This image is the cover for the book World War I and the Sacramento Valley

World War I and the Sacramento Valley

When the First World War thrust the United States into a dire global conflict, the Sacramento Valley was quick to mobilize. Many of America's first air units for combat were trained at Mather Field, while local farms filled some of the largest food supply orders for the Allies. Many women eschewed tradition and joined the industrial workforce at Liberty Iron Works, Southern Pacific Railroad and more. Though many banded together, the region's homefront was not without tension. Gripped by xenophobia, groups like the Liberty League formed local chapters to hunt spies, and local police forced displays of patriotism from suspected German sympathizers. With exclusive content from the Sacramento Public Library's Special Collections, librarians Amanda DeWilde and James Scott reveal the struggles and triumphs of the Sacramento region during the First World War.

Special the

Amanda G. DeWilde has served as the archivist for the Special Collections of the Sacramento Public Library since 2010, working in the Sacramento Room of the Central Library. DeWilde earned her bachelor's degree in history from Southern Oregon University and her master's degree in information studies with an emphasis in archival studies from the University of Texas at Austin. She and her husband reside in Folsom.

James C. Scott has been a reference librarian with the Sacramento Public Library since 2000. For most of that period, he has worked in SPL's Sacramento Room, where he's co-authored four other books on Sacramento history. He holds a bachelor's degree in history and political science from Marquette University and has master's degrees in European history and library and information science. He lives in East Sacramento with his wife, son and a black and tan dachshund called Schweinsteiger.

The History Press