenza pandemic led to mass shutdowns, but its impact was felt mainly on the East Coast ... Governor Hiram Johnson helped usher in the age of public address sound systems. Johnson ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Vice President as Theodore Roosevelt's running mate on the Progressive ticket in 1912 ... Sacramento was home to one of the nation's first A&W root beer stands in 1919.

Sacramento History 1920s

Arrival of airports, telephones, radio and colored magazines ... Sacramento Solons baseball team ... The Roaring 20s had its wild night clubs and speakeasies ... KFBK became the city's earliest radio station in 1922 ... The City of North Sacramento was incorporated in 1923 for 41 years ... Voters approve funding for local utility ... Memorial Auditorium and Alhambra Theatre were built in 1927.

Sacramento History 1930s

The Great Depression was felt throughout the nation as California continued seeking progressive solutions ... Jukeboxes and car radio helped provide low-cost entertainment ... The Tower Bridge was built in 1935, connecting Downtown Sacramento with West Sacramento ... KROY became the second radio station on the Capital City's AM dial.

Sacramento History 1940s

During WWII both Mather and McClellan AFBs were utilized ... The country gradually pulled out of the Great Depression ... TV experimentation began as KCRA Channel 3 emerged as an influential NBC affiliate ... Sac State College was built with local funds ... PG&E was unable to block SMUD from signing on as a local utility.

Sacramento History 1950s

Shakey's Pizza, founded by Sherwood Johnson, started in Sacramento and became America's first franchise pizza chain ... The first Jimboy's Tacos restaurants began to appear in town by 1954 ... Interstate Highway Act of 1956 led to the development of I-5 ... Local officials decided to revitalize the Downtown area near Capitol Mall known as The West End at the expense of Japantown and other cultural communities.

Sacramento History 1960s

Tower Records founded by Russ Solomon in 1960 ... President Kennedy visited Sacramento on his campaign trail in 1960 ... President Johnson visited Sacramento during his 1964 campaign ... In 1964 the City of North Sacramento merged into the City of Sacramento ... U.S. 40 was renumbered as Highway 160 in 1964 ... KCRA introduced color TV to Sacramentans in 1966 ... Sacramento became an important part of the Bay Area music circuit led by concert promoter Bill Graham ... The State Fair moved to Cal Expo in 1967 ... Sherwood Johnson sold Shakey's Pizza to a large corporation in 1967 ... The Black Panthers stormed the Capitol in 1968 leading to Governor Reagan signing stricter gun legislation in the state, banning open and carry ... KZAP debuted as a freeform radio station in 1968 .. I-5 was completed through Sacramento by the end of the decade.

Sacramento History 1970s

Lynn Anderson, who grew up in Carmichael, had a major national hit with "Rose Garden" in 1971 ... The city's worst air disaster occurred in 1972 at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, killing 22 ... In 1975 kidnapped newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst committed armed robbery at a Carmichael bank before getting arrested in San Francisco later in the year ... President Ford's 1975 State Capitol visit encountered an assassination attempt ... The Sacramento Community Center and Community Theatre were built by 1974 ... UC Davis Rec Hall opened in 1977, connecting Sacramentans with up and coming punk and new wave bands.

Sacramento History 1980s

Arden Way still had many small family businesses in operation including King's Skate Country and Leatherby's Ice Cream ... Cal Expo Amphitheatre opened for concerts in 1983 ... Local band City Kidd, who played regularly at Oasis Ballroom, was signed to Geffen Records and became Tesla in 1986 ... Local artist Jay King's band Club Nouveau had a national #1 hit with "Lean On Me." ... Voters voted to shut down nuclear power plant Rancho Seco after skyrocketing rates and ecological damage ... KC Kings move to Sacramento, which gets its first NBA team in 1985 with the opening of Arco Arena. The Kings moved to the second Arco Arena in 1988.

Sacramento History 1990s

Flooding throughout the Sacramento region left many residents homeless in 1995 as officials grew concerned about the safety of levees along the Sacramento and American Rivers ... Weinstock's went bankrupt and was acquired by Federated ... KWOD was one of top independent radio stations in America playing alternative music and giving airplay to local artists including Cake, Deftones and Oleander ... Internet radio arrived in Sacramento by 1999.

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