Coming Up…
The Sacramento Old City Association promotes actions that preserve and enhance the quality of life for Central City residents, businesses, and visitors and works to Increase public awareness of the irreplaceable historic, architectural and cultural resources of the Central City
Not a member yet? Or want to renew!
Click here https://sacoldcity.org/member-app.html
Great Upcoming Events - May is Preservation Month Events!
The Greenest Building -encore film screening, Sunday May 20th – Free (donations gladly accepted)
Modernist Delight -Unique home tour from our friends at Sacramento Modern (SacMod), Saturday June 2nd. Tickets $45
Save the Date:
37th Annual SOCA Home Tour: Sunday, September 16th in the legendary Poverty Ridge Neighborhood
The Greenest Building – Encore Film Screening, Sunday May 20th 7:30 PM – Free
Film Showing: “The Greenest Building”
What: The Greenest Building Documentary Film, and brief introductory talk by Historian and SOCA President William Burg, on the connections between historic preservation, green building and economic sustainability.
When: Sunday, May 20th at 7:30 PM
Where: The Guild Theatre, 2828 35th Street, Sacramento
How Much: Free! However donations are gladly accepted.
Over the next 20 years, Americans will demolish one third of our existing building stock (over 82 billion square feet) in order to replace seemingly inefficient buildings with energy efficient “green” structures. Is demolition in the name of sustainability really the best use of natural, social, and economic resources? Or, like the urban renewal programs of the 1960’s, is this well-intentioned planning with devastating environmental and cultural consequences?
On Sunday, May 20, 2012, “The Greenest Building,” a new hour-long documentary by Eugene, Oregon film producer Jane Turville, will have an encore sceening at the Guild Theatre. The first screening in Sacramento was July 2011 at the Crest Theatre, also sponsored by SOCA. The film presents a compelling overview of the important role building reuse plays in creating sustainable communities. Narrated by David Ogden Stiers, “The Greenest Building” explores the myth that a “green building” is a new building and demonstrates how renovation and adaptive reuse of existing structures fully achieves the sustainability movement’s “triple bottom line” – economic, social, and ecological balance. The film reveals: (a) how reuse and reinvestment in the existing built environment leads to stronger local economies that can compete on a global scale, (b) that sense of place and collective memory, while intangible, are critical components of strong sustainable communities, and (c) the direct correlation between reuse of existing buildings and a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, degradation of the natural environment and overuse of precious natural resources.
If you are interested in buildings, community development, sustainable communities or just plain want to find out if existing buildings really are worth keeping, plan to attend this special event. “The Greenest Building” starts at 7:30 pm. and will feature a brief introductory talk by Historian and SOCA President William Burg. We hope to see you there.
Modernist Delight -Unique home tour hosted by Sacramento Modern (SacMod), Saturday June 2nd. Tickets $45
Join Sacramento Modern (SacMod) for a celebration of the Roush Residence in the Arden Oaks neighborhood of Sacramento on June 2, 2012. Reserved arrival times are between 1pm and 5pm.
Tickets are available via Brown Paper Tickets https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/244435
Ticket sales begin May 7, 2012 at $45 each. No tickets will be sold at the door. The Last day for ticket sales is May 31, 2012.
This mid-20th century modern home was designed by Terry Waters, a Taliesin Fellow and colleague of John Lautner. Waters’ work was published in acclaimed design magazines such as Arts + Architecture and Domus.
True modernists will be delighted in seeing this ultra-modern and unusual circa 1954 home. Appetizers and beverages will be served and a commemorative booklet given to attendees. Vintage photographs and information about the home will be displayed. Local architects and design professionals will be present to discuss questions about the home. For vintage car enthusiasts, a recently restored 1956 Nash Ambassador Tritone will be parked in the carport.
A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the upcoming Ray Eames exhibit at The California Museum.
To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all, please arrive for your reserved shift on time, park in the designated areas. A map with detailed information will be emailed before the event, and wear flat-heeled shoes. For the homeowner’s privacy, the event address will be provided after ticket purchase.
SacMod is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and protecting modern art, architecture and design in the Sacramento region.
For more details, please contact
Gretchen Steinberg – President, SacMod (Sacramento Modern)
Email: SacramentoModern@comcast.net
37th Annual SOCA Home Tour. Sunday, September 16th in the Historic Poverty Ridge Neighborhood
The Sacramento Old City Association Presents the 37th Annual SOCA Home Tour featuring the historic Poverty Ridge neighborhood. Join us for a tour of some of Sacramento’s finest historic homes. Delight in the architectural heritage of this amazing neighborhood that includes Queen Anne Victorians, Craftsman Bungalows, Colonial Revival and Classical Revival architectural styles. Located in central Sacramento, the Poverty Ridge neighborhood boasts some of the finest vintage homes in the city. Join us for the home tour and street fair. Tour hours are 10 AM to 4 PM. The street fair will be on 22nd Street between U and V Streets.
Tickets will be available mid-July. $20 in advance and $25 the day of the tour.
Below is an excerpt from a story that appeared in the Sacramento News and Review in December 2001 about the history of the name Poverty Ridge.
Names Tell Stories
The incessant flooding of the 19th century shaped much of what Sacramento is today, said James Henley, local historian. Flooding devastated the newly developed city, changing how it developed and giving an identity to some neighborhoods. Much of the old Sacramento actually lies beneath Old Sacramento because the streetline was elevated by 12 feet. Many current basements are actually the original first floor.
A steep Midtown hill leads to one of the most prominent neighborhoods in Sacramento. This lavish neighborhood is ironically called Poverty Ridge (21st-22nd streets, T-V streets), named for the poverty-stricken citizens who were forced to high ground by flood waters.
The gloomy hillside of disheveled and disordered tents that appeared whenever the waters rose in the flatlands gave the hill this name, because “everyone there looked so poor,” Henley said.
In the late 19th century, developers built mansions on Poverty Ridge—most of which are still standing today—and attempts were made to change the reputation by re-naming it “Sutter’s Terrace.” The name didn’t stick, and the neighborhood is still known as Poverty Ridge.
For the full article, click here: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/names-tell-stories/content?oid=9898