Delta Heritage Courier
July/August 2025
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NEWS
Delta Heritage Featured on Television!
• This spring the Star Theater in Locke was the focus of KOVR-TV Sacramento's “The Leaning Building of Locke.” The iconic (and abandoned) theater, a three-story wooden structure, served simultaneously as movie theater, rooming house, gambling hall and brothel. It was “the cultural focal point” of the town in its heyday, says Stuart Walthall, Chairman of the Locke Foundation.
• Grand Island Mansion in Walnut Grove was the star of a May episode of KXTV-TV Sacramento's “Bartell’s Backroads.” Host John Bartell describes the mansion as a “turn of the century party house built for the rich and famous,” and takes viewers on a romp through the colorful history of this 1920 hotel. Famous guests of Grand Island have included Presidents Roosevelt and Reagan, as well as Greta Garbo, Sean Connery and “just about every other celebrity that would make your grandma’s knees shake.”
• KXTV-TV Sacramento in May highlighted the 45-minute documentary Voices: Chinese Women of the Delta. The film, by Min Zhou, explores the sacrifices and contributions of women immigrants from China. It grew from an oral history project by the Locke Foundation whose mission was to record and preserve the stories of “past and present residents and families of the Sacramento Delta.”
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Get Involved in the National Heritage Area!
Watch Out for Rattlesnakes
It’s heating up in the Delta, and that means rattlesnakes are becoming more active. This can lead to unpleasant snake encounters with humans and dogs - especially along trails and roads, warns the East Bay Regional Park District.
The District recently issued its annual rattlesnake advisory [PDF] urging outdoors enthusiasts to “keep snake safety precautions in mind” throughout the summer and fall. “Enjoy snakes from afar and leave them where they are found,” notes the advisory, which offers a number of rattlesnake safety tips.
Download the Park District’s Common Snakes Brochure or watch the Gopher Snake or Rattlesnake Video to learn how to tell the difference between rattlesnakes and gopher snakes.
Delta Pears Showcased in Pear Pearfection
In honor of the annual Delta Pear Fair in July, we devoured the delightful paperback Pear Pearfection, compiled and edited by the Sacramento River Delta Historical Society.
Pearfection offers a cornucopia of sweet and savory pear recipes, ranging from the familiar (Pear Crumble Pie) and swanky (Pear and Tuna Exotica) to the downright puzzling (Boiled Tongue with Pear).
Over 100 recipes – collected “from generations of Delta families, recipe pamphlets and regional pear associations” – are sprinkled with chatty tips on how to store and ripen pears, plus entertaining Delta pear history (did you know the first pears came to California in 1701 with Father Junipero Serra, eventually arriving in Sacramento in 1841?).
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Help Restore the Bell
 The Antioch Historical Museum is seeking funds to restore one of its oldest artifacts: the First Congregational Church Bell. The 700-pound bell was cast in bronze in New York in 1868 and was then "shipped around the horn" to Antioch.
According to the museum, the bell rang loudly across the city and "was heard more than 150 years ago by early church members," including Antioch founders Rev. W.W. Smith, Captain George W. Kimball and Thomas Gaines, the first known Black settler who was a sexton of the church.
Celebrate the Bats of the Yolo Causeway
The Yolo Basin Foundation wants you to know: There’s a huge colony of migratory bats that live under the Yolo Causeway during the summer! To learn more about these “amazing and beneficial mammals,” join one of the Foundation’s Bat Talk and Tour events, which run through Sept. 26.
Tour-goers will learn about bat natural history, get up close and personal with live “ambassador” bats and explore the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Then, the best part – the group will watch the “flyout” of thousands of Mexican Free-tailed bats as they emerge in the evening from the Yolo Causeway to hunt for insects.
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Two Historic Delta Personalities Honored
Thomas Foon Chew was a trailblazing Chinese American entrepreneur often referred to as the “Asparagus King” for revolutionizing the California canning industry in the early 20th Century. Now he is being honored with his very own day. The City of San Jose has proclaimed Feb. 24 as Thomas Foon Chew Day, paying tribute to his “groundbreaking achievements and lasting legacy.”
Admired for his commitment to fair labor practices, “Mr. Chew was innovative and successful across all his canneries in Alviso, Mayfield and Isleton,” says Kimberly Eng Lee of the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project. Chew’s business endeavors expanded to include over 8,000 acres of farmland in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and 4 acres of land in what is now Palo Alto.
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The city of Brentwood has proclaimed June 5 as John Marsh Day. John Marsh – a Harvard graduate, pioneer doctor and one of the richest men in the mid-1800s in California - was the first non-Hispanic settler in Contra Costa County and the owner of a vast rancho.
“John Marsh was one of those Yankee chameleons who made the years before California statehood so interesting for historians -- and so profitable for himself,” says the Los Angeles Times. According to the Brentwood proclamation, Marsh’s “contributions to agriculture, diplomacy with Native American tribes, and the development of Contra Costa County are enduring and significant.”
