History and Mystery
The Spirit of Sacramento: an abandoned riverboat with a fascinating tale
Sitting along the Garden Highway is an incredible roadside attraction with a fascinating tale. This giant paddlewheel boat (the Spirit of Sacramento) was originally created as a snagboat, but went on to star in a Hollywood film, was owned by John Wayne and eventually provided hundreds of cruises up and down the Delta River. At …...
Kingston: Robbed of Their Existence and Money!
Kingston was a river town that grew out of necessity only to disappear just as quickly as it rose to prominence. Nowadays, all that’s left of this ghost town are a few trees, cement remnants of an infrastructure, a historic marker, a seasonal park and the whispers of its heyday. However, where many California ghost towns quietly...
The John Marsh House: Stone, Style, and the Story of Early California
Rising from a peaceful setting east of Mount Diablo, is a picturesque landmark of California’s frontier era that encompasses more than just 3,000 acres, it also doubles as a window to the 1850s with its pristine grounds and remarkable house built with stone, style and love. The John Marsh House, affectionately known as the Stone...
John Marsh: Physician, Ranchero, and His Buried Treasure
Dr. John Marsh (June 5, 1799 – September 24, 1856), later known as Don Juan Marsh, was a man of many firsts. He was the first American-born permanent settler in Contra Costa County, the first California doctor to practice Western medicine, and an instrumental figure in the movement to incorporate California into statehood. Marsh’s...
The Ryde Hotel: a Delta landmark rooted in history, mystery and controversy
California’s Delta region has many wonderful remnants of an era that has long passed. One such remnant is the Ryde Hotel. Built in 1926-27, this hotel was once home to celebrities, politicians and the center of scandals during the Prohibition era. Hidden tunnels are said to have been under the hotel leading from the speakeasy...
May Hollister Woolsey: Sacramento’s endearing urban legend
When searching for haunted places in Sacramento, one name constantly pops up in the results – May Woolsey. Her story is a sad, yet, endearing one. In fact, she’s become somewhat of an urban legend in Sacramento. From those claiming to see her ghost in the cemetery, to her haunting the family house and writing …...
The story behind the abandoned Colfax Hotel
Long ago, when the town of Colfax, formerly Illinoistown, was surrounded only by mountains and dirt roads, the iron horses of the Central Pacific and later Southern Pacific Railroads were blazing a trail in its very direction. In fact, Colfax became the heart of a new junction, connecting Grass Valley and Nevada City to the …...
The Cohn House: Folsom’s historical, non-haunted mansion
Located at 305 Scott Street in Folsom, California, stands a magnificent and stately mansion on the top of a hill. Known at one time as Folsom’s very own “Nob Hill,” sits three of the most beautiful historic homes in town. But, it’s the Cohn Mansion that catches everyone’s eye. Built in the 1890’s by local …...
Glen Alpine Springs Resort: Tahoe’s earliest resort, filled with history and adventure
Lost to the elements, Glen Alpine Springs Resort sits as a remnant of times passed, when adventurers would flock to the mountains of the Sierras for a majestic mountain escape. Whether they were seeking the mineral springs or just looking to venture out into the wilderness to hike trails, camp, fish or hunt, there was …...
Clarksburg’s mighty Cornish house and the tale of George F. Cornish
150 years ago, George F. Cornish and his wife Mary made their way to Yolo County, California, with the aspirations of a better life for them and their future family. In 1868, they built a magnificent house along the banks of the Sacramento River, near the town of Clarksburg. Over time, the Cornish house was …...
