May 13, 1817, marked the first recorded exploration of the Sacramento River. The expedition changed the Delta region forever. A flood of explorers from all over the world poured into the Lower Sacramento River Delta, and soon towns were settled on the banks of the river. As settlement flourished, each new community gave birth to stories of early pioneers, shipwrecks, murder, robbery, vigilante justice, bootleggers and more. Here for the first time in this remarkable collection, local historian and author Philip Pezzaglia reveals the true stories behind some of the tales that have passed through generations, becoming legends of the Delta.
Phil Pezzaglia published his first article on Delta history in May 2001. He is the author of numerous newspaper and magazine articles on the communities of the Lower Sacramento River Delta and the author of two other books on the Delta, Images of America-Rio Vista (2005) and Images of America-Towns of the Sacramento River Delta (2013). He is the Curator of the Rio Vista Museum and a member of the board of directors of the Sacramento River Delta Historical Society.