On November 18, 1921, 18 members of the Daughters of the American Revolution met in the Mezzanine Parlor of the Hotel Sacramento. The women belonged to various chapters in other cities, but were now living in Sacramento. Mrs. Frederick (Elizabeth) Fretageot Gundrum, known to her friends as "Bessie," called the meeting to order and introduced State Regent, Mrs. Harshbarger. After a statement of the character and aims of the organization, the officers were installed with Mrs. Gundrum (pictured at left) as Regent. Then Mrs. Harshbarger declared the formation of Sacramento Chapter DAR completed. The business meeting was followed by a social hour during which refreshments were served, with Mrs. Gundrum serving as hostess.
Mrs. Gundrum later became California State Regent and Vice President General.
Sacramento Chapter's regular meetings began on the second Monday of December, 1921, in the parlor of the Unitarian Church. Annual dues were $6.00 and remained so until 1960. There were assessments such as the one to help purchase three flags for the USS California. The impressive presentation was held on March 2, 1922, on the battleship in San Francisco Bay.
In 1922, the new Sacramento Chapter marked the graves of two real daughters. The chapter also undertook that year the care of the William Stephen Hamilton grave in the old Sacramento City Cemetery. He was the son of Alexander Hamilton. Our chapter continues to care for his grave today.
A special marker was placed at the western terminal of the Pony Express in Old Sacramento on March 1, 1923, by the Sacramento Chapter and 11 other Bay Area chapters (Mrs. Gundrum is pictured at this marker, at right). The Sacramento High School Band, the Mayor, other dignitaries, the State Regent, and a large crowd were on hand.
Another great project was the establishment of the DAR Memorial Grove (pictured below with Lucille Campbell, Rose Jolly, Claire Hubbard, and city arborist Martin Fitch) in Land Park in 1924. The bare land was planted with various memorial trees and trees obtained from the original 13 colonies. In 1958, the Grove was dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Gundrum, and a marker was placed.
In 1930, a marker was placed in memory of Jedediah Strong Smith, the first American to reach California by an overland route, on the American River Bridge at 16th Street.
The Chapter reached 100 members in 1933.
Chapter member Winnifred Codman persuaded the Sacramento Chapter to help an old Indian woman and her grandchild buy a tent. Her concern about Indians living in poverty ultimately resulted in the creation of the DAR American Indians Committee in 1935. This has become one of the most important committees in the National Society today.
One of our members, Miss Belle Cooledge, became mayor of Sacramento in 1948, and served as our Chapter Regent from 1951-1953. The Belle Cooledge Branch of the Sacramento Public Library was established in her honor in January, 1958.
In 1955, the "Big Four Building," the headquarters of the Central Pacific Railroad builders, was marked in Old Sacramento.
In 1975, the Bicentennial of our country was celebrated with the prize winning float "Petticoat Patriots" and the Bicentennial Traveling Trunk that circulated in schools. We won the DAR National Bicentennial Award and Special Achievement Award.
In 2006, the Chapter celebrated its 85th anniversary by raising over $2,000 to contribute 1,000 dictionaries to Sacramento third graders in 45 classes at 14 different schools.
The information above was taken primarily from the Chapter Historical Sketch by Betsy Podell.