Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 051, Site 068 – The
Squatters Riot
No numbered landmark, but a plaque at
the riot site.
Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date: September 27, 2012
Location:
Latitude:
38° 34.943′ N
Longitude:
121° 30.097′ W
Address:
4th
and J, California Fruit Company, Sacramento, CA
Where ever you are, history has been
made. It just may not be recognized. But in the case of the Squatters
Riot, we did see a plaque on the California Fruit Company building,
while we were looking for the Travelers Hotel building. I doubt that
the fruit company had anything to do, on either side, with the riot.
Here is the story. As the gold rush
started, more and more people came into the Sacramento area. Sutter
had been selling part of his land to friends and associates, but
still held large portions of the land. Consequently, there was not
much land available for the new people and if a piece of property was
owned, the asking price was high. Without a place men started staying
where there was vacant ground. Leaders were arrested and the
squatters started to march, some say to release them. The Mayor got
a truce, but it was through promising one thing and then going back
on the promise and still arresting the squatters. So the squatters
marched again. This time there was violence and several people were
shot; some were killed. One of the ones who was killed was
Joseph McKinney, the first peace officer in California to die.
The violence awoke the need to come to a reasonable solution, which
did take place as the speculating on land declined.
Several future prominent people would
be involved in this riot. The Mayor
was one of those who were shot and wounded—he left town shortly
afterwards. One of the rioters became a City Councilman and then
later, while in prison, a State Representative. Another person was
Charles McClatchy. He got his start by publishing a paper on behalf
of the rioters. Later, he would publish the Sacramento, Modesto and
Fresno Bee's.
Overall Landmark References:
- Historical
Marker Database (HMDB)
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