Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Eppie's Great Race and Eppie Johnson collection
- Dates:
- 1974-2015
- Abstract:
- The collection primarily documents Eppie's Great Race almost entirely through scrapbooks dating from 1974 through 2015. It also documents the race's creator, Eppaminondas "Eppie" Johnson, who was a Sacramento restaurateur and philanthropist. The scrapbooks contain programs, photographs, clippings, and other items related to Johnson and the race.
- Extent:
- 9.6 Linear Feet (3 oversized boxes, 1 half-manuscript box, 2 unboxed scrapbooks)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Eppie Johnson and Eppie's Great Race collection, MS0160, Center for Sacramento History.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The collection primarily documents Eppie's Great Race almost entirely through scrapbooks dating from 1974 through 2015. These scrapbooks include programs, fliers, photos, clippings, and other material related to the race.
There is also a scrapbook dedicated to Eppie Johnson's life and career with photographs, clippings, and other items from around 1960 to 1979. Also included in the collection are a program from Johnson's funeral and memorial resolutions.
The collection is arranged alphabetically.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Eppaminondas "Eppie" Johnson was a Sacramento restaurateur, philanthropist, and the creator of Eppie's Great Race. He was born in Astoria, New York, on May 7, 1928, to Greek immigrant parents George and Anastasia "Fotini" (Mousmoules) Johnson. After his parents divorced, Johnson's father moved to Reno, and then to Sacramento in 1947 where he opened the Del Prado restaurant on Stockton Boulevard and was a well-known restaurateur and philanthropist. Johnson attended New York University and University of Nevada in Reno then joined the army. After he was discharged, he moved to Sacramento in 1950 and began working in the Del Prado with his father. Johnson began a catering company, then in 1964, opened his first restaurant, Eppie's, at 3001 N Street. This was the first of many Eppie's in a chain of restaurants Johnson opened throughout Northern California and Nevada. He later opened restaurants in Sacramento and Stockton called Eppaminondas. He also purchased tennis clubs in Davis and Sacramento.
Johnson was known for his advertising gimmicks, one of which kicked off the annual Eppie's Great Race triathlon along the American River Parkway in 1974. Created as a running/biking/kayaking race that would begin at one of Johnson's restaurants and end at another, the race became an annual event that raised over $1 million for Therapeutic Recreation Services in its 44 years. It was replaced by the Great American Triathlon in 2018.
- Acquisition information:
- Donated by Eppie's Wellness Foundation in 2022 (accession number 2022/053)
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-12-09 13:29:49 -0800 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
All requests to publish or quote from private manuscripts held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted in writing to csh@cityofsacrmento.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], Eppie Johnson and Eppie's Great Race collection, MS0160, Center for Sacramento History.
- Location of this collection:
-
551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd.Sacramento, CA 95811, US
- Contact:
- (916) 808-7072