Delta Heritage Courier
September/October 2025
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NEWS
Crockett Gets a Shout-Out from Islands Magazine
National Heritage Area News!
• Wondering what communities are part of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area (California’s first and only National Heritage Area)? Check out the new NHA fact sheet (PDF), a handy-dandy resource for locals and visitors alike that includes a map of the area and lists many recreational options available in this scenic, varied region.
• The Delta Protection Commission is teaming up with Honey, a design and marketing studio in Sacramento, to create a Tourism Brand and Marketing Plan for the NHA. The plan will promote sustainable tourism and economic development in the region by encouraging responsible use of, and visitation to, the Delta’s unique resources and communities. The rollout will include public outreach, market research and the creation of a brand toolkit. The project is expected to be complete by late June 2026.
Anza Expedition 250th Anniversary
 This month, the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is kicking off its Anza 250 commemoration. Almost 250 years ago, as the Declaration of Independence was signed on the East Coast, the Anza expedition arrived at its destination on the West Coast. On the 250th anniversary of the expedition, the Anza Trail encourages people to learn how the expedition shaped the histories of California and Arizona; honors the Hispanic, Latine, and Afro-Latine heritage of these two states; and “explores how colonial expansion continues to impact Indigenous people’s lands and lifeways.”
Rio Vista Students Promote Improved Air Quality
Calling attention to the importance of improving air quality and walkability in local communities, Sustainable Solano is hosting the Little Free Library and Pollinator Garden Celebration on Sept. 6 at the Rio Vista Community Garden.
A new “Little Free Library,” built and painted by the Youth Air Protectors of Rio Vista High School, will be unveiled at the event. The colorful Library will contain educational resources relating to air quality and environmental action; and the event includes the planting of a native pollinator garden and an exploration of “local air quality issues and solutions.”
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Deer Valley Regional Park to Expand
The East Bay Regional Park District has acquired 140 acres adjacent to Deer Valley Regional Park in partnership with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy. The Freschi property is located in eastern unincorporated Contra Costa County south of Antioch and southwest of Brentwood and will become an addition to Deer Valley Regional Park.
The California red-legged frog, the California tiger salamander, and a variety of raptors call this property home and will be protected. “As habitat for endangered and threatened species, this land holds significant ecological value, and we are dedicated to its long-term stewardship and conservation,” says Hugh Henderson, Board Chair for the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy and Vice Mayor of the City of Oakley.
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Boozy Nuggets
 Birthplace of the Martini
The City of Martinez proudly lays claim to being the birthplace of the martini. A marker mounted on a stone monument, proclaiming the cocktail’s invention, sits at the intersection of Alhambra Avenue and Masonic Street.
According to the marker, a bartender named Julio Richelieu served up the very first martini – which he named the "Martinez Special” - to a miner “with a fistful of nuggets [who] asked for something special.” The exact concoction? 2/3 gin, 1/3 vermouth, a dash of orange bitters, served over crushed ice with an olive.
Prohibition Eggs
Delta author, educator and historian Carol Jensen shares a charming story about her aunt Ruth’s “Prohibition eggs” in an August issue of Soundings Journal.
According to Jensen, Aunt Ruth – “the embodiment of a good church lady… and a culinary subversive of the era” - poured Aquavit (“a clear, high-proof alcohol, distilled product with a kick like Everclear”) into her renowned picnic devilled eggs.
At a time when alcoholic beverages were illegal in the United States, Aunt Ruth was busy making people (very) happy at the “countless fraternal organization picnics held from Memorial Day through Labor Day.”
For Aunt Ruth’s Prohibition egg recipe and a fun education on the Delta Prohibition scene, check out Carol’s story.
The City of Brentwood Featured on KTVU
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On Aug. 15, KTVU Fox 2 San Francisco visited Brentwood as part of its Summer Zip Trips tour. The 27-minute clip is an entertaining dive into the community's welcoming, friendly vibe, excellent locally-grown produce and wine, and the town’s “smart growth” plan.
Vice Mayor Pa’tanisha Pierson and Adam Martinez of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce shared their love for the town and discussed why Brentwood is such a special place to live, work, and visit.
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Benicia’s Sparkly-New Fishing Pier
Benicia has announced that the city’s Ninth Street Fishing Pier restoration is complete and the pier is “officially open again.” The pier (no fishing license required!) boasts new decking, railings, and a rebuilt fish cleaning station.
Sought-after species for anglers using the pier include striped bass, sturgeon, flounder and salmon, with availability varying according to the season. The newly-renovated pier is part of the city’s Alvarez 9th Street Park, which provides the community with a boat launch, picnic area, beach and playground.
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Martinez Moves to Revitalize its Waterfront
The Martinez City Council recently “pushed ahead with an ambitious plan to revitalize the city’s waterfront,” says Local News Matters. The council voted unanimously to enter negotiations to strike an exclusive development agreement with San Diego-based development firm Tucker Sadler Architects.
