Guide to the Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchant Association records

Amy Long and Kristen Svozil

Center for Sacramento History

551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd.

Sacramento, California 95811-0229

Phone: (916) 808-7072

Fax: (916) 264-7582

Email: csh@cityofsacramento.org

URL: http://www.centerforsacramentohistory.org/

Guide to the Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchant Association records

Collection number: MS0044

Center for Sacramento History

Sacramento, CA

Processed by:: Amy Long and Kristen Svozil
Date Completed:: 2011
Encoded by:: Sean Heyliger

Descriptive Summary

Title: Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchant Association records

Dates: 1960-2004

Collection number: MS0044

Creator: Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchant Association

Creator: Atwell, William

Collection Size: 7 linear feet (7 boxes)

Repository: Center for Sacramento History

Sacramento, California 95811-0229

Abstract: The Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association collectively with the city of Sacramento, sought to preserve the historic integrity and commercial interest of the Old Sacramento historic district. The collection was donated by local businessman and association historian, William Atwell, in 2011. The collection contains correspondence related to the association and city entities, monthly newsletters and bulletins, event related materials, association election materials, and artifacts. The collection ranges in dates from 1970 to 2004 with the bulk of material from 1975 to the mid 1990s. The materials reflect the business practices of the association, yearly promotional events, merchant concerns, and coordination with the city of Sacramento to preserve the district and promote as a cohesive merchant area.

Physical location: McClellan

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Access

Collection is open for research use.

Publication Rights

All requests to publish or quote from private collections held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted in writing to csh@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the patron. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchant Association records, MS0044, Center for Sacramento History.

Acquisition Information

Collection donated by William Atwell/Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association to the Center for Sacramento History in 2007 (accession #2007/040).

Processing Information

Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association records were processed by Amy Long and Kristen Svozil, 2011. Finding Aid prepared by Amy Long and Kristen Svozil.

Biography / Administrative History

William Atwell served as the Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association historian from the 1970s to the 1990s. A participating merchant in Old Sacramento, Atwell owned Mother Lode Company Leather. The association sought to work with the City of Sacramento, property owners, and merchants to preserve and promote the area as both a historic district, and thriving commercial area. The association published a monthly newsletter and held administrative meetings with a set of bylaws and elected officers. In the spirit of the historic area, candidates ran campaigns based on Old Sacramento ties to the Gold Rush with stage names and non traditional titles such as, Sheriff or Madam. Yearly sponsored events also played a vital role in the promotion of local businesses. The association often used the districts proximity to the river, and Old West themes to showcase annual events, many of which are still held today.

Scope and Content of Collection

The Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association records include an extensive catalogue of correspondence within the organization and city entities, monthly newsletters that include merchant news and events, redevelopment issues, media coverage, Old Sacramento Events, promotional materials, and related artifacts, association election materials, and association minutes and bylaws. The years of the collection range from 1970 to a few items in 2004. The majority of items are concentrated form the 1970s to the early 1990s. The collection was originally eleven boxes of unsorted materials and now stands at seven boxes. The collection is organized by series, but as of December 2011, only boxes one through three were organized by sub series due to time restrictions, and interpreted importance. Boxes one through three include: administrative records, correspondence, newsletters, events, merchant information, city entity correspondence, and association bylaws and minutes. Boxes four through seven have been organized by series. They include: printed materials, artifacts, and oversized materials.

The Association’s goals were to preserve the integrity and maintain the commercial interests of the Old Sacramento district. In 1965 Old Sacramento became the first historic district in the West on the National Register and a California State Historic Park. It is an area comprised of significant Gold Rush commercial buildings. Some of the most notable include: The Eagle Theater, B.F. Hastings Building that was once home to the California Supreme Court, and the Big Four Building. In addition, Old Sacramento was the western terminus of the Pony Express postal system, the first transcontinental railroad, and the transcontinental telegraph. The district has over 50 historic buildings. Today the properties in the district are primarily owned by private owners, and leased to individual merchants. The continuous efforts of the city and merchants association, have maintained the area as a both a historic and commercial attraction.

Arrangement

Series 1. Administrative records Subseries 1.1 Bylaws Subseries 1.2 OSCMA Board meeting notices and minutes Subseries 1.3 Agencies and advisory boards Subseries 1.4 Local and city ordinances/business codes Subseries 1.5 Financial records Subseries 1.6 Redevelopment Subseries 1.7 Individual business entities Subseries 1.8 Logistics and planning Subseries 1.9 OSCMA Bulletins/Newsletters Subseries 1.10 Business census / cards Series 2. General correspondence Series 3. Local events Subseries 3.1 Old Sacramento election posters Subseries 3.2 Railfair Subseries 3.3 Railroad Museum opening Subseries 3.4 Event guidebooks Subseries 3.5 Promotions Subseries 3.6 Cavert building Subseries 3.7 Flyers Subseries 3.8 Menus Subseries 3.9 Theater and playbills Subseries 3.10 Gold Rush Days Subseries 3.11 Dixieland/Jazz Jubilee Subseries 3.12 4th of July Subseries 3.13 150th Anniversary Series 4. Printed materials Subseries 4.1 Magazines Subseries 4.2 Newsletters Subseries 4.3 Journal publications Subseries 4.4 Newspapers Subseries 4.5 Merchant menus/coupons Subseries 4.6 Attraction publications Subseries 4.7 Railroad Museum Subseries 4.8 Newspaper clippings

Series 5. Artifacts Series 6. Oversized

Subjects and Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Old Sacramento Historic District (Sacramento, Calif.)

Sacramento (Calif.)--Buildings, structures, etc.

