 Sacramento’s history began in 1839 when Johann Augustus Sutter settled at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers. When the Mexican government and Governor Alvarado granted 48,000 acres of land to Sutter, they did not realize that they had given away a literal goldmine. Gold was discovered in 1848 just thirty miles east of Sacramento, in Coloma. The rest is history!
Sacramento was California's first charter city. Pony Express and first continental railroad all began in Sacramento. The confluence of two of the state's largest rivers is just a short walk from the steps of City Hall. San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite Valley, all offering a wide variety of recreational and cultural activities, are just a few hours away. The city's rich historical heritage, commitment to quality of life, and abundance of trees and parkland contributed to Newsweek magazine naming Sacramento one of the ten best cities in the United States. Sacramento is a river town, virtually created by the California Gold Rush. Along the bank of the Sacramento River is the Old Sacramento Historic Area, a 28-acre National Historic Landmark that attracts more than 5 million visitors annually. This atmospheric area, with wooden-slat sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages on its cobblestone streets, gives the visitor a sense of the vitality and bustle generated by the thousands of hopeful prospectors who streamed through Sacramento in the mid-nineteenth century. Old Sacramento's museums, shops, and restaurants preserve its historical character. |
