1880-1954 Downtown Sacramento and Capitol Photos

innov8 · #1 Posted: **Apr 25, 2007, 5:14 AM**

Photos From the California State Library, California History Section

1928 Capitol Extension - Library & Courts Bldg.

1931

1923-24 State Capitol View From The Northeast Side

State Capitol 1880's

State Capitol From The East 1905-1910

Capitol Extension: Grounds View And Truck And Crane At Excavation Site 1922

10th Street N Street Looking North 1936 (See The Street Car)

East View Of The State Capitol 1910

11th Street Looking Towards L Street From I Street 1922

State Capitol 1885-1895

EDD Building Under Construction, August 1954

Cornerstone Laying, Oct. 2, 1923

1925

Library And Courts Bldg. 1937

joninsac · #2 Posted: **Apr 25, 2007, 5:25 AM**

Those pics of the original east side of the Capitol are a vivid reminder of just what an abomination the present east side of the Capitol is. Thanks for the pics innov8.

ltsmotorsport · #3 Posted: **Apr 25, 2007, 5:28 AM**

Very cool shots. I love old pics of Sactown.

Quote:

Originally Posted by innov8

EDD Building Under Construction, August 1954

No wonder that building is so ugly. It was built in the 50's.

joninsac · #4 Posted: **Apr 25, 2007, 5:36 AM**

Apparently, it took at least half a century to end Lot A's run as a parking lot.

innov8 · #5 Posted: **Apr 25, 2007, 5:38 AM**

HA!!! I was thinking that while I was loading these up. Thanks Jon

enigma99a · #6 Posted: **Apr 25, 2007, 10:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by innov8

HA!!! I was thinking that while I was loading these up. Thanks Jon

haha I was thinking the same thing too!

What about bringing the palm trees back on Cap Mall?

What is a Rivercat? · #7 Posted: **Apr 25, 2007, 3:26 PM**

wow, very cool. thanks innov8

ozone · #8 Posted: **Apr 26, 2007, 12:55 AM**

Thanks for the old timey pics. There is a real derth of old photos online about Sacramento. I know more of how San Francisco and Fresno used to look than I do my own my own city.

Yeah it's too bad about the eastside of the Capitol building but at least they kept the old Capitol building. They were going to tear the whole thing down in the 60's and replace it with twin towers which I'm sure would have been very lovely

Looking at the old stone 'gates' around Capitol Park makes me wonder why they couldn't have added something like that when they recently put in the security fencing.

I'm not sure the Capitol Mall ever had palm trees running down it. I believe CM was an invention of the 1960's and before that it was just M Street (Capitol Ave). CM needs to be redone for sure.

innov8 · #9 Posted: **Apr 26, 2007, 4:42 AM**

Thanks guys. Here's one more I found provided by 111th Aerial Photography

urban_encounter · #10 Posted: **Apr 26, 2007, 1:41 PM**

It's amazing how far along the waterfront the wharf extended.

peanut gallery · #11 Posted: **Apr 26, 2007, 4:48 PM**

Cool shots. I love historical photos. Sacramento has changed so much over the years, and Downtown is such a nice area. I can vividly remember when the Holiday Inn near the river was among the taller buildings in town. Now, you have to really search to find it.

Deno · #12 Posted: **Apr 27, 2007, 12:16 AM**

There was never any plan to tear down the Capitol in the 60s but to move the Capitol to two towers on 15th and L and make the old Capitol building a museum. They renovated the Capitol instead.

aufbau · #13 Posted: **Apr 27, 2007, 1:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urban_encounter

It's amazing how far along the waterfront the wharf extended.

It's hard to look at that areal shot of the waterfront in light of its current condition. How seemlessly downtown was connected to the river; it's hard to wrap my mind around. I was up in Portland last weekend and was reminded that Sac wasn't alone in having its waterfront torn apart by the 5.

Sacto · #14 Posted: **Apr 27, 2007, 4:40 PM**

The initial East side of the building looked horrible.

ozone · #15 Posted: **Apr 27, 2007, 11:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deno

There was never any plan to tear down the Capitol in the 60s but to move the Capitol to two towers on 15th and L and make the old Capitol building a museum. They renovated the Capitol instead.

Thanks for the correct info. Still moving the capitol into 1960's towers would have been awful IMO. Since you seem to know about such stuff I want to ask you if I'm right in thinking that the Capitol Mall never had palm trees down it?

innov8 · #16 Posted: **Apr 28, 2007, 12:40 AM**

[/QUOTE]

Yes, if you look close in the picture above you can see them

TowerDistrict · #17 Posted: **Apr 28, 2007, 12:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sacto

The initial East side of the building looked horrible.

actually, i agree... it's like the architect died before finishing the plans.

touring the building is fascinating. it's so amazing the abuse these old buildings endured through the latter part of the 20th century. in the tour they show you how they made an additional floor inside the building by walling over all the original details and destroying much of the old wood working. not only that, but the floors were tiny - less than 8' tall ceilings, or something like that.

either way, the good ol capitol is looking awesome today.

ozone · #18 Posted: **Apr 28, 2007, 2:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by innov8

Yes, if you look close in the picture above you can see them

[/QUOTE]

Wow your'e right. Again I stand corrected. I think palms lining Capitol Mall would look cool and very California but the only problem is that don't give a lot of shade. But I do remember walking down Canal Street in New Orleans once under a canopy of double row of closely spaced date palms and it was pretty shady so it might work.