Sacramento Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Sacramento

Though little evidence is left now, the Sacramento Valley was home to the Modoc, Plains Miwok, and Nisenan Native American tribes for thousands of years before the arrival of the pioneers and the Spanish. John Sutter Sr. settled at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers, land bequeathed to him by the Mexican government in 1839. He had his eyes on creating an agriculture empire. You can tour Sutter’s Fort today, which is a state park.

It was on Sutter’s land that the first gold was discovered in 1848. That spurred the famous 1849 gold rush and the arrival of the “Forty-Niners” - thousands of pioneers traveling west across the US in search of riches. Sacramento became the original gold rush boomtown.

Around Sutter’s Fort, all sorts of business sprang up to support the influx of settlers. Sacramento was laid out and founded by John Sutter Jr. It is the oldest incorporated town in California and became the seat of state government in 1854.

The community continued to grow, along with the burgeoning US State of California around it. Sacramento marked the western end of the famous Transcontinental Railroad, which you can learn more about at the California State Railroad Museum.

Today, it’s a vibrant and diverse city of art and history. If you like art, don’t miss the Crocker Art Museum. If history is your thing, start at the Sacramento History