The plan presented in July, says the outlet, included at least three hotels, a large amphitheater with a bandshell, a waterside restaurant, retail stores, a boat storage facility, a boat launch, a small sand beach, a new seawall and boat docks, pickleball courts, pedestrian walkways, a parking structure, and room for ferry service. There could also be an indoor/outdoor swim facility.
Post Card Photographer’s Collection Discovered
The Contra Costa County Historical Society in Martinez recently acquired the Albert E. Davies photo negative collection that was once, according to Executive Director LeighAnn Davis, “believed to be lost to history.”
Davies is "well-known to East Bay postcard collectors" for his Diablo Valley, eastern Contra Costa County and San Ramon Valley images, notes the San Francisco Bay Area Post Card Club.
Davies moved from New York to California in the early 1900s and “by 1911, you can see postcards stamped with his identifier, ‘A.E. Davies/Berkeley,’” writes local historian and author Carol Jensen.
No copyright mark appears on these recently acquired images, “suggesting [they] may have been commissioned by other parties,” says the Historical Society's LeighAnn Davis.
The Historical Society plans to digitize the collection for public access and is appealing to the Contra Costa County community to step forward to help with this goal. "With a budget shortfall of around $15,000," explains Davis, "the CCCHS cannot begin to plan preservation projects for items like the ones found in the A.E. Davies collection."
For information or to donate to the Historical Society, visit its website at www.cocohistory.org or contact LeighAnn Davis, executive director, director@cocohistory.org; 925-229-1042.
MUSEUMS
Sacramento History Museum
The Sacramento History Museum is now offering a 90-minute “After Hours” walking tour in Old Sacramento on Fridays and Saturdays for the over-18 crowd. Tour-goers will spend an evening with a “shady character from the past, who’ll show you around to the saloons, gaming halls, theaters and houses of ill-fame.” Brave attendees will also learn about the city’s “swindlers, soiled doves and sneaky speculators,” and be regaled with gossipy tales of old-time political intrigue and notorious murders.
In October only, the Museum will offer its much-anticipated Ghost Tour, featuring spirited storytellers who “delve into the real stories of past Sacramento citizens, told from beyond the grave.” The spooky evening entertainment, says the Museum’s website, “will haunt your harvest season.”
Tours begin at the Sacramento History Museum, 101 I Street in Old Sacramento.
San Joaquin County Historical Museum
San Joaquin County’s history shines in a new exhibit at Lodi's County Historical Museum in Micke Grove Park. “175 Years of Growing Greatness” celebrates the county’s rich heritage, from its agricultural roots to its growth as a vibrant community. Through photographs, artifacts, and stories, visitors are encouraged to explore “key moments and people that shaped the region.” For more information, visit sanjoaquinhistory.org or call (209) 331-2055.
Join the San Joaquin County Historical Museum on Oct. 11 as it works to “inspire the next generation of farmers, engineers, and agricultural innovators.” Its annual San Joaquin County Tractor Fest will showcase an interactive, hands-on tractor show and parade, as well as activities for kids and goodies from local food trucks. The museum buildings and exhibits will also be open to enjoy throughout the day.
Event runs 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the San Joaquin County Historical Museum in Lodi's Micke Grove Park.
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Western Railway Museum
The Western Railway Museum in Suisun City is hosting its annual Pumpkin Patch Festival on the weekends of Oct. 11-12, 18-19, and 25-26.
Visitors take a scenic 5-mile train ride to Gum Grove Farm, where they can pick out a Halloween pumpkin, clamber on a giant hay fort, ride tractors, and get up close and personal with cute farm animals at the petting zoo. Other activities include pumpkin chucking (!) and zip-lining; and there are food and beverage options on-site for visitors.
Museum Hours are 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The first pumpkin patch train departs at 10 a.m. and the last train to return from the pumpkin patch to the museum departs at 4:30 p.m. Trains depart every 30 minutes to and from the pumpkin patch.
Tickets are required and sell out quickly. This event is one of the largest fundraisers of the year for the museum.
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CLASSES AND WEBINARS
Los Medanos Lifetime Learning College Lecture Series
Enrollment at Los Medanos is not required, but you must register in advance at the Los Medanos College website.
The following courses will be held at the College's Brentwood Center:
• Contra Costa County Mexican Era Ranchos: The Digital Project – 1-3 p.m. Sept. 17, Brentwood Center Room BRT-307. Session fee: $25
• First Came the Sound: How the Media Covered the Port Chicago Affair and Its Impact on Integration – 1-3 p.m. Sept. 29, Brentwood Center Room BRT-307. Session fee: $25
• Devil Mountain Mining: Quicksilver, Coal Mines and Sand Mines – 1-3 p.m. Oct. 15, Brentwood Center Room BRT-307. Session fee: $25
• Mystery of the Great Stone House – 6-8 p.m. Oct. 30, Brentwood Center Room BRT-307. Session fee: $25
The following courses are offered online or at the Oakley Entrepreneur Center in Oakley:
• How to Start a Business Part II / Business Organizations: Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships – 12-1:30 p.m. Sept. 19. No cost.
• Guerrilla Marketing and Branding – 12-1:30 p.m. Oct. 17. No cost.
