Walnut Grove

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 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 Walnut Grove Bridge crosses the Sacramento River in the town. It's a drawbridge.

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.