Families, history enthusiasts and community members gathered at Women’s Improvement Park on June 20 and 21 for Railroad Days, a celebration of Dixon’s railroad heritage. Photo by Nicolas Brown

DIXON, CA (MPG) - Families, history enthusiasts and community members gathered at Women’s Improvement Park on June 20 and 21 for Railroad Days, a celebration of Dixon’s railroad heritage hosted by the Downtown Dixon Business Association with support from the Dixon Historical Society and local sponsors.

Held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days at 230 N. First St., the event featured living history demonstrations, educational exhibits and family activities designed to showcase the railroad’s role in shaping Dixon and the surrounding region.

Visitors explored gold panning stations, model railroad layouts, blacksmith demonstrations and an old-time jail display while learning about the city’s origins as a railroad town. Throughout the weekend, families wandered through the park enjoying exhibits and re-enactments that recreated aspects of life in Northern California during the late 19th century.

One of the event’s featured attractions was the Congressional Gunfighters of America, a professional living history group dedicated to preserving Old West history from the 1870s through the 1890s. The group performed daily reenactments featuring period-correct clothing, firearms and frontier storylines.

The Dixon Historical Society participated through exhibits at its museum and demonstrations at the park. Historical Society Curator Frank McKinney operated a blacksmith shop demonstration, while museum visitors viewed train exhibits, newly installed displays and educational materials highlighting Dixon’s past.

“Our curator, Frank McKinney, set up his blacksmith shop at the DWIC Library Park,” said Dixon Historical Society President Kim Schroeder-Evans. “Back at the museum, we had a train exhibit, new exhibits, History in a Suitcase and merchandise featuring our new logo.”

Schroeder-Evans said the Historical Society’s involvement is closely tied to its mission of preserving local history.

“It’s important because it’s important to us to preserve the history of Dixon and the surrounding areas, and we hope that attendees will learn something new about Dixon’s history as it is connected to the railroad,” she said.

According to Schroeder-Evans, Dixon’s railroad history began in August 1868 with the California Pacific Railroad. The line was later acquired by the Central Pacific Railroad, then the Southern Pacific Railroad, and today operates as part of the Union Pacific Railroad system.

She noted that the Gold Rush era and the arrival of the railroad were closely connected. As miners sought new opportunities, communities such as Silveyville, Tremont and Maine Prairie emerged in the region. Once the railroad was established, many residents and businesses relocated closer to the tracks to take advantage of transportation and commerce opportunities.

“The Gold Rush brought people from all over the world,” said Schroeder-Evans. “One of the things people don’t always realize is how connected those communities were to the railroad.”

She also highlighted the contributions of Chinese immigrants, who she said completed much of the railroad construction in California after facing discrimination in mining camps. Dixon eventually became home to its own Chinatown, where Chinese American residents established businesses that served the growing community.

Schroeder-Evans said the Historical Society works to make local history relevant to younger generations by recognizing the contributions of all cultural groups connected to Dixon’s development, including Native Wintun people, Los Californios, Chinese immigrants and others who helped shape the region.

“I have always loved history, and in particular how each cultural group has contributed to that history,” she said.

Through hands-on activities, historical demonstrations and educational exhibits, Railroad Days offered attendees an opportunity to explore the railroad legacy that helped transform Dixon from a small stop along the tracks into the community it is today.