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Martinez Featured in New Alphabet Book
A whimsical new alphabet picture book for children, M is for Martinez, highlights “interesting facts, special people, and wonderful destinations” in this Delta city.
M is for Martinez is part of a series of city-alphabet books written and illustrated by Bay Area husband and wife team Kori and Sammy Barton, who fill their books with poetry, paintings, and local history facts.
The couple – whose other books focus on the cities of Brentwood, Clayton, Concord and Walnut Creek - want to encourage readers to “be thankful for their hometown and inspired to dive deeper into local history.”
Free Fishing Day on Aug 30
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is offering a free fishing day – no license required – on Saturday, Aug. 30.
“Have you ever felt the excitement of watching your bobber suddenly jiggle, then dive out of sight? Or feeling the tap-tap-tap of a bass as it tastes the worm on the end of your line?” asked the department in a recent news release. “If you are new to the sport of fishing, and not sure if you will enjoy it, a great opportunity awaits you.”
Anglers can find helpful resources on the CDFW website, including inland fishing locations and species, a fishing guide and year-round free fishing opportunities found on specific piers, jetties and breakwaters along the coast.
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De Anza Trail Superintendent Steps Down
Naomi Torres, Superintendent of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail has decided to “follow another trail in this journey of life” and step down from her position after 16 years.
“I carry with me joyous memories of experiences and shared achievements,” says Torres, a conservation professional who has worked for decades to help communities form personal connections with their environment and heritage.
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Remembering Port Chicago
 July 19 - the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial will honor the lives lost in the tragic explosion of July 17, 1944. This annual event serves as a “poignant reminder of the sacrifices made and the enduring impact on civil rights and military policies.” The commemoration will feature guest speakers reflecting on the historical significance of the disaster. Event begins at 10 a.m. and RSVP's are required by July 11. RSVP here.
July 27 - the Contra Costa County Historical Society presents Port Chicago: The Rest of the Story – author, historian and professional genealogist Dean McLeod shares a “detailed account” of the small town of Port Chicago, with a focus on the devastating July 1944 explosion. Event takes place at the historic Campbell Theater in Martinez. 4 to 6 p.m.
Aug. 27 – the Concord Historical Society presents Once there was a Town: The Port Chicago Story. Actors will perform using the transcribed words of over 60 former residents of Bay Point and Port Chicago, collected from interviews spanning 42 years. 7 to 9 p.m. at the Concord Museum and Event Center.
MUSEUMS
Rio Vista Museum Gets a Birthday Plaque
The Rio Vista Museum celebrated its 50th anniversary by debuting a commemorative plaque. The museum, which occupies a converted turn of the 20th Century blacksmith’s shop, opened its doors in September 1975.
Artifacts featured at the site – including pictures, dolls, clothing and farm equipment – have been donated by local residents. The museum is located at 16 N. Front Street in Rio Vista and is open to visitors Saturdays and Sundays 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
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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 August 22; the newsletter comes out September 4.
 July 20 in Crockett: 17th Annual Sugartown Festival– this outdoor music festival and street fair features arts and crafts vendors, an array of food choices and a lineup of live bands. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, and shaded VIP seating is also available. Event is free and all are welcome, including leashed dogs.
July 26 in Suisun City: The Western Railway Museum in Suisun City is partnering with All About a Farm petting zoo to offer families “a full day of snuggles and scenic rides.” The day’s festivities include train rides aboard the museum’s vintage electric trains, face painting, and – of course – gentle cuddles with chickens, bunnies, ducks and goats. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more.
July 27 in Courtland: The 51st Pear Fair– a Delta tradition since 1972 – is the largest, continuously running agricultural fair of its kind in Northern California. Attendees celebrate sweet locally-grown pears (peartini, anyone?) and enjoy events from a pie-eating contest and a vintage car show to a parade, live music and even a duck-calling contest.
July 27 in Crockett: "Chicken Walks – Crockett’s Historic Shortcuts." Hosted by the Crockett Museum, this presentation focuses on historic shortcut paths called “Chicken Walks” that meander up and down the hills of Crockett, connecting homes with the small town. 2 to 4 p.m. at the Crockett Museum; even is free to the public.
August 9 in Isleton: Taste of the Delta - the community comes together in Isleton to benefit the California Delta Chambers & Visitor's Bureau. This annual event features local wineries, breweries and restaurants, artisan craft vendors, and live music.
August 16 in Isleton: The 6th Annual Denim and Diamonds Fundraiser - this annual event helps support educational programs, activities, and community-building efforts for the students and families of Isleton Elementary School. Attractions range from lawn games and a photo booth to a live auction.
August 23 in Rio Vista: Hog August Bites – this professionally judged rib and chili cookoff also features live music, a car show, local art, and family-friendly activities, as well as offerings from local chefs, restaurants, and vendors. 10 a.m.to 11 p.m. in downtown Rio Vista.
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