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| Occasionally, 4:30 am will
find its way to my eyes. This morning was one of those
times. I had slept soundly during the night, but wakened
early. I fought blankets until dawn, and then decided
resistance was futile, and jumped out of bed. After grabbing the camera, my car keys and a couple coins, I headed down to Old Sacramento. I have previously blogged about Old Town's special place in California history. I've even written about The Subterranean History of Old Sacramento. But this morning, I wanted to delve a little deeper, and actually walk some of the back alleys and climb down into the more hidden areas which may be accessible. It was quiet in Old Town, with few folks stirring at that hour. There was the plaintiff sound of a hungry cat, not friendly enough to be comforted by my voice. Restaurants and cafes aren't open that early. The cat will need to wait. Often when folks visit the streets of Old Sacramento, they have no idea there is a hidden, more secret world lurking beneath their feet. There are hints and clues given in the area of what was once Fulton's Prime Rib @ 900 2nd Street. The charming and quaint courtyard, at subterranean level, can be seen from the sidewalk above, and provides testament to the Gold Rush era, when Sacramento endured flooding. In 1850, the first catastrophic flood paid visit to Sacramento. Two years later the city was virtually destroyed by high waters. When a third flood devastated the city in 1862, dirt was hauled in by wagon, and the street level was raised to present level to hopefully curtail flooding. This summer, folks who visit Old Sacramento, could have a new opportunity to experience the area from another perspective - thanks to an agreement between city leaders and a historical preservation group. An agreement has been accepted by the Sacramento City Council with the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation to begin giving tours of the underground and hidden areas beneath sidewalks and buildings in Old Sacramento. For more information on these tours, you can visit the Old Sacramento Living History Website - or www.oldsacramento.com
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