At the California State Library, librarian Kim Sims carefully holds up a vial of gold flakes, a tiny reminder of the discovery that defined California’s early history. It’s a preview of the Sacramento Archives Crawl, where participating institutions showcase their collections for the public to explore.
On the tables around Sims, there are legislative resolutions pulled from the shelves and all kinds of California-related objects, a Girl Scout vest, a photograph of an antique tow truck, and even a plush California raisin.
The annual Archives Crawl, scheduled for October 4, connects the California State Library, the State Archives, the Sacramento Room at the downtown library, and the Center for Sacramento History. A free shuttle makes it easy to hop between sites, and visitors can collect stamps in a paper “passport” as they go. Filling three of the four earns a prize, but the real reward is access to rarely seen artifacts and the chance to hear the stories behind them.
The event is modeled after a bar crawl, with participants traveling between stops and collecting stamps along the way. Jenna Pontious, the state library’s information officer, says the shuttle service they provide makes the opportunity accessible.
“Well, a bar crawl is usually where you pay to do it. … the idea [is] getting to these different locations … then take the free shuttle to be shuttled back to downtown,” Pontious said.
The Archives Crawl has been happening every October since 2011. Pontious says it’s easy to take part in and is about creating new connections between the public and the region’s history.
“So if you want to come to the Archives Crawl, you can go to the website. You can start at any location. It's up to you,” Pontious said.
At the State Library’s law collection, a team of librarians has created displays highlighting notable and significant anniversaries from California's history. Among the pieces are a remembrance of John Coltrane, another for the day the poppy became the state flower, and even a nod to the anniversary of California Raisin Week.
Librarian Elena Smith said the event attracts a diverse range of people, from couples to children seeking extra points in class.
“There are actually school teachers who assign their classes to go to Archives Crawl for extra credit, because there's usually kind of a scavenger hunt associated with Archives Crawl, so they'll fill that out and be able to do that,” Smith said.
To make the experience more personal, staff add their own touches, such as bringing in a childhood Girl Scout vest to commemorate the anniversary of the Girl Scouts Association.
A Girl Scout vest on display at the California State Library commemorates the anniversary of the Girl Scouts Association. Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025.Tony Rodriguez/CapRadio
The state library will also feature a display of vintage, government-issued guides and cookbooks. They range from practical guides on space-saving in the kitchen and sewing tips to recipe booklets for sour cream and cottage cheese, produced by California’s dairy industry.
One recipe is pulled from a 1950 State Fair cookbook featuring a Chow Mein dish from Sacramento’s iconic Frank Fat’s restaurant. Another highlight is “California Magic with Cottage Cheese,” part of a series of quirky dairy industry promotions.
Across town, and another stop on the crawl, the Center for Sacramento History is celebrating a different piece of the city’s cultural past, with a focus on the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. For decades, the festival filled Old Sacramento with music, drawing crowds that once topped 100,000 people. Archivists have pulled out photographs, posters, pins, and even a musician’s washboard to recreate the festival’s energy.
A Sacramento Jazz Jubilee display at the Center for Sacramento History includes photographs, crowns and memorabilia from the festival. Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025.Tony Rodriguez/CapRadio
It’s personal for archivist Sabrina Holecko, who first attended the crawl as a student before joining the Center’s staff. She’s ready to show off their exhibit this year.
“I participated one year as a crawler myself… [I was told] ‘You look like a nerd. Do you want to intern here?’ And I actually did, and then a position opened up. So, Crawl's really special to me,” Holecko said.
She says the Crawl still surprises people who are from Sacramento. Visitors who were unaware of the center's existence often share more about the collection than the archivists knew, she said.
“We get a lot of like … ‘I didn't know you were back here,’” she said. “It's really fun to watch patrons have that moment of like, ‘Oh, this is available to me. This is really cool. I really enjoy this. I didn't expect this,” Holecko said.
The Sacramento Archives Crawl takes place on Saturday, October 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, and shuttle service will operate between sites throughout the day. Passports and maps are available at any of the four locations.
More information is online at the Sacramento Archives Crawl website and Facebook page.
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