Locke Historic District
Why it's listed
Locke is a small river town on the Sacramento River levee in Sacramento County, California. Founded in 1915, it consists of about four blocks of one- and two-story commercial and residential buildings, with a single narrow main street one block from the levee. After a fire destroyed most of the Chinese section of Walnut Grove in 1915, a group of ten to twelve Chinese businessmen led by Charlie Lee Bing moved about a mile upstream onto land owned by the Locke family and established the town. The wooden, false-fronted buildings with balconies nearly touching across the street reflect the architecture of turn-of-the-century river towns. Many were unpainted and leaning, and most commercial space was unoccupied when described. The district was listed because it was seen as the last vestige of a Chinese community founded by people who helped build the transcontinental railroad and the Delta levees. Its residents were mainly elderly Chinese speakers of Cantonese, and no new building had been added in fifty years.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues Locke is the last vestige of a single Chinese community, created by people who had helped build the first transcontinental railroad and the Delta levee system. Its turn-of-the-century river-town architecture and continuity of Cantonese-speaking residents are also cited. Little had changed since its founding.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 71000174, listed May 6, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded on the W by the Sacramento River, on the N by Locke Rd., on the E by Alley St., and on the S by Levee St., Locke |
|---|---|
| County | Sacramento County |
| Listed | May 6, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000174 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1915 |
| Architectural style | False-fronted, woodcutters' gothic commercial structures typical of turn-of-the-century small river towns |
| Areas of significance | Asian, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National, Local |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 14, 1990 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked deteriorated and unaltered. Most main street commercial buildings were unoccupied, some second-story residential use remained, and loading sheds were in use by commercial boating interests. |
| Acreage | 14 |
| Coordinates | 38.25130, -121.51005 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 71000174.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3476716
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.