Local

What makes Sacramento special? These 21 stories highlight the area’s quirks and history

By Stories by Sacramento Bee team, with AI summarization

October 14, 2024 11:31 AM

Cars drive past a “Little Italy Historic District” sign at the corner of Folsom Boulevard and 48th Street in East Sacramento on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. The historic district is bound by 48th and 59th streets and by J Street and Folsom Boulevard. Bailey Stover bstover@sacbee.com

Sacramento’s historical development and vibrant community culture have generated notable landmarks and traditions. For instance, the enduring fascination with “Leap,” the big red rabbit at Sacramento International Airport’s Terminal B, exemplifies the city’s embrace of whimsical public art. Similarly, the city’s dedication to preserving its architectural heritage and fostering community coherence is evident in its mid-century modern homes.

Sacramento’s vibrant food scene is epitomized by beloved establishments like Club Pheasant, which etched a remarkable history before closing in 2022.

These elements reveal the capital city’s blend of heritage and contemporary life.

From our Bee Curious and Uniquely series, here are stories that highlight what makes the capital region special.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

Fortune cookies make their way toward the end of the assembly line at New World Co. in April. Cameron Clark cclark@sacbee.com

No. 1: Step into this hidden Sacramento bakery where owner crafts 32,000 fortune cookies a day

Supplying customers and restaurants with crisp golden fortune cookies brings “happiness to everyone,” the owner said. | Published May 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Hanh Truong

A old photo shows the of Old Ironsides liquor store. Old Ironsides

No. 2: These are Sacramento’s oldest restaurants and businesses still serving the capital city

One local lumber mill has been operating for more than 150 years. | Published February 21, 2024 | Read Full Story by Hanh Truong

Pancake Circus is located at the corner of 21st Street and Broadway in Sacramento. Cameron Clark cclark@sacbee.com

No. 3: Changes are coming to Sacramento’s Pancake Circus. What to know about the beloved restaurant

The Sacramento diner has been delighting clown fans for more than 60 years. | Published February 29, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jacqueline Pinedo

A bear claw from Broadway Doughnuts is ready to eat on Tuesday. According to Wikipedia, “The name bear claw as used for a pastry is first attested in March 1914 by the Geibel German Bakery, located at 915 K Street in downtown Sacramento.” Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com

No. 4: Sacramento invented the bear claw pastry? The internet says so. Here’s what we know

Various online reports attribute the pastry’s origin to The German Bakery, once owned by John Ludwig Geibel at 915 K St. | Published May 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Benjy Egel

Statue monuments stand in family plots under a crescent moon in 2023 at the Old City Cemetery that date to the mid-19th century. The cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Lezlie Sterling lsterling@sacbee.com

No. 5: Sacramento’s Old City Cemetery has graves dating back to the Gold Rush. Who’s buried there?

A reader asked Bee Curious: “Who are some of the notables in the Sacramento cemetery?” | Published April 28, 2024 | Read Full Story by Hanh Truong

The landmark Tower Theatre sign at Broadway and Land Park Drive is seen in a drone photo looking east over a relatively quiet Broadway on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 6, 2022, in Sacramento. Xavier Mascareñas Sacramento Bee file

No. 6: Hollywood Park? Poverty Ridge? Here’s how 6 Sacramento neighborhoods got their names

A reader asked The Bee about the origins of these well-known Sacramento spots. | Published April 6, 2024 | Read Full Story by Hanh Truong

Sherri Pennington and her sister and brothers feed the elephants – a common practice at the time – at the Sacramento Zoo on Dec. 24, 1978. Because of the cramped and out-of-date enclosure, the zoo relocated its last elephant, Winky, to Detroit in 1991. Winky had been alone since her roommate Sue died in 1988. FRANK STORK Sacramento Bee file

No. 7: Sacramento opened its Land Park zoo during a truly roaring ’20s. What came next was wild

Here’s a look back in time at the Sacramento Zoo and its animals. | Published May 8, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brianna Taylor

Cars drive past a “Little Italy Historic District” sign at the corner of Folsom Boulevard and 48th Street in East Sacramento in June. The historic district is bound by 48th and 59th streets and by J Street and Folsom Boulevard. Bailey Stover bstover@sacbee.com

No. 8: Does Sacramento have a Little Italy? Where to find historic district — and how it started

“Italian roots run deep in the history of the city of Sacramento,” a City Council member said. | Published July 6, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jacqueline Pinedo

New homes rise in the Delta Shores development near the shopping center in south Sacramento on Dec. 12, 2023. Sara Nevis Sacramento Bee file

No. 9: How old are houses in Sacramento? New report shows when most homes were built

Only about 10% of homes in the Sacramento area have been built since 2010, the study found. | Published January 16, 2024 | Read Full Story by Angela Rodriguez

Sacramento’s Tower Theatre stands next to a Tower Records store in 1968. The former Tower Records building was demolished in 2019 and is being rebuilt to be a multi-use building for retail stores and apartments. W.A. Peterson Vintage Sacramento

