The West Sacramento Historic Society has sponsored a new book on the history of the Port of Sacramento.  To view information about this book click or to purchase a copy of the book after 4/16/07, please click on this link. 

History

In 1849, the thriving gold rush town of Sacramento became a port when a schooner loaded with iron and steel arrived at the wharf in downtown Sacramento. The river port prospered during the mid-1800's helping to move men and equipment to gold fields.

In 1916 Major Paul Norboe, assistant state engineer, grasped Sacramento's potential and began advocating a deeper harbor. Norboe's efforts convinced the state and the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce to make a feasibility study for a deep-water channel and harbor.

In the late 1920's, two large, luxurious paddle-wheel steamers, the Delta King and the Delta Queen plied the route between Sacramento and San Francisco carrying 200 passengers each way on a daily schedule. After its retirement, the Delta King was refurbished as a restaurant and hotel and is permanently moored on the Old Sacramento waterfront.

About the same time William G. 'Bill' Stone, later known as "The Father of the Port", also envisioned an inland Port of Sacramento with all the benefits of lower freight costs, new jobs and industrial development. In 1934, he persuaded the Shepard Line to dock the SS Harpoon in Sacramento to qualify Sacramento as a terminal rate port.

At the end of World War II, Mr. Stone convinced the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to restudy the deep-water project. The Corps's study proposed a 43-mile channel cut to Lake Washington in Yolo County , in what is now the City of West Sacramento. The channel would begin at the Sacramento River near Rio Vista, California.

In July 1946, the Port construction project was authorized by Congress and signed by President Harry S Truman. The same day Roy Deary, president of the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, appointed a port district organization committee and meetings were held with the County and the City.

In 1947, by a four-to-one majority, the voters created the Sacramento-Yolo Port District. Later they approved general obligation bonds totaling $3,750,000 for facility construction by an overwhelming six to one majority.

On August 7, 1949, over 5,000 spectators witnessed the ground breaking of an expected four-year $18 million project. A month later, bids were taken on construction of a 500,000-bushel capacity grain elevator. Completed in May 1950, the $750,000 storage facility received its first truck shipments of wheat. Eventually, three more storage tanks were added to the grain elevator. Total capacity rose to 875,000 bushels.

A few months later, President Harry Truman halted funding due to the Korean War. It was to be a long struggle to get the project restarted. Meanwhile, dredging and earth moving work was continuing using the initial funding.

Port supporters' efforts eventually paid off. In July 1955, President Dwight Eisenhower signed an appropriations bill that included $500,000 for continued work. President Eisenhower included $2 million in his 1957 budget to restart the channel deepening.

By August 1959, the dredge "San Diego" had moved through a cut in the Yolo Bypass and began dredging eastward towards Lake Washington. It finally broke through in December of the same year.

In September 1960, the harbor and turning basin dredging was completed. Final 'clean-up' work on the channel was done in December.

In 1961, 3,000 volunteers called voters asking for their support of a $10 million bond issue for port facility construction. The crucial Bond issue passed overwhelmingly by a seven to one margin.

In March 1962, the first pile was driven to start the wharf construction. By the Spring of 1963 transit sheds two and seven, and the open dock were complete. The total cost was $45 million federal and $15 million state and local funds.

On June 29th, 1963, with 5,000 spectators waiting to welcome her, the Motor Vessel Taipei Victory arrived. The Port was open for business. The Nationalist Chinese flag ship, freshly painted for the historic event, was loaded with 5,000 tons of bagged rice for Mitsui Trading Co. Its destination was Okinawa. Carried on deck were 1,000 tons of logs for Japan. She was the first ocean going vessel in Sacramento since the steamship Harpoon in 1934.

A three-day event celebrated the Port's dedication. Over 75,000 people attended the festivities, which included dignitaries, parades, navy ships and the Golden Bear cadet training ship.

The Port of Sacramento continues to grow in order to serve the needs of California. Originally starting as a center of commerce to support the gold rush of 1849, the Port now supports agriculture and industry throughout Northern California and the world.

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