What was Sacramento curious about in 2024? Here are 5 of our favorite reader questions
What makes you curious, Sacramento?
Since launching Bee Curious in 2022, The Sacramento Bee has investigated mysteries ranging from the secret tunnels under Old Sacramento to the fate of the Land Park duck pond.
Bee Curious is a community-driven series where reporters answer local readers’ questions — from the mundane to the top of mind — about the Sacramento region.
Over the past year, The Bee has delved into a variety of queries — unearthing California’s rules about driving in a school zone, the history of McKinley Park in East Sacramento and who’s buried at Sacramento’s Old City Cemetery, among other subjects.
Here are some of our favorite Bee Curious stories from 2024:
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How did Sacramento neighborhoods get their names?
You might live or work in Sacramento, but where are you really?
Are you hanging out in downtown or midtown? Or are you in Alkali Flat, Poverty Ridge or Hollywood Park?
Besides tree-lined sidewalks and Victorian-style houses, Sacramento’s neighborhoods are demarcated by unique names.
Sacramento resident Barbara Stockman asked Bee Curious: “How did the neighborhoods in Sacramento get their names? ... Some like Land Park are obvious but others hint at more intriguing origins.”
The name of a neighborhood often boils down to who lived in the place or who developed it, local experts said.
Older neighborhoods were typically named by their residents, with monikers borrowing from the area’s geographic features or institutions, according to William Burg, president of Preservation Sacramento.
What happened to the Land Park lotus pond?
It’s been more than two years since the lush lotus pond at William Land Regional Park in Sacramento was drained, and people are wondering if it will come back.
The pond, also known as the duck pond, featured vibrant green lotus plants that bloomed in the summer. Light pink flowers would peek out of the leafy bed.
“What happened to the lotus pond in Land Park?” a reader asked Bee Curious. “Has it been permanently removed?”In August 2022, the city of Sacramento announced that it would temporarily drain two ponds in Land Park — including the lotus pond — in an effort to prevent bird flu.
The Bee reached out to city officials to discover whether it will return.
Why is there a 10-story pyramid on Sacramento waterfront?
When the sun plunges below the horizon in Sacramento, one of the capital region’s most recognizable landmarks flickers into sight.
The Ziggurat, a 10-story pyramid-shaped building with giant steps that glow at night, neighbors the iconic Tower Bridge and the Sacramento River.
The towering structure in West Sacramento is also known as the Zig or the Minecraft building.
A reader reached out to The Bee to ask: “What is the pyramid-looking building in Sacramento near the golden Tower Bridge?”
Architect Ed Kado designed the iconic structure while working on commission for national money lender The Money Store, which planned to establish a new headquarters in Sacramento.
However, his original design was a bit different.
- READ MORE: “Why is there a 10-story pyramid in West Sacramento? Here’s the story behind the Ziggurat”
What’s the story behind secret tunnels under Sacramento?
As you stroll along the sidewalks of downtown Sacramento, someone may be doing the same thing more than six feet under you.
Passageways still run underneath parts of the capital city, representing remnants of the region’s history.
A Bee reader asked Bee Curious: “What is the story about the old underground structures that were in downtown Sacramento?”
City officials started lifting up portions of the Sacramento area in the 1860s to reduce the risk of flooding, according to Aly Kowalski, an experience manager with the Sacramento History Museum.
The result was a warren of hidden tunnels that once ran from the Sacramento River to 12th Street and from I Street to what is now Capitol Mall.
- READ MORE: “Secret tunnels run under the streets of Old Sacramento. When and how did they get there?”
What are Sacramento’s oldest restaurants and stores?
Sacramento’s roots run deep, and some of its ties to California history can still be seen on the streets of the capital city.
From a bar and a bookstore to a restaurant known for serving California politicians, some of Sacramento’s oldest establishments are still standing tall.
Reader Leon Corcos asked Bee Curious: “What are the oldest local retailers still operating in Sacto?”
The Sacramento Bee spoke to an archivist with the Center for Sacramento History and searched The Bee’s archives to discover the answer.
- READ MORE: “These are Sacramento’s oldest restaurants and businesses still serving the capital city”
What are you curious about?
The Bee will be answering your questions in 2025. Send your questions about the Sacramento region in the form below or by emailing beecurious@sacbee.com.
