Delta Heritage Courier
May/June 2025
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NEWS
Tule Horseshoe on Display at Locke Boardinghouse
Did you know that horses were used to help thousands of Chinese workers drain, re-shape and farm the California Delta in the 19th century?
However, according to the Locke Foundation, the “soft muck of the Delta hampered [the horses’] movement,” prompting the workers to develop a special horseshoe with an additional iron ring attached to it.
Like a snowshoe, the innovative “Tule Horseshoe” had a larger surface area, allowing the horses to maneuver more easily on peat soil. A replica of the horseshoe, crafted by Walnut Grove artisan Patrick Daniel, is on display at Locke Boarding House Museum.
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Save the Date: NHA Advisory Committee Applications
Applications will open June 3 for seats on the Delta National Heritage Area Advisory Committee. The announcement will be posted here.
Four members’ and one alternate’s terms expire in September: members Dwayne Eubanks, David Stuart, Stuart Walthall, and Dan Whaley; and alternate Paulette Hennum. All are eligible to reapply.
The application deadline is July 18.
Shellebrate Turtles at Big Break!
 On Friday, May 23, Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley celebrates World Turtle Day.
Established in 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, World Turtle Day raises awareness about the conservation of turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats. Event participants will “explore and celebrate the world of turtles” and look for signs of turtles in the park.
The celebrity of the day is Asparagus (“Gus”), Big Break’s resident Western Pond turtle.
2 p.m. to 3 p.m., 69 Big Break Rd, Oakley, (510) 544-3050
Rio Vista Featured in Islands Online Travel Magazine
Rio Vista, a “vibrant, walkable Californian riverfront city,” is highlighted as an engaging tourist destination in Islands, an online travel magazine.
The article mentions Rio Vista’s self-guided walking tour (“you'll see everything from the waterfront to the city's museum to a long list of historical homes that are well-preserved today”) and praises its “very compact” downtown area.
The Dutra Museum and RioVision Gallery are also called out as not-to-miss attractions for visitors.
Native Power-Building Fellowship Now Accepting Applications
California Native Vote Project has announced The Native Power Building Fellowship, an 18-month program “designed to strengthen the leadership pathway of Native leaders throughout California working towards justice and self-determination for Native peoples.”
Program Fellows will receive in-depth leadership training, build statewide networks and learn advocacy tools to “create real change.” Applicants must be California residents, enrolled members of a federally or state-recognized tribe, and and “passionate about advocacy, organizing, education, or policies affecting Native communities.”
Help Clean Up Historic Benicia City Cemetery
Benicians Adopting Benicia is sponsoring its 5th annual Memorial Day City Cemetery clean-up and Fallen Hero Flag Tribute on May 10 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. All ages are welcome. Participants will need to bring gloves, garden tools, and “your heart for service.” In addition to the clean-up, volunteers will also place flags at the graves of fallen heroes in preparation for Memorial Day.
The City Cemetery was established in 1847 and is the burial place for historical figures such as Edward Von Pfister, a former sea captain who built the first general store in Benicia in 1847. It was at Von Pfister’s store in 1848, according to the Benicia Herald, where “Charles Bennett stopped [and] announced that gold had been found at the mill site of his employer, John Sutter.” This astonishing announcement, notes the Herald, ignited “what became known as the California Gold Rush.”
150 Riverhill Drive, Benicia, (707) 746-4285
Clarksburg Chenin Blancs get a Well-Deserved Shout-Out
The Sacramento Bee recently extolled the many virtues of Chenin blanc, “the versatile, affordable white wine [that] is enjoying a resurgence among California winemakers, as well as some tuned-in customers.”
The article, which may require a subscription, notes “that’s good news for farmers 20 minutes south of Sacramento in Clarksburg, where Chenin blanc has been the keystone grape for decades.”
Discovering Indigenous Place Names Along the Anza National Historic Trail
It’s a great time to visit the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, which marks the 1,210-mile route taken by immigrants from Imperial Spanish Mexico to present-day California.
The expedition, led by Spanish military officer Juan Bautista de Anza, traveled overland from Sonora, Mexico to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1775-76.
A new 88-page guide (PDF) provides traditional Indigenous place names along the trail, encouraging visitors to explore the heritage of Arizona and California native tribes.
A section of this historic route connects the Delta National Heritage Area communities of Concord, Bay Point, Pittsburg, Antioch, and Oakley.
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Jump into State Parks Week!
California State Parks Week occurs June 11-15 this year. Here are two ways to celebrate locally:
Meditative Walk at Delta Meadows – Thursday, June 12.
