I totally agree. For example, Henri & I will be volunteering to work my father's blacksmith shop during "Gold Rush Days" in old Sac in 2007. We will be in costume, black hats and all. It should be rather interesting, since I doubt our dear Henri has spent much time in the soot. We've gone as mundanes the past two years in a row.

This year, we were rather put out when we missed out on the "Real Old Sac" tour. Old Sacramento, for those who may be out of the area or just generally unaware, was buit along the banks of the American River. Well ... you see ... that became rather bothersome when the ol' girl would break her earthen bonds semi-annually and flood the otherwise prosperous trade city.

Rather than move all the market places to other, drier locations, the people built up the streets to "2nd story level." They then moved to the second floors of their businesses - which were usually their apartments - and either conducted business there, living in the back, or built a third story with the shop on the second floor and their homes on the third. They would then take the previous "first floor" and turn it into cellars and basements to allow for mass storage on the busy waterway. Makes for excellent wine storage and beer brewing tempretures.

The old streets still exsist. Some can be seen beneath street level. Many of the old "first floors" that are accessable from the main street still have been converted into resturaunts and bars. You can also take a walking tour of the old streets that have been covered by the current street. There are still building facades facing towards flagstone strewn tunnels. It's rather eerie. There are those that swear the tunnels are haunted by the spirits of those who lost their fortunes, dreams and lives along the river's banks.

I believe the tour is free; however, there is a catch. You cannot "reserve" your ticket. You have to show at a specific place in the morning - in person - and "check in" in order to get a ticket. Somebody with good internet connection can look that up for us, I assume? I'd do it, but I'm on a borrowed comp.

~Billy~