April 21, 2026
The Great Escape: Turning Back the Clock in Old Sacramento
Salinas Valley Tribune Passport Diaries Column
By: Juan Reyes
The part that stood out to me right away was all of the antiquated buildings, including some made of brick that still stand today. Plus, the horse-and-carriage rides roaming around the streets definitely added a touch from the past. All that was missing was a tailored suit with a cravat and a top hat, and it would’ve been like stepping back into 1849 during the California Gold Rush.
Part of our walk through the streets of Old Sac was to go landmark hunting. We found the Pony Express and Theodore Judah monuments, each with its own background story. Slightly past the former California Steam Navigation Company building is the Delta King Hotel, a restored paddle boat turned hotel that sits on the Sacramento River and across the Ziggurat (a unique 10-story pyramid-shaped building).
Down the way we ran into the Old Town Trainstop. There we discovered several people partaking in art projects at Atrium 916 community space, which was wonderful to see.
Within the area was Old Sacramento State Historic Park featuring an old makeshift Western town with the Big Four Building where four railroad tycoons ran the Central Pacific Railroad Company. It was also a connection for the first-ever transcontinental railroad that linked California with the rest of the United States. The gravel path also leads to the Sacramento History Museum and California State Railroad Museum, a must for locomotive enthusiasts.