Sketches of Old Sacramento — McGowan Tribute 1976

📖 Sketches of Old Sacramento edited by Jesse M. Smith (Sacramento County Historical Society, 1976) — a tribute to Joseph A. McGowan featuring twelve chapters of Sacramento history from the Wild West to the early 20th century. This copy is the stated First Edition, numbered, in a custom slipcase, with blue cloth boards and original dust jacket. Very Good- / Good+.

QUICK FACTS

• Title: Sketches of Old Sacramento: A Tribute to Joseph A. McGowan
• Editor: Jesse M. Smith
• Publisher: Sacramento County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1175, Sacramento, California 95806
• Year: 1976 (copyright October 1976)
• Edition: Stated First Edition, numbered; special presentation copy with custom slipcase
• ISBN: None (no ISBN or published price on book or jacket)
• Format: Hardcover, blue cloth boards with gilt spine lettering; dust jacket; index
• Condition: Book Very Good- / Jacket Good+ (full report below)

THE BOOK

Sketches of Old Sacramento collects twelve illustrated chapters on the city’s formative years, compiled as a tribute to Joseph A. McGowan, a figure associated with Sacramento’s historical community. Published by the Sacramento County Historical Society — an organization that has preserved and promoted Sacramento’s heritage for more than seventy years — the volume draws on archival photographs and local primary sources to document the evolution of the city from its Gold Rush roots through the early twentieth century.

CHAPTERS

• I. The Wired, Wild West · II. Carnival of Lights · III. The Ill-Starred Washoe
• IV. The Governor’s Mansion · V. John Sutter · VI. Race Horses on the Rancho Del Paso
• VII. Japanese in Sacramento · VIII. Sacramento’s Prison Ship
• IX. The Capital City Wheelmen · X. The Eagle Theatre
• XI. Sacramento on the Rise · XII. New Channels for the American River

The chapters range from the telegraph and early electric streetcar era to the ornate Governor’s Mansion, John Sutter’s legacy, horse racing at Rancho Del Paso, the Japanese community’s role in the city, the bizarre story of Sacramento’s prison ship, cycling culture of the 1890s, the Eagle Theatre (one of Sacramento’s earliest performance venues), and the rechanneling of the American River. A list of illustrations and acknowledgments follows the index.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What is this book? A collection of twelve illustrated historical essays on Sacramento, California, published by the Sacramento County Historical Society in 1976 as a tribute to Joseph A. McGowan.

Is it a first edition? Yes — the copyright page states First Edition and the book is numbered. It includes a custom slipcase.

Is there an ISBN? No — no ISBN or published price appears on the book or jacket.

Condition Report

• Overall Grade: Book: Very Good- (VG-) / Jacket: Good+ (G+)
• Cover & Spine: The blue cloth wrapped boards are even in color all around, gilt lettering on spine is complete and bright, not rubbed. Front board upper corner just so slightly bumped, remaining corners all sharp. Some wear to the upper spine head edge. Top of text block is significantly dusted and foxed, outer and lower edges much less foxed.
• Dust Jacket: Complete and solid, but shows a great deal of foxing on the spine and a fair amount on the front cover. Some chipping with small losses on all flap fold corners. Front cover illustrations remain crisp.
• Text Block & Pages: Internally pages are bright, no foxing is visible. Used bookstore price penned inside front free endpaper, otherwise, no writing.
• Binding: Square and tight, solid hinges, no loose, torn or folded pages.

See accompanying images for full condition details. Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

HFB-SEO-v1: 2026-09-09

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