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 Nov. 5; the newsletter comes out November 13.
Sept. 6 in:
Antioch: Pour Up Wine Bar: Boots on the Bay - wine, food, dancing, bingo. 5-9 p.m. 1 I St.
Brentwood: La Gran Fiesta - food and dancing, car show, kids zone in Hispanic Heritage Celebration. 2-8 p.m. at Brentwood City Park.
Walnut Grove: Delta Meadows Biodiversity Walk - a leisurely stroll guided by interpretive staff as they discuss the property's native species and types of habitat on the site. 10 a.m. at the Meadows Slough Trail.
Sept. 7 in:
Brentwood: East Contra Costa Historical Society Community BBQ - grounds open 11 a.m., BBQ served at 1 p.m. 3890 Sellers Ave.
Brentwood: Delta Harvest Run - this annual event supports East Contra Costa County food banks, shelters, and college scholarships for local high school students. The race begins and ends at the Community Centre/City Hall, 35 Oak St.
Sept. 9 in Thornton: Delta Champions Dinner - honors the 2025 Delta Champions recognized by the Delta Leadership Foundation. 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Perez Barn. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased here.
Sept. 13 in:
Antioch: Rivertown Peddlers Faire - music, food, wine and beer, shopping. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at G and 2nd Streets.
Port Costa: Annual town talent show - fundraiser for the historic Port Costa schoolhouse. Noon-4:30 p.m., 1 Plaza del Hambre.
Rio Vista: Rio Vista Airport Day - vintage and experimental airplanes, food trucks and vendors, vintage cars and hotrods, pancake breakfast. Starts at 9 a.m. at Rio Vista Municipal Airport, 3000 Baumann Road.
Martinez: 2025 “The Big La Bocce” Tournament - raises funds for St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County and Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa. Event will feature “friendly competition,” a catered lunch and a silent auction. Martinez Bocce Ball Courts, 100 Joe DiMaggio Drive.
Sept. 15 in Walnut Grove: Delta Meadows Birdwalk - a light walk through oak woodlands to see some of the birds that call these wetlands home. 9 a.m. at the Meadows Slough Trail.
Sept. 18 in:
Antioch: Antioch Big Truck Day - a chance for families and kids to learn about local truck companies and the large vehicles they use to keep the community safe and green. Food trucks on site. 4-8 p.m.
Oakley: Sip & Stroll - enjoy Big Break-themed mocktails and hors d'oeuvres, relax with an art project and take an evening stroll in the park. 18 and over only. 6:30-8 p.m. at Big Break Visitor Center, 69 Big Break Road, Oakley.
Sept. 20 in:
Various locations: Delta Waterway Cleanups – volunteer to clean up trash in the Delta, helping to prevent it from reaching waterways and, ultimately, the ocean. These local cleanups are part of 2025 California Coastal Cleanup Day.
Oakley: Heart of Oakley Festival - open-air market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza.
Benicia - Oktoberfest & Marketplace - enjoy schnitzel and sauerkraut as you listen to a German oompah band at this annual event, which also features sips of “the world's oldest beer,” craft vendors, dance demonstrations and even a stein-holding contest. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. First Street Green (bottom of First Street at B Street).
Sept. 21 in:
Brentwood: Downtown Brentwood Coalition Harvest Table at City Park - community-style dinner with open seating, curated by local restaurants. 5:30 p.m.
Clarksburg: 35th Annual Wines of Clarksburg at Heringer Estates - celebrating 60 years of Friends of the Clarksburg Library. 1-5 p.m. at 37375 Netherlands Road.
Oct. 4 in Antioch: Antioch Rhythms by the River - music, food, beer and wine garden, cornhole tournament, kids zone.
Oct. 10-12 in Rio Vista: Annual Bass Derby & Festival - the oldest bass fishing tournament on the West Coast, this 3-day event also features a pancake breakfast, live music, and arts & crafts vendors. End of Main Street, downtown.
Oct. 11 in Brentwood: Downtown Brentwood Coalition Oktoberfest - Sierra Nevada Biergarten, live bands, Fun Zone including craft stations, local performers, demonstrations, wiener dog costume parade, one-man circus and more. 1-7 p.m. in downtown Brentwood.
Oct. 18 in Brentwood: Brentwood Rotary Hosts Digs & Rigs - hands-on experience invites kids and families to explore and climb on construction equipment, utility trucks, emergency vehicles and more. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Oct. 19 in:
Antioch: Fall-O-Ween - trunk or treating, games, costume and pumpkin-carving contests, face painting. 2-7 p.m. at Antioch Water Park, 4701 Lone Tree Way.
Brentwood: Pawstoberfest - activities, treats, pets! 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at City Park, 790 2nd St.
Oct. 25 in:
Antioch: Rivertown Trunk or Treat Car and Bike Show - pet costume contest, kids costume contest, store-to-store trick or treating, monster truck rides, kids zone, music, vendors. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 708 West 2nd St.
Brentwood: Hometown Halloween - trick or treating, 4-8 p.m. at Oak and First streets.
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