Tour the California State Archives and California State Library with the Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County
On Thursday, September 5, guides will lead tours of the California State Archives and the California State Library (http://www.statearchives.us/california.htm) for the Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County (GSSCC). The approximate hour-long tour of the Archives, located at 1020 “O” Street, begins at 10:00 am. One party for the tour will leave the dock outside the main entrance to the Delta King Hotel at 9:15 am, to make the 30-minute walk.
Only a five-minute walk from the Archives, the Library address is 900 “N” Street, Room 200 (The California History Room). Those who wish to, will gather at deli for lunch, conveniently located between the Archives and Library buildings. The Library tour begins in the California History Room at 1:30 pm.
Wednesday and Friday Open for Museums and Research
Nine museums, including the California State Railroad Museum, the Crocker Art Museum, and the State Capitol Museum, await field trip participants on Wednesday and Friday, September 4 and 6. Alternatively, participants may research family history in the Archives (open Monday-Friday, 9:30am – 4pm) and the Library (open Monday-Friday, 9:30am – 4pm) on these days. It’s up to your heart’s desire!
Overnight at the Delta King Hotel at Old Sacramento on the Sacramento River, September 4 & 5
At present there are plenty of rooms available at the Delta King Hotel (https://deltaking.com/). Field trip participants are responsible for their own room reservations at either the Delta King Hotel or elsewhere. The Delta King Hotel charges $25 nightly for valet parking.
Dinner Reservations Wednesday and Thursday, September 4 & 5
I’ve made dinner reservations for our group at the Delta King Hotel on the Wednesday and Thursday evenings of September 4 & 5, at 6:00 pm. Dinner at the Delta King is optional, but the restaurant asks that I keep them informed about numbers of diners to plan for. Dining together would be a nice way to share time together, including excitement about what we learn and how we might find the resources useful. Otherwise, all meals—breakfasts, lunches, and dinners–are up to participants to arrange.
Ride Amtrak from San Jose to the Sacramento Valley Station
Seven Amtrak trains connect San José with the Sacramento Valley Station (401 “I” Street, Sacramento 95814) each weekday via the Capitol Corridor service. The train schedule (https://www.capitolcorridor.org/schedules/) shows the #524 eastbound train departing from the Amtrak San José Diridon Station at 6:42 am and arriving at the Sacramento Valley Station at 9:46 am. The #528 leaves San José at 9:08 am and arrives at the Valley Station at 12:17 pm. The #532 leaves San José at 12:20 pm and arrives at the Valley Station at 3:24 pm. The #538 leaves San José at 3:08 pm and arrives at the Valley Station at 6:17 pm. The #542 leaves San José at 4:17 pm and arrives at the Valley Station at 7:21 pm. The #546 leaves San José at 5:46 pm, arriving at the Valley Station at 8:50 pm. The last weekday train, #548, departs from San José at 7:15 pm and arrives at the Valley Station at 10:24 pm.
Seniors 62 years of age and older receive a 15% discount on Amtrak fares. Check the Amtrak Capitol Corridor deals and promotions web page for the full list of discounts available: https://www.capitolcorridor.org/deals-promotions/
The Amtrak Sacramento Valley Station requires a ten minute-walk to the Delta King Hotel, or a four-minute cab or Lyft ride.
Contact: Dan Spelce at vayodafa@cruzio.com
If you’d like to participate in the GSSCC field trip to the California State Archives and the California State Library in Sacramento on Wednesday-Friday, September 4-6, please email Dan Spelce. When you notify me, I’ll send you an itinerary with useful tips and a list of the nine museums. I need to inform staff at the Archives and Library about the number of tourgoers and the staff at the Delta King about diners for the two meals at the hotel. You are welcome to plan your arrival and departure to fit your research and museum interests, and your travel preferences. No fee is charged for the field trip, though donations to the Society will support family history activity. Train travel and carpooling foster conviviality, and ease traffic congestion and climate disruption.