There is a hidden history all around us, one that lies in the physical remnants of the past just waiting to be discovered. This is a notion that most Treasure Seekers know all too well. The thrill of the hunt drives us, but it is often the hidden history we come across that spurs our imaginations and connects us with the stories of times gone by.
It was getting late in the day and my metal detecting session was coming close to an end. I was not having much luck, and had spent the last two hours digging the usual suspects of clad change and the occasional pull tab. I did know that the ground (an undisclosed location), built circa 1940, had the potential for older targets. In a previous hunt, I managed to uncovered several mid 1940’s Wheat Pennies and a lovely 1903 Liberty Head nickel.
Now, I should note that when I hunt I have a tendency to “cherry pick” the high, and best sounding tones first. Only after I run out of ideal targets will I move onto signals that, on my VDI (visual display index), seem trashy or out of character for my intentions of the day.
With 30 minutes left and the abundance of premium targets falling off quite precipitously, I decided to start digging oddball signals. The first target I hit was a solid 20-23 on my VDI but sounded very choppy and was indicating a-lot of ferrous composition on my 2D display. After what seemed like a solid minute of trying to pin point the target, I grabbed my trusty root slayer spade and cut a clean plug roughly six inches deep. Fortuitously enough as I popped the plug the target quite literally came flying out. Crusted in dirt and appearing to be roughly the size of a dime, this coin had one noticeable difference, a visible heart shaped hole in the center. I gently wiped away as much dirt as I could without damaging the coin and was fascinated to see the words “Sacramento City Lines” on one side and “Good For One Fare” on the other. It was obviously a token of some sort but I would have to investigate later as I still had precious minutes left to dig.
I stored the coin in the small pocket of my pants and went back to swinging. I was approaching the end of my session when I got a solid signal that was highly indicative of a clad dime (77-81 VDI). I proceeded to pin point the target and quickly dig it out. The source of the signal was a heavily patinated, 1970’s Roosevelt Dime. Exactly, as I had suspected. What happened next though, was something I did not expect. As I looked down to begin filling the hole, another circular object caught my gaze. Sitting just a few inches from my mound of dirt was yet another crusty looking dime sized coin. I scooped up the bonus target and was delighted to see that this coin was in fact not a dime but yet another “Sacramento City Lines” token. C’est la vie.
Good practice dictates that you should always check your hole with the detector before you fill it because, as you just read, there may be another target in there. I can’t tell you how many times I have come across hidden or masked targets after pulling the obvious signal out. In this instance I just happened to see the other target with my eyes. It was with this serendipitous find that I ended my hunt for the day.
| Sacramento City Lines Tokens, Good For One Fare. March, 28th 2024 |
Later that evening I began scouring the internet for whatever information I could find on these odd little “Sacramento City Lines” tokens. A preliminary search did not yield much historical information other than the expected posting of other tokens for sale on eBay and Etsy. What was their story? I just had to know.
I suspected, based on the age of the grounds, that the tokens were probably from the 1940s-1950s. I also knew, albeit not that much, that Sacramento did, in the past, have a street car system not too dissimilar to what cities like San Francisco have. I had heard rumors and seen the occasional photo of these street car trolleys, but could not recall every having met anyone with first hand experience riding them or knowing of their general history.
Thankfully, after some time, I was able to find a more detailed account of the these tokens and their ostensively forgotten history.
Streetcars once ruled the roads in Sacramento, taking thousands to work daily and helping give birth to the region’s first suburbs.
Sacramento City Lines opened for business on November 1st 1943 and operated several street car (trolley) lines and buses. The tokens I had found were one of a few varying styles that were used as fare for catching a ride on their trolleys or buses.
Unfortunately, by the 1920’s automobile ownership in the United States was becoming quite standard. The trolley lines were gradually replaced with new roads as infrastructure demands dictated more support for the burgeoning technological appetite of cars and buses. In 1947 the last trolley line ceased operation in Sacramento.
Sacramento City Lines stayed in business for some years after, operating buses only, but eventually closed on September 23, 1954 when it was bought out and replaced by the Sacramento Transit Authority (a precursor to today‘s Sacramento Regional Transit system).
Sadly, very few of these street cars exist today. Four trolleys, ranging in vintage from 1909 to 1929, have been recovered in recent years from private owners thanks to a “search and save” mission by the Friends of Light Rail & Transit group.
When friends and family ask me why I like to metal detect, they often expect a response along the lines of “I do it to find treasure”. Suffice it to say that I have never been disappointed in finding a gold ring or silver coin, but if im going to be honest. The real treasure lies in the connection with the past, the history, the opportunity to uncover a story unknown to you or many others. That story is one I never get tired of finding and is always out there waiting to be discovered.
So, the next time you’re out there swinging that coil, just remember.
Cheers,
Cody Blanchard
P.S.
Sacramento streetcar timeline, 1858 to 2022
1858 – The first horse-drawn streetcars – called omnibuses – carry riders from the Sacramento riverfront to R Street, and later to the Sutter’s Fort area.
1870 – The first streetcar rail lines open in downtown Sacramento (the rails were on dirt streets).
1890 – The first electric trolleys begin rolling, using overhead power lines
1906 – PG&E becomes the main streetcar company in Sacramento. About this time, Sacramento Electric Power & Light services its streetcars at 28th and N streets, a site still used by SacRT for bus maintenance.
1929 – Streetcar companies increase fares from 5 cent fares to 7 cents. New metal streetcars arrive in Sacramento.
1900 to 1940s – Streetcars promote development north of the river and in suburbs of Colonial Heights, Oak Park, Elmhurst, Land Park and East Sacramento. A popular line runs to the California State Fairgrounds on Stockton Boulevard.
1930s – The first rubber-tire buses arrive, eventually taking the place of streetcars on rails. Private automobiles arrive as well, signaling the demise of streetcars.
1947 – The last streetcar lines close.
1962 – Sacramento city launches the government-owned Sacramento Transit Authority, the immediate predecessor to SacRT, operating buses but no rail transit.
1973 – Sacramento Regional Transit is formed, creating a modern countywide bus system.
1987 – SacRT opens its first light rail line, launching the successor to historic trolleys.
2022 – SacRT advances plans for a hybrid streetcar/light rail line to run over the Tower Bridge between downtown Sacramento and West Sacramento.
| Sacramento City Lines streetcar (62) on 28th Street passing through the intersection at W Street (Route 5, Southern Pacific Depot/15th Street/P Street/Fair Grounds). Stop-N-Shop Market (2800 Broadway) in the background. |
| Sacramento City Lines streetcar (67) on J Street (Route 3, Southern Pacific Depot/J Street/46th). |