SAS Tour
“Fremont: Fossils, Native Americans, and Mission”
Saturday, October 7, 2023 and Sunday, October 8, 2023
Sacramento Archeological Society is pleased to offer a historical and pre-history tour in Fremont, CA. We will visit a Native American site with shell mounds, a historical museum for the city of Fremont, the Children’s Natural History Museum, Shinn House Historical Park and Mission San Jose with its associated museum. Given clear skies we will be delighted by an illumination of the mission as the sun proceeds to set.
The target itinerary is as follows:
Saturday, October 07
1:30 – 3:00 PM PT – Math/Science Nucleus Paleontology Museum in Children’s Natural History Museum: 404 Eggers Drive, Fremont, CA
The museum features several exhibits to highlight the natural history of the local area. Tools of Early Humans show how California Native Americans used natural fibers and rocks to help them survive. The largest hall is Wes Gordon Fossil Hall that includes the Irvington Fossils, Environments through Time, Bones and the Boy Paleontologists Room. Hall of Small Wonders is full of little creatures including foraminifers, radiolarian, and diatoms. Mineral Rock Hall has minerals classified by their chemical families and rocks from California. The Nature Hall includes specimens of different animals and shells. (Open 1:00 – 4:00 PM) Admission – $5.00
3:30 – 4:30 PM Old Mission San Jose tour and 6701 San Jose Dr, Fremont, CA 94539
Mission San Jose was founded on June 11, 1797 by Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen on a site which was part of a natural highway by way of the Livermore Valley to the San Joaquin Valley. It is the fourteenth of the 21 Spanish Missions in Alta California. Although Mission San Jose was founded nearly 225 years ago, we cannot forget that our story stretches back further into time. Before this was Mission San Jose, it was the Ohlone Village of Oroysom.
Guided Tour at 3:30 PM: $10/adult, $7/child 6-12, free for children under 6
4:45 PM After the tour join the group for a dinner at a local restaurant
6:30 PM Experience “illumination” of the mission and bring a camera
Sunday, October 08
9:00 AM – gathering/brunch in Fremont
10:30 AM – The Museum of Local History: 190 Anza St Fremont, CA 94539 (open 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM) offers interesting artifacts associated with the history of Fremont. Admission – $2.00
12:30 PM PT – Coyote Hills Regional Park: 8000 Patterson Ranch Road, Fremont, CA 94555
The East Bay area’s original inhabitants were the ancestors of the Ohlone Indians, hunters, and gatherers whose skills enabled them to live well off the land’s natural bounty. In those days, tule elk roamed the land, condors soared overhead, and sea otters and fish were abundant in the Bay. At Coyote Hills Regional Park, some of this rich wetland is preserved, along with 2,000-year old Tuibun Ohlone Indian shellmound sites with fascinating archaeological resources. We will tour Coyote Hills and Chochenyo site. Multiple bird species and other life are plentiful in the park. $5.00 for car parking.
3:00 PM Tour Shinn House Historical Park
Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum is a 4-1/2 acre hidden gem in Fremont. The Big House dates back to 1876 and it is surrounded by large trees and beautiful gardens. The grounds also include one of the few remaining Chinese bunk houses, symbol both of the differential work conditions afforded Chinese-Americans and Chinese immigrants, and of a path for circumventing the infamous Chinese Exclusion Act.
If you plan to attend, please notify Paul K. Davis at paulkdavis@earthlink.net. Contributions to SAS are welcome and can be collected at the beginning of the tour. All participants are required to sign a Hold Harmless Agreement at the beginning of the tour.
