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Paul Rendes
2/21/15
CRM
The History of Herald and the Central California Traction Company
Surrounding the city of Galt, which is located just south of Sacramento, are a number of
unincorporated areas that boast a unique and interesting history. More than a handful of rural
communities existed north of Galt in the early twentieth century, all of which considered
themselves independent from one another. Today, however, only traces of these once thriving
towns are visible. The only signs left of the towns of Clay, Arnold, Alta Mesa, Colony, and
Hicksville, among others, are from street names. With this said, there still remains a semblance
of the rural town of Herald, located a just a few miles northeast of Galt.1
Herald and the other small rural towns north of Galt were products of the Central
California Traction Company. Incorporated on August 7, 1905 in the city of San Francisco, the
Central California Traction Company intended to provide an interurban electric railroad that
covered 175 miles of track, connecting Sacramento with Modesto. In addition, the company
planned to provide service to Walnut Grove and communities located in western Calaveras
County. However, realizing the infeasibility of their ambitious plans, company officials decided
to settle on a forty eight mile track that connected the cities of Stockton and Sacramento.2
With the goals of providing freight and passenger service, construction on the railroad
began in 1907. August 31, 1907 marked the completion of the first segment of the railroad,
connecting Stockton with Lodi. Soon after, the railroad expanded its service and by 1910
Stockton and Sacramento were linked, thus completing the entire rail line. In the urban areas of
Jane C. Bilello, “Our Neighbors to the North,” Galt Area Historical Society.
http://www.galthistory.org/history/northgalt.htm.
2
David R. Clemens, “The Traction Company,” Railfan and Railroad (1979): 24-25.
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Lodi, Stockton, and Sacramento, overhead wires powered the train. In remote, rural areas like
Herald, a wood covered third rail generated power. In fact, the Central California Traction
Company is distinguished as the first electric railroad in California to run on 1200 volts, and one
of the first in the entire nation to accomplish this feat. In total, the company spent approximately
$1.25 million on the project.3
The origins of the town of Herald derive from Herbert Fleishaker and Alden Anderson,
two Central California Traction Company investors as well as joint owners of the American
River Power Company in the early twentieth century. Contemplating on what to name the
railroad stop, they ultimately decided to cleverly combine the first three letters of their first
names, thus forming the name Herald. Interestingly, the names of many of the other nearby rural
towns have similar origins. It should be noted, however, that the railroad station depot that
operated in Herald was known as Clay Station. Perhaps the name is a reference to the
composition of the soil in the district. The name of the station must not be confused with the
neighboring community of Clay, located east of Herald.4 5
The year 1910 can be pinpointed as Herald’s establishment because a 1909 map shows
that Herald did not even exist, and as noted previously, records indicate that the Central
California Traction Company completed the railway from Stockton to Sacramento, with Herald
as one of the stops, in 1910. 6 A July 1911 drawing illustrates the original features and structures
that consisted of Clay Station. It is clear that on the east side of the railroad tracks a store existed
in front of the platform used to load freight and passengers. Similarly, a stock room used to store
supplies, and a corral stall for horses and other animals, are depicted near the store. It must also
Clemens, “The Traction Company,” 25.
“Welcome to ‘A Remember’ Railroad,” The Elk Grove Citizen, October 29, 1982, sec. A, 11-14.
5
Erwin G. Gudde, California Place Names: The Origins and Etymology of Current Geographical Names (Berkeley,
CA: University of California Press, 1969), 66.
6
USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer, Herald, California, 1909, http://historicalmaps.arcgis.com/usgs/.
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be mentioned that an unnamed building existed between the store and stock room. West of the
railroad tracks, directly across from the store, a structure identified as a shelter shed existed.
Moreover, further north of Clay Station, several other structures are evident. In particular, a
section house, wood shed, and bunk house are shown.7
Another drawing of Herald from the early twentieth century reveals that the town was
fairly large for a rural community. In particular, seventeen roads within the town are illustrated.