No. 10: How did Tower Bridge in Sacramento get its name? Tower Theatre? Here’s a look back

Both capital city landmarks opened in the late 1930s. | Published June 8, 2024 | Read Full Story by Camila Pedrosa

Descendants of the founder of Berry’s Foundry stand around a manhole cover from their great-grandfather’s Sacramento foundry earlier this month. Paul Kitagaki Jr. pkitagaki@sacbee.com

No. 11: Sacramento’s history is underfoot. Take note of these manhole covers that dot downtown

Made by Berry’s Foundry that operated in the mid-20th century, these ornate manhole covers are a point of pride and artistic inspiration. | Published July 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Graham Womack

Patti Palamidessi jokes around with some of her regular customers, John and Tom Martin of Winters at Club Pheasant in West Sacramento in 2019. The restaurant, which closed in 2022, was established in 1935 in West Sacramento by her grandparents. Lezlie Sterling lsterling@sacbee.com

No. 12: This is the most-missed restaurant in Sacramento, readers say. Here’s what made it great

“I loved all of their food,” one longtime customer said. | Published January 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jacqueline Pinedo

The bathhouse area of the Miyazaki Bathhouse is a large, open room with cedar walls and natural illumination from two skylights. Cameron Clark cclark@sacbee.com

No. 13: Historic bathhouse in sleepy Sacramento Delta town for sale at $600K. Take a look inside

Eugene Phillips and Montserrat Wassam exquisitely restored the residence originally built in 1916. | Published May 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by David Caraccio

The Carter Sparks-designed mid-century modern home in Fair Oaks, California, has floor-to-ceiling windows looking in from the backyard. Shot Archives

No. 14: What’s the significance of mid-century modern architecture in Sacramento? We just found out

South Land Park Hills designated a historic district for its Eichler homes. | Published May 27, 2024 | Read Full Story by David Caraccio

The ziggurat building, occupied by the Money Store, in West Sacramento glows at night lighting in 1998. Owen Brewer Sacramento Bee file

No. 15: Why is there a 10-story pyramid in West Sacramento? Here’s the story behind the Ziggurat

A Bee reader asked: “What is the pyramid-looking building in Sacramento near the golden Tower Bridge?” | Published July 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Hanh Truong

The oldest Chicano mural in Sacramento resides in the Washington Neighborhood Center and was painted by Esteban Villa, a cofounder of the Royal Chicano Air Force. Jocelin Hernandez

No. 16: One of the oldest Chicano murals in the country resides in Sacramento. Here’s where

The mural’s significance stretches beyond Sacramento. | Published September 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Mathew Miranda

A refreshed neon facade at the Crest Theatre is lit for the first time on K Street in downtown Sacramento in 2009. Randall Benton Sacramento Bee file

No. 17: One of Sacramento’s most spectacular vintage theaters is for sale. Here’s how much

The property hosts a surprising number of other businesses, including restaurants | Published June 15, 2024 | Read Full Story by David Caraccio

The Howard Sr. and Mabel Chan House at 917 Sutter Street will house the Chinese Heritage Museum. Rita Mukherjee Folsom History

No. 18: The Chinese Heritage Museum in Folsom took a new direction after the pandemic. Where is it now?

The COVID-19 pandemic delayed progress and compelled the society to pursue a new direction for the museum, Folsom History’s executive director said. | Published August 1, 2024 | Read Full Story by Esther Sun

The Skinny House, a Sacramento landmark, stands on Del Rio Road in South Land Park earlier this month. Nathaniel Levine nlevine@sacbee.com

No. 19: This Sacramento home narrows to just 8 feet. How did the architectural oddity come to be?

A previous owner bought the house for what he calls the “bargain of the century.” Even with its tiny kitchen, he could still throw quite the party. | Published September 13, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jessica Ma

Rebekah Christensen stands on the porch “Little House,” of her 632-square-foot home with her dog Bingo in Sacramento’s Boulevard Park neighborhood Sunday, August. 25, 2024. The historic home built in the 1890’s has survived years of redevelopment. Lezlie Sterling lsterling@sacbee.com

No. 20: This old Sacramento tiny house survived redevelopment. Was it luck or love?

“There’s a deep amount of love and care put into the house that I’d say is reflected deeply in who they are as people.” | Published August 27, 2024 | Read Full Story by Graham Womack

The 56-foot-long, 15-foot diameter “Leap”, a red rabbit made of steel and aluminum by Denver artist Lawrence Argent, hangs from cables inside Terminal B at the Sacramento international Airport. Randy Pench Sacramento Bee file

No. 21: Why is there a big red rabbit at Sacramento airport? Here’s the story behind ‘Leap’

“It’s fun. It’s whimsical. It’s a little goofy,” one local art expert said. | Published May 4, 2024 | Read Full Story by Sarah Linn

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.