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62º | Evening showers | 57% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:20 a.m. | Sunset 5:13 p.m.
 

From the valley to the sea

Why do we have a road sign for Ocean City, MD?
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Well I would walk 1,536.5 miles, and I would walk 1,536.5 more, just to be that man who walked 3,073 miles and fell down at your door. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Driving eastward into Sacramento, you’ve probably spotted a head-scratching sign along Highway 50. What’s odd is the mention of Ocean City, MD — separated from Sacramento by eleven states and 3,000+ miles.

Buckle up — we’re taking a road trip to explain the origins.

The History behind Sac’s Ocean City sign

Ocean City had its own sign pointing toward Sacramento first. The Maryland State Highway Administration explained to FOX40 that Ocean City leaders — including a man named Ed Buck — installed the Highway 50 sign on their side sometime between the 1970s and 1980s to denote the end of the highway as it reached the nation’s eastern shore.

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Reader Erin sent us this photo of her with the Sacramento sign in Ocean City, MD.

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Photo via Erin N.

According to a 2016 article from CapRadio, Caltrans’ head of California highway maintenance in the 1980s, John R. Cooper Jr., was inspired by Ed’s work to add a sign on the westernmost end of the roadway — albeit somewhat ironically.

“I can remember I got a lot of static from Caltrans people because I had been conducting a campaign to get rid of unnecessary signs — and this really was an unnecessary sign,” John told the NPR affiliate.

That “unnecessary sign” drivers see on the side of the road today isn’t actually the original — but a third iteration. The first two versions of the sign, which only listed the distance to Ocean City, were stolen in 1999 and again in 2001. Caltrans workers added the distances to Placerville and South Lake Tahoe during the third sign’s installment. This way, the sign would be larger and harder to steal (which seems to have worked so far).

Click the button below to read some of the Ocean City stories our readers have shared with us.
Ocean City stories from our readers
Events
Friday, Jan. 19
  • Unextinct | Friday, Jan. 19 | 5:30-9:30 p.m. | Sacramento Zoo, 3930 W. Land Park Dr., Sacramento | $28+ | More than 40 threatened and extinct animals are brought to life at this immersive experience.
  • “Voices of the Golden Ghosts” | Friday, Jan. 19 + Saturday, Jan. 20 | 7-9 p.m. | Black Box Theater, 1075 W. Capital Ave., West Sacramento | $20+ | This theater collective from Siskiyou and Shasta counties creates pieces based on Black Americans’ untold stories of the Northern California Gold Rush.
  • Daughtry with Scott Stapp: The Voice Of Creed | Friday, Jan. 19 | 7:30 p.m. | Thunder Valley Casino, 1200 Athens Ave., Lincoln | $44.95+ | Divorced dads in their early 40s are going to love this show.
  • Johnny Cash — The Official Concert Experience | Friday, Jan. 19 | 7:30 p.m. | Harris Center, 10 College Pkwy., Folsom | $91+ | This immersive concert experience combines the sights of “The Johnny Cash TV Show” with the sounds of the Man in Black himself.
  • Murder, You Wrote | Friday, Jan. 19 | 9-10 p.m. | Sacramento Comedy Spot, 1050 20th St., Ste. 130, Sacramento | $12 | Laugh at this improv murder mystery where you decide who the killer is.
Saturday, Jan. 20
Sunday, Jan. 21
  • Accessible Yoga | Sunday, Jan. 21 | 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Track 7 Brewing Co., 3747 W. Pacific Ave., Ste. F, Sacramento | Donations encouraged | Bring your mat and a friend to this yoga class catered toward everyone.
  • S’mores & Stouts | Sunday, Jan. 21 | 12-10 p.m. | Drake’s: The Barn, 985 Riverfront St., West Sacramento | Cost of purchase | Snag a make-your-own s’mores kit, set up at a fire pit with friends + get roasting.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Weather
  • Up to 3 inches of rain could hit the Sacramento Valley between tomorrow and Monday, Jan. 22. Most of that rain is expected to fall on Monday, with little concern for potential flooding. (KCRA 3)
Cause
  • Elk Grove’s Black Youth Leadership Project is working to expose local kids to the legislative process, as well as provide safe spaces for them to connect. Alumni of the program include former mayor of Stockton Michael Tubbs and former mayor of Pinole Devin Murphy. (Sac Bee)
Feel Good
  • San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young visited children at Midtown’s Sutter Medical Center this week. Young played music with the kids at Sophie’s Place — a musical therpay center in the hospital his Forever Young Foundation helped open in 2016. (Sac Bee)
Plan Ahead
  • Midtown Lounge (1111 24th St.) will celebrate “Bring Your Dog Day” tomorrow, Jan. 20. Pet owners can bring their furry friends by for goodie bags, button making, grooming, and more.
Sports
  • Sacramento-based 49er fans can catch a lift to this weekend’s playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, courtesy of Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor. The train will offer a service between Levi’s Stadium and Downtown Sac for $72 round-trip. (FOX40)
Concert
  • Up-and-coming guitarist Jared James Nichols kicks off his nationwide tour at the Folsom Hotel Saloon (703 Sutter St.) on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Get tickets now. (Sacramento News & Review)
Closed
  • Micro food hall Local Kitchens has closed one of its Roseville locations (8680 Sierra College Blvd., Ste. 195). Signage recently posted at the storefront directs customers to visit the San Francisco-based chain’s other Roseville shop (10357 Fairway Dr.). (Sac Biz Journal)
Coming Soon
  • InstaPhysique is planning to open a 3,000-sqft fitness studio at the 19J development in Downtown Sac (1827 J St.). The locally owned chain also has branches in Fair Oaks (2310 Fair Oaks Blvd.) and Roseville (1470 Eureka Rd., Ste. 100). (Sac Biz Journal)
Finance
  • Erasing interest on purchases and balance transfers into 2025 can really make a difference. Throw in no annual fee, and there’s no wonder why thousands are lining up for these cards.*
 
Read

📚 Local page-turners

Books written by authors from Sacramento
A towering bookshelf is stuffed with books
We want to collect them all. | Photo by @megtristao, Megan Stroup Tristao
Who better to spend a rainy weekend with than a good book? A good book written by your neighbor (or former neighbor). Here’s a handful of ones we love.
More local books
The Buy

The Buy 1.19.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
“The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal.” Written by happiness and relationship coach Dr. Sophia Godkin, this journal inspires gratitude with prompts to answer every day — and it only takes five minutes.
 
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Jordan
From the editor
It’s taking all of my financial restraint to not impulse purchase 49er playoff tickets for tomorrow — especially after seeing Capitol Corridor’s deal on train rides to the stadium.
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