We’ve planned an exciting week for our Summer Scholars and looking forward to highlighting some of what Northern California has to offer teachers! Below are more details on our locations, lodging, and what to expect from the week.
The Week At A Glance
Our workshop takes us all over the Sacramento Region. Sunday and Monday, we will spend our time exploring Old Sacramento and the California State Railroad Museum. Historic Old Sacramento, a unique 28-acre National Historic Landmark District and State Historic Park located along the scenic Sacramento River, provides an incomparable backdrop for our workshop. Tuesday we make our way into the Sierra Mountains headed for Donner Pass for a day exploring the original tunnels. Wednesday we head west using Amtrak to visit UC Davis. There we will delve into the campus’ Special Collections and its local archival materials to consider the railroad’s social and economic impact. Thursday we will make our way to the Crocker Art Museum and the Leland Stanford Mansion where we will consider the railroad in historical memory. We end our week where we started, at the California State Railroad Museum considering the long legacy of the Transcontinental Railroad.
The workshop begins on Sunday of each week with an evening reception at the Sacramento History Museum at 4:00 pm. We’ll gather to meet and greet one another, take a tour of the museum, and enjoy an underground walking tour of Old Sacramento (yes underground!). Please arrange your travel so that you can arrive in time to check into your hotel no later than 3:00 pm. The workshop will conclude on Friday afternoon at 2:00 pm. We will have optional activities planned for Friday afternoon for those flying out on Saturday.
A Note on Walking and Weather
While we are rarely rushing or walking briskly, please know that we do a lot of walking. Most walks are less than a mile on flat sidewalks that Summer Scholars take at their own pace (typically about 15-20min at a time). However Sacramento does get quite hot during the summer. While it is fairly dry, we can reach into the 100’s. We always have pleanty of cold water on hand to keep everyone comfortable and hydrated.
In addition, during our day at Donner Pass, we will enjoy a hike above and through the tunnels of the original railroad. The hike is primarily downhill and the weather is usually cooler than the valley, typically in the 70s-80s. However the terrain is mountainous on uneven ground with lose rocks. We take the hike slow, typically covering the one mile downhill hike in about 2.5 hours. We make every effort to accommodate all participants so they can fully participate!
Click here for our tentative itinerary and schedule (coming soon!)
