Sac History Happenings: New Arcadia book on Mather Field

Sac History Happenings

News and developments in Sacramento and California history

January 12, 2012

New Arcadia book on Mather Field

Mather Air Force Base, originally called Mills Field when it opened in 1918, served the nation in several important capacities until its closure in 1993. Now there's a new Arcadia volume which honors the Sacramento base's distinguished service that spanned two world wars and the Cold War.

Richly illustrated, Images of America: Mather Field documents the changing role of the facility as a classroom for pilots, navigators and bombardiers, as well as home to a strategic radar station and refueling squadron. Authors James Scott and Tom Tolley of Sacramento Public Library Special Collections delved into city and state archives for photographs and background. Scott and SPL Archivist Amanda Graham discussed the project in an interview conducted last week during the Capital Public Radio program Insight.

Mather Field may be purchased online. Price is $21.99. Proceeds benefit the Public Library.

Arcadia Publishing is well known for producing small, beautifully illustrated books on local and regional history. It typically partners with local historians and organizations in developing its publications, which now number nearly 7,500 titles celebrating communities all across the country.

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California and Sacramento have a long, rich, vibrant history. And our region is blessed with an abundance of historical resources maintained by museums, libraries, archives and societies. This blog aims to alert readers to the latest developments in local/state historical education and research.

Send tips concerning upcoming exhibits, tours, lectures and meetings, as well as new books, magazine articles and online collections to the blog's contributors.

The Contributors:

Michael Dolgushkin

Michael Dolgushkin is Manuscript Librarian at the California State Library History Section. He is co-author of San Francisco's California Street Cable Cars and is a frequent contributor to the California State Library Foundation Bulletin. Contact him at mdolgushkin@library.ca.gov.

Amanda Graham is a Certified Archivist working in the Sacramento Room of the Sacramento Public Library. She earned a BS in History from Southern Oregon University and a MS in Information Studies with an emphasis in archives from The University of Texas at Austin. Contact her at agraham@saclibrary.org.

Pete Basofin is Director of Editorial Research at The Sacramento Bee. He previously worked at The St. Petersburg Times and Columbia (Mo.) Daily Tribune. Contact him at pbasofin@sacbee.com.

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