Annual Events
In this Section we bring you each annual event the LMML Foundation has produced. We hope you enjoy
LMML 2024 Presentation – The Springsted and Edgington Family Stories
In September 2023 the Foundation presented the story of a man, Richard Phelan, who in the 1890’s, was convicted of murder, sentenced to 25 years in Folsom Prison, and later received a full Gubernatorial Pardon. Researching this story led us to Richard’s marker in a quiet corner of the Elk Grove Cemetery, and the large family plot of the Springsted and Edgington families. These families came to Elk Grove in the 19th Century and were prominent in the area into the 1960s.
This is the second installment of the chronicle in which we’ll present the stories of these two Elk Grove-area pioneer families.
LMML 2023 Presentation – Richard Phelan Story
In 2017, during the process of recording the Mix Family Story in an interview with Oscar Mix, the Foundation learned of the vague and unusual story of a man, who in the 1890’s, was convicted of murder, sentenced to 25 years in Folsom Prison, and later received a full Gubernatorial Pardon.
Researching this story led us to a quiet corner of the Elk Grove Cemetery, and the large family plot of the Springsted and Edgington families. These families came to Elk Grove in the 1860s and were prominent in the area well beyond the 1930s. With our discovery of a grave marker in this family plot, of a man whose name seemed out-of-place, a story unfolded like no other yet told in the history of Elk Grove.
2021 Presentation - "Elk Grove /
Southeast Asia Story"
This year, the story we present is of a world event which, like none other since the Gold Rush, had a colossal effect on Elk Grove. This event was the Vietnam War. Not only was the community deeply affected by the War at the time, but the cascading effects of the War dramatically and permanently altered the fabric and vibrancy of the area transforming it from an agricultural-based rural community to a thriving city of diverse and vast potential. As in the past, we will stay in-keeping with our tradition of using the technique of a Radio Show format; but this year as a Call-in Talk Show. We hope you find this presentation of a unique piece of Elk Grove history enjoyable and informative.
2019 Play Reading
In September of 2019, the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation performed its 4th Annual Foundation Play Reading which was presented during the annual Elk Grove Area History Week.
Performed by current students of the Sheldon High School TheaterWORKS program, the subject of the Play Reading was the story of Mrs. Irene B. West who was the first African-American teacher in Elk Grove. A graduate of Fisk University in Tennessee, she came to Sacramento when her husband accepted a job transfer. Mrs. West applied for a teaching position at the Elk Grove Unified School District in 1962 at a time when racial tensions were rising in the south and the civil rights movement was gaining energy nationwide. Her story is an inspiring journey of personal courage, determination and an overriding passion to teach.
2018 Play Reading
In September of 2018, the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation performed its 3rd Annual Foundation Play Reading which was presented during the annual Elk Grove Area History Week at the Elk Grove Historical Society’s Plow-to-Plate Dinner.
Performed by alumnae and current students of the Sheldon High School TheaterWORKS program, the subject of the Play Reading was the story of the Elk Grove Book Club. Established in 1936 by ten Elk Grove women, the Book Club is one of the oldest book clubs in the country. Entering its 83rd year, the Club continues to follow the original charter of reviewing all manner of titles and subjects.
2017 Play Reading
In September of 2017, the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation performed its 2nd Annual Foundation Play Reading. The Annual Performance is one of the major objectives of the Foundation as part of our overall mission to record and present oral histories of the Greater Elk Grove Area.
Performed by alumnae and current students of the Sheldon High School TheaterWORKS program, the subject of the 2017 Play Reading was the story of the Jackson Family of the Florin and Elk Grove areas. The story traces the Jackson family roots through several generations from the son born at sea of a sea captain and his wife, the daughter of the ship owner, to early America, to migrating to the Midwest, then venturing further west, by oxen wagon, to South Sacramento County. Here the family settles and prospers. They are credited with establishment of a church, two one-room schools, a cemetery and many inventions which were critical to the growth of area agriculture.
2016 Inaugural Play Reading
In September of 2016, the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation performed its Inaugural Annual Foundation Play Reading. The Annual Performance is one of the major objectives of the Foundation as part of our overall mission to record and present oral histories of the Greater Elk Grove Area.
Performed by alumnae and current students of the Sheldon High School TheaterWORKS program, the subject of the 2016 Play Reading was the story of our namesake: Linda Mae Mahon Lema. Chronicling Linda’s life in Elk Grove, the story was presented in a fast-paced, captivating and sometimes humorous manner that left the audience with a deeper understanding of Linda and her passions for visual and performing arts and the skill of storytelling.