Participants are encouraged to “find your calm and reconnect with nature” on a meditative walk through the Delta Meadows Park Property in Locke. Park staff will lead the group along the levee trails, stopping along the way to “engage the senses” with the local plants, wildlife, and water.
The free walk begins at 10 a.m. from the parking lot and participants are urged to bring water and sun protection.
History Tour of the Locke Boarding House Museum - Saturday, June 14
Learn about the rich history of the California Delta and the community of Locke on this immersive guided tour of the Locke Boarding House Museum in Walnut Grove.
The Museum is part of the Locke Historic District, a Chinese-American community that was established in 1915 and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1990. The free tour begins at 1 p.m., 13916 Main St, Walnut Grove
MUSEUMS
California Native Artists Featured at the Mómti Market
The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians presents Mómti Market on Saturday, May 3, at the Sacramento History Museum in Old Sacramento.
The pop-up market features an array of goods for purchase crafted by California Native artists as well as a number of interactive demonstrations, including basketry and acorn processing.
The Mómti Market is presented in conjunction with the Sacramento History Museum’s Mómtim Pewinan (River People) exhibition. Admission is free to this family-friendly event.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 101 I Street, Sacramento, (916) 808-7059
Old Sacramento's Schoolhouse Museum Removed
The Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum, a learning center inviting “students of all ages” to explore California’s early days of education, was removed in mid-April to make room for a new proposed children’s play area.
The Museum - a living replica of traditional one-room schoolhouses found throughout America in the late 1800’s, was established in 1977 by community volunteers and featured a pot-bellied stove, vintage student desks and other furnishings typical of the period.
The Byer-Nail House Featured on Good Day Sacramento
The Byer-Nail House in Brentwood was featured on March 18 by Good Day Sacramento’s “Cody’s Caravan.”
Viewers enjoyed a comprehensive tour of this historic home, built in 1878, which now serves as a local museum “where the public can see an example of what life was like on the other side of yesterday,” says the East Contra Costa Historical Society website.
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CLASSES AND WEBINARS
Los Medanos College Lecture Series
Lifelong Learning Center's lecture series includes lectures by local historian and Delta NHA Advisory Committee member Carol Jensen and author Dan Hanel.
The following courses will be held at the College's Brentwood Center and online:
PICNIC IN HISTORY: The final "road trip" course involving personal vehicles and carpools is to Somersville Mines, May 31. Carpools leave Brentwood Center at 8 a.m.
Enrollment at Los Medanos is not required, but you must register in advance at the Los Medanos College website.
EVENTS
Submit your event for inclusion in our bi-monthly Delta Heritage Courier newsletter by emailing submit@delta.ca.gov. The deadline for inclusion in the next newsletter is June 30; the newsletter comes out July 10.
May 4 in Suisun City: The Third Annual Cinco de Mayo festival - held on Harbor Plaza Waterfront to celebrate the city’s “huge appreciation and support for the Mexican culture.”
May 6-10 in Sacramento: The Annual California Preservation Conference and Awards - more than 600 participants from the state gather to learn, network, and share successes.
May 10 in Locke: The 17th annual Asian Pacific Spring Festival – attendees will enjoy a traditional Lion Dance and martial arts demonstration, in addition to cultural music and demonstrations such as Chinese calligraphy and tea ceremony.
May 17 in Isleton: Artist Reception at Mubdie’s – artist-members of this “creative collective” discuss their work and their Delta roots. Visitors are encouraged to “enjoy refreshments, meet new people, and spend a relaxing few hours in historic Isleton.”
May 18 in Vallejo: The Vallejo Garden Tour – This annual event starts at the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum. Participants (who are advised to wear sturdy shoes) get a map to explore 7 to 8 “wonderfully diverse gardens in and around Vallejo.” The event is a fundraiser for the museum.
May 31 in Rio Vista: The Riverfront Arts Fest - includes arts & crafts vendors and demonstrations, a youth art showcase, and a new exhibit called “Art on Wheels and Waves,” featuring creatively-painted mobile devices.
May 31 in Isleton: Grand opening of the Asian American Heritage Park – celebrants will honor this park, which features a “historical perspective of events that impacted the Japanese and Chinese through the generations and their contribution to the United States.”
June 1 in Hercules: Hercules Annual Cultural Festival - a “beloved community event” highlighting the diversity of the community with live music, dance and food vendors.
June 7 in Locke: Bird Walk at Delta Meadows - Celebrate National Trails Day by joining State Parks for a bird walk at the Delta Meadows Park Property. Attendees will stroll along the levee trails to spot and listen to birds in the property’s waterways, meadows, and trees. The free walk welcomes all ages and experience levels. Binoculars are recommended and participants are urged to bring water and sun protection. Walk begins at 9 a.m.
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