Today, however, only a few of the original roads are recognizable: Herald Road, Colony Avenue,
and Alabama Road. In addition, farms are shown to be prevalent outside of the town’s limits,
something that continues to be a significant characteristic of Herald today. The drawing also
indicates that west of the rail line the land was owned by the Central California Traction
Company. East of the railroad, the land was known as the Twin Cities Colony, within which a
number of private citizens owned parcels of land.8
While Herald did not exist in 1909, the towns of Conley and Clay, and Alabama, Colony,
and Laguna schools were already established. It is apparent, however, that the area began to
significantly develop in the years following 1909. Interestingly, sometime between 1909 and
1953, the town of Conley ceased to exist. Similarly, while the town of Clay and Colony school
still existed in 1953, Alabama and Laguna schools did not. While the area was still sparsely
populated in the mid twentieth century, it was significantly more so than in 1909, as the increase
in the number of roads, reservoirs, wells, and ranches indicate. Herald and the surrounding area
continued to witness significant developments from 1953-1968. Whereas only a couple roads
existed near the town of Clay in 1953, several additional roads had been constructed by 1968.
The 1968 map also indicates that a slough, windmills, a sewage disposal site, and a landing strip
7
Herald-Central California Traction Company, Clay Station, Sacramento County, California, Public Utilities
Commission Records Card File.
8
Herald-Central California Traction Company, Herald, Public Utilities Commission Records Card File.
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had been constructed in the Herald region. It is also noticeable that vineyards and orchards that
had existed in 1953, no longer existed in 1968. Moreover, Acrobe Union School existed in
Herald in 1968, reflecting an increase in population. Lastly, by the 1980s, the most significant
development appears to be an increase in wells and water storage facilities.9
While the Central California Traction Company thrived for a number of years, it was
ultimately short lived. Just eighteen years after the construction of the Stockton to Sacramento
line, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, and Western Pacific railroad companies purchased the
company in 1928. Just five years later, passenger service ended as the line became relegated to
freight shipping. In 1966, in partnership with the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Central
California Traction Company sought to abandon most of its stations, including Herald. Citing
declining revenue and a lack of activity for ten consecutive years, the Central California Traction
Company officially abandoned Herald and eight other stations in 1975, and subsequently
removed the spurs on the railroad tracks in Herald in 1980. Likewise, the station depot itself no
longer exists as the Central California Traction Company removed all structures associated with
it soon after. 10 11 12
Visiting Herald today, one will immediately notice that the Southern Pacific rail line,
serving Ione, crosses over the Central California Traction Company rail line at the intersection of
Herald Road and California State Route 104, forming a diamond at the heart of the town. Other
notable features include a school, park, and general store bordering the railroad. Vast agricultural
9
USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer, Herald, 1953, 1968, 1980.
Department of Parks and Recreation, Primary Record, Central California Traction Company Railroad Update,
recorded by JRP Historical Consulting, August 30, 2007.
11
Interstate Commerce Commission, Finance Docket No. 23984, Central California Traction Company and
Sacramento Northern Railway Abandonment in Sacramento County, California, 1-8.
12
Central California Traction Company, Decision No. 85452: Before the Public Utilities Commission of the State of
California, Application No. 56005, filed October 15, 1975, 1-3.
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fields and grasslands are also defining features of Herald. Lastly, Laguna Creek is located north
and Skunk Creek east of the Central California Traction Company railroad tracks.
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References
Bilello, Jane C. “Our Neighbors to the North.” Galt Area Historical Society. The Bilello
Collection. Published in The Galt Herald in 1988.
http://www.galthistory.org/history/northgalt.htm.
Central California Traction Company. Decision No. 85452: Before the Public Utilities
Commission of the State of California. Application No. 56005. Filed October 15, 1975.
California State Railroad Museum Library.
Clemens, David R. “The Traction Company.” Railfan and Railroad (1979): 24-25. California
State Railroad Museum Library.
Department of Parks and Recreation. Primary Record. Central California Traction Company
Railroad Update. Recorded by JRP Historical Consulting. August 30, 2007. North
Central Information Center.
Gudde, Erwin G. California Place Names: The Origins and Etymology of Current
Geographical Names. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1969. North
Central Information Center.
Herald-Central California Traction Company. Clay Station, Sacramento County, California.
Public Utilities Commission Records Card File. California State Archives.
Herald-Central California Traction Company. Herald. Public Utilities Commission Records
Card File. California State Archives.
Interstate Commerce Commission. Finance Docket, No. 23984. Central California Traction
Company and Sacramento Northern Railway Abandonment in Sacramento County,
California. California State Railroad Museum Library.
USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer. Herald, California.
http://historicalmaps.arcgis.com/usgs/.
“Welcome to ‘A Remember’ Railroad.” The Elk Grove Citizen, October 29, 1982, sec. A.
California State Railroad Museum Library.