From 1908 to 1923, the California State Insectary supported the agricultural industry in California by providing farmers with beneficial insects to pollinate their crops. Prior to the widespread use of chemical insecticides such as DDT in the 1930s and 1940s, farmers relied on beneficial insects for crop pollination and as a natural approach to help keep unwanted agricultural pests at bay. The significance of beneficial insects (and other organic methods) is once again recognized today, following numerous documented problems and adverse health effects for people, animals, and ecosystems caused by the widespread use of chemical insecticides in the mid-20th century. The California State Insectary Building was designed in the Arts & Crafts style and is located on the grounds of California State Capitol Park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Located on the grounds of the State Capitol Park, a statue and plaque honor the life and work of Father Junipero Serra. Though not without controversy, Serra is indisputably a central figure in California's history, credited with bringing Catholicism to California through the establishment of the Franciscan mission system and extending Spanish rule into "Alta California" in the late 1700s. The Christianizing and Europeanization of native tribes throughout California, however, led to their decimation through cultural suppressions and the deaths of hundreds of thousands by disease and warfare over the next century.
Built in 1924 in the Renaissance Revival style, Sacramento's grand Hotel Senator has long been an integral part of city life, in one capacity or another. For decades, it functioned as a hotel, hosting both politicians and celebrities. Since the 1980s, the building has housed offices used by lobbyists, giving them easy access to the capitol, which is across the street.
This monument and historical marker were installed in 1986 on the grounds of the California State Capitol Park to commemorate the Sisters of Mercy, an order of Catholic nuns who arrived in Sacramento in 1857 during the California Gold Rush. As missionaries, they served those who were sick, homeless, or children of miners. The Sisters established a Catholic school in the heart of the city and a health care ministry that later evolved to become the Mater Misericordiae Hospital (Mother of Mercy Hospital), their first hospital in Sacramento. An additional wing was added in 1951, and the facility is now known as the Mercy General Hospital.
Located on the grounds at California State Capitol Park, the "Moon Tree" is a California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) that was grown from one of hundreds of seeds which orbited the moon during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. The seeds were taken into space in order to study the effect of prolonged weightlessness on seed germination and sapling growth. Afterwards, the seeds were cultivated by the U.S. Forestry Service Genetics Laboratory. In the mid-1970s, the saplings were planted at various locations around the country, with this particular "Moon Tree" taking root in Sacramento on the grounds of California State Capitol Park.
The California State Capitol Museum interprets the history California, the city of Sacramento, and the State Legislature. Housed in the historic Capitol building, the Museum includes two exhibit galleries and restored offices of the Governor, Secretary of State, and Treasurer, along with a tour office that offers guided or self-guided tours, a theater that screens an introductory film, and a gift shop. Visitors can explore museum exhibits along with art, architecture, and legislative proceedings throughout the Capitol building and the memorials and monuments in Capitol Park.
In the 1800s California suffragists proposed several suffrage bills to the state legislature. They almost had success in 1893 when the legislature passed a suffrage bill, but the governor vetoed it. A popular referendum in 1896 also defeated women’s suffrage, largely due to voters fearing women would pass temperance laws. Suffrage organizations advocated for the vote until in 1911 another referendum narrowly passed and gave California women the vote. The vote held on October 10, 1911 initially looked as if the motion would be defeated, but as the count came in from rural counties the measure passed by only 3,587 votes. California became the 6th state to grant suffrage to women and in 1918 the first four women were elected to the California State Assembly. California ratified the 19th Amendment on November 1, 1919.
Located on the grounds of Sacramento's Capitol Park, this historical marker was erected next to an Italian Stone Pine tree (Pinus pinea) on April 14, 1983. The historical marker commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which was in operation from 1933 to 1942. The CCC was part of the New Deal program established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to help lift the U.S. out of the Great Depression. It employed young men to improve public lands in national parks and forests, including the planting of 3 billion trees.
The only monument in the nation honoring Mexican American soldiers that is located on the grounds of a state capital, “El Soldado” recognizes the service of nearly three hundred thousand Californians. The movement to create the memorial began as widows and mothers of Mexican American soldiers who were killed during World War II held meetings and raised funds for three years. Thanks to these efforts, this monument was dedicated in 1951 at the Sacramento Mexican American Center. The monument was refurbished in the 1970s and moved to the California Capitol Mall in 1990. Restored again in 2017 thanks to volunteers, a new plinth includes the names of California’s Mexican American Medal of Honor recipients. Efforts to expand the memorial are currently underway.
Three 9-foot tall bronze statues preside over this memorial to over 1,500 California Peace Officers who have fallen in the line of duty since statehood was achieved in 1850. The three figures on the memorial, which was dedicated in 1988, represent the different eras of law enforcement in California history, and were designed and sculpted by a retired County Sheriff Division Chief. Annual ceremonies are usually held at the site to commemorate the lives of officers lost each year.
Built in 1931, the Blue Anchor Building served as the headquarters for the California Fruit Exchange in the mid-20th century, during a period of rapid expansion and growth from 1932 to 1966. Incorporating over a thousand growers from throughout the state, the California Fruit Exchange is the largest deciduous fruit marketing cooperative association in the world. The property was designed by Starks and Flanders architectural firm in the Spanish Colonial Revival style combined with eclectic elements. The Blue Anchor Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. With its prominent location in downtown Sacramento, it offers a direct view of California’s State Capitol Building.
Opened in 1998, the California Museum preserves, interprets, and engages the public with the history of California. A private non-profit institution in partnership with the State Archives, the California Museum offers a variety of exhibits and educational programs for residents and visitors alike. The Museum emphasizes the state's diverse history and culture. With the support of former First Lady Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the California Museum celebrates individuals who have made notable contributions to the state with the California Hall of Fame located in the museum. Exhibits also introduce visitors to more unknown figures in state history along with cultural movements, technological innovations, civic engagement, and health. Together, these exhibits explore what it means to be Californian.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This short walk through Capitol Park includes stops at various monuments, memorials, and historic buildings. The tour offers information about monuments honoring a diverse set of Californians, from women who established the area's first hospitals to Mexican-American veterans. The tour concludes with a visit to the nearby California Museum.