Sacramento (Calif.)--History

Historic districts--California--Sacramento

Series 1. Administrative records

Physical Description: 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

Administrative records from 1960 to 1999. Subseries include: bylaws, board meetings and notes, Sacramento city agencies and advisory boards, local and city ordinances, business codes, financial records, redevelopment, individual business, logistics and planning related to events, Old Sacramento operations, bulletins and newsletters by year from 1976 to 1989, no date materials.

Subseries 1.1 Bylaws

Box 1

Bylaws 1976–1980 and undated

Box 1

Letter appointing Bill Atwell as Old Sacramento historian undated

Subseries 1.2 OSCMA Board meeting notices and minutes

Box 1

OSCMA Board meeting notices and minutes 1972–1977

Box 1

OSCMA Board meeting notices and minutes 1978–1982

Box 1

OSCMA Board meeting notices and minutes 1983–1990 and undated

Subseries 1.3 Agencies and advisory boards

Box 1

Sacramento Area State Historic Park Advisory 1980–1990

Box 1

Old Sacramento Advisory Committee 1978–1995

Box 1

Sacramento Parks and Recreation 1977 and 1989

Box 1

Central City Coalition 1979

Box 1

Sacramento City Council 1980 and undated

Box 1

Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association Board 1977-1984 and undated

Subseries 1.4 Local and city ordinances/business codes

Box 1

Local and city ordinances/business codes 1975–1980

Box 1

Local and city ordinances/business codes 1988–1998 and undated

Box 1

Subseries 1.5 Financial records 1978–80 and undated

Subseries 1.6 Redevelopment

Box 1

Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment 1966–1986 and undated

Box 1

Old Sacramento Development undated

Box 1

Photographs 1960–1969

Box 1

Save Old Sacramento 1988–1989

Subseries 1.7 Individual business entities

Box 1

Local merchant information 1976–1998 and undated

Box 1

Local business flyers 1976–1999 and undated

Subseries 1.8 Logistics and planning

Box 1

Event management and organization 1976–1995 and undated

Box 1

Parking information undated

Box 1

Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association safety procedures and security

Box 1

Visitors information - Old Sacramento register July 28, 1977 – August 26, 1977

Box 1

Visitors information - Old Sacramento register August 27, 1977 – October 14, 1977

Subseries 1.9 Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association bulletins/newsletters

Box 1

Newsletters undated

Box 1

Newsletters 1976

Box 1

Newsletters 1977

Box 1

Newsletters 1978

Box 1

Newsletters 1979

Box 1

Newsletters 1980

Box 1

Newsletters 1981

Box 1

Newsletters 1982

Box 1

Newsletters 1983

Box 1

Newsletters 1984

Box 1

Newsletters 1985

Box 1

Newsletters 1986

Box 1

Newsletters 1987

Box 1

Newsletters 1988

Box 1

Newsletters 1989

Box 2

Subseries 1.10 Business census undated

Box 2

Subseries 1.11 Business cards undated

Series 2. General correspondence

Physical Description: 19 folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

Includes general correspondence written to and from the Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association between 1973-1990.

Box 2

General correspondence 1973

Box 2

General correspondence 1974

Box 2

General correspondence 1975

Box 2

General correspondence 1976

Box 2

General correspondence 1977

Box 2

General correspondence 1978

Box 2

General correspondence 1979

Box 2

General correspondence 1980

Box 2

General correspondence 1981

Box 2

General correspondence 1982

Box 2

General correspondence 1983

Box 2

General correspondence 1984

Box 2

General correspondence 1985

Box 2

General correspondence 1986

Box 2

General correspondence 1987

Box 2

General correspondence 1988

Box 2

General correspondence 1989

Box 2

General correspondence 1990

Box 2

General correspondence undated

Series 3. Local events

Physical Description: 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

Includes local events held at in Old Sacramento Historical District. The series is organized into 12 subseries: Old Sacramento Election Posters from 1975 to 1985, Dixieland /Jazz Jubilee, Old Sac Elections, Gold Rush Days, 4th of July, Theater promotions, and the 150th Anniversary.

Subseries 3.1 Old Sacramento election posters

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1975

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1975

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1976

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1977

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1978

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1979

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1980

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1981

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1982

Box 2

Old Sacramento election posters 1985

Subseries 3.2 Railfair undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.3 Railroad Museum opening undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.4 Event guidebooks undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.5 Promotions undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.6 Cavert Building undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.7 Flyers undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.8 Menus undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.10 Theater and playbills undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.11 Gold Rush Days undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.12 Dixieland/Jazz Jubilee undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.13 4th of July undated

Box 3

Subseries 3.13 150th Anniversary undated

Series 4. Printed materials

Physical Description: 2 boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

Printed materials includes magazines, newspapers, journal publications, newsletters, merchant menus/coupons, attraction publications, railroad museum, newspaper clippings about the Old Sacramento Citizens and Merchants Association between 1975-1998.

Box 4

Subseries 4.1 Magazines undated

Box 4

Subseries 4.2 Newsletters undated

Box 4

Subseries 4.3 Journal publications undated

Box 4

Subseries 4.4 Newspapers undated

Box 4

Subseries 4.5 Merchant menus and coupons undated

Box 4

Subseries 4.6 Attraction publications - Railroad museum undated

Box 4

Subseries 4.7 Newspaper clippings undated

Box 5

Series 5. Artifacts undated

Physical Description: 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

Artifacts related to events. Buttons, beer bottle promotions, chips, awards.

Box 7

Series 6. Oversized undated

Physical Description: 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

Oversized posters and election materials