Walnut Grove

Walnut Grove is a town in Sacramento County, California. Walnut Grove and the neighboring town of Locke are among the best-preserved historic towns in the state that were settled by Chinese and Japanese Americans during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. == Understand == === History === Prior to European and Asian settlement, the Walnut Grove area was part of the Sacramento Delta, and as a result had little potential as a permanent settlement. Much of the region was at sea level and flooded for much of the year. Some burials were performed by Native American tribes in Locke. Shortly after California's annexation by the U.S. in the mid-19th century, an ambitious project to drain the Sacramento Delta began using the labor of immigrants from China. However, under California law, Asian immigrants could not buy their own land, and they relied on white Americans to give them financial support to start businesses and offer them leases. Businessmen John W. Sharp and later Alex Brown intervened and helped several Chinese and Japanese immigrants start businesses in the Walnut Grove area. Filipino-Americans later moved into the area as farm workers, further increasing the diversity of the Asian-American community in the rural parts of the Sacramento Delta. The majority of the Chinese immigrants came from Heungshan County (now Zhongshan), although a minority of about 10% came from Sze Yup. These communities founded organizations known as tongs which helped to provide local Asian-American residents preserve their culture. They set up a wide range of businesses, ranging from restaurants and laundries to brothels and casinos, not only for the town but also for farm workers across the Delta. A fire in 1915 destroyed most of Walnut Grove, and the community splintered as a result. The growing Japanese community created its own Japantown on the northern side of Walnut Grove. Cantonese speakers moved even farther north, founding the historic town of Locke on the northern side of the Delta Canal. Taishanese speakers, on the other hand, rebuilt the Chinatown in Walnut Grove. All three historic towns have since been preserved on the National Register of Historic Places. Chinese and Japanese-Americans moved out of Locke during the 1940s and 1950s as suburbs of larger cities such as San Francisco and Sacramento developed and Asian-Americans found themselves still unable to purchase land in the Delta. Partial efforts were made to preserve Walnut Grove and Locke during the late 20th century even as various other ethnic communities moved into the remaining properties. Efforts in Locke and the Japantown of Walnut Grove were the most successful, but even so, at the 2020 Census, less than 7% of the city's population was of Asian descent. Most of today's population is ethnically white or Hispanic. === Climate === Walnut Grove's climate is typical of that found in the Central Valley region of California. Summers are hot and dry, although the town's proximity to the Bay Area moderates temperature extremes somewhat. Winters are cool but rarely cold. == Get in == === By boat === Walnut Grove and Locke have marinas for small boats, as both towns are on the shore of the Sacramento River. === By car === The 1 Georgiana Slough Bridge crosses a tributary of the Sacramento River to the south, enabling access to the town by car from Isleton via the Isleton Road. == Get around == The 2 Walnut Grove Bridge crosses the Sacramento River in the town. It's a drawbridge. == See == 1 Iron Works, 14160 Market St, ☏ +1 916-776-2156, wgironworks@frontiernet.net. (updated Aug 2025) 2 Locke Boarding House (Jack Ross Boardinghouse), 13916 Main St, Locke, ☏ +1 916-776-1661. F-Su 11AM-4PM. (updated Aug 2025) 3 Locke Historic District. Locke was used as a burial ground by the local Miwok and Maidu tribes. Chinese laborers built levees in the mid and late 19th century to drain the Sacramento Delta and reclaim land for agricultural use. Almost 100,000 acres were reclaimed but at great cost: the region was infested with malaria, and contracted workers lived off less than a dollar a day. Many of these workers settled in Walnut Grove, but in the early 20th century a 14-acre town began to be developed on the north side of the cross-delta canal. Two hotels were built, but the town's growth was slow until 1915, when a fire destroyed Walnut Grove's Chinatown. The Cantonese population of the original Chinatown moved north to Locke, and they developed accommodation for farm laborers from the San Joaquin Valley. In the mid-20th century, however, Locke began to decline as residents moved to America's fledgling suburban areas. In 1971, the neighborhood of Locke between the Sacramento River and Alley St was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was not until the 2000s that residents were allowed to own the land where they lived due to California's historic restrictions on the sale of land to those of Asian descent and the holding of land by developers. By the 2010s, Locke was being restored with museums and shops, although another fire in 2016 caused some damage. (updated Aug 2025) 4 Walnut Grove Chinese-American Historic District. The historic district was founded in 1851, when Chinese-Americans were expelled from other towns in California. John Wesley Sharp and Alex Brown, local businessmen who were supportive of Chinese and Japanese immigrants, rented land to the new residents and helped them start businesses. By the end of the 19th century, Walnut Grove was one of the key cities for trade in the Sacramento Delta. Local societies of Chinese businessmen maintained laws and regulations and the city thrived until 1915, when a fire destroyed the Chinese-American neighborhood. The town was rebuilt but became largely of Japanese descent, rather than Chinese. Both the Chinese-American and Japanese-American Historic Districts were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. (updated Aug 2025) 5 Walnut Grove Japanese-American Historic District. After Walnut Grove's Chinatown was destroyed by a fire in 1915, Japanese-Americans developed a Japantown on the northern side of Walnut Grove, just south of the canal. The town was known as "Kawashimo". It developed rapidly and by 1920, a Japanese school was established due to California's policy of segregation prior to 1947. In 1942 (during WWII), U.S. Executive Order 9066 was signed, and all people of Japanese descent were evacuated from the town. Although many returned briefly after the war, the population's demographics shifted toward those of Mexican and Filipino descent. The town's architecture remains little changed from the interwar era. The historic town spans 5 acres between Winnie St, Tyler St, C St, and River Rd and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1990. (updated Aug 2025) == Do == 1 Boathouse Marina, 13900 River Rd, Locke, ☏ +1 916-776 1204. Offers parking for trailers. Has services including a convenience store, laundry, showers, electricity, and a boat washdown area. (updated Aug 2025) 2 Delta Meadows Park, 13971 River Rd (on the north side of the channel between Walnut Grove and Locke). 500-acre park with hiking trails along the local canal levees. There are no services in the park such as restrooms or trash disposal. (updated Aug 2025) 3 Georgiana Slough Fishing, Andrus Island Rd. A spot to park your car and fish on the Georgiana Slough. (updated Aug 2025) == Buy == == Eat == 1 Tony's Place, 14157 Market St, ☏ +1 916-776-1317, tonysplace916@gmail.com. Restaurant and bar in the Chinese-American district of Walnut Grove. Cuisine is standard American. (updated Aug 2025) == Drink == == Sleep == 1 Cannery Landing, 14450 CA-160, ☏ +1 916-777 6653. RV park with daily, weekly, and monthly rates. (updated Aug 2025) 2 Ko-Ket Resort, 14174 Isleton Rd, ☏ +1 916-776 1488, campkoket@gmail.com. RV camping. Bar and grill onsite. On the southeast bank of the Sacramento River. (updated Aug 2025) == Connect == == Go next == Isleton is another historic Asian-American settlement to the south. Like Walnut Grove, it is on the Sacramento River. Sacramento to the north is the state capital and the namesake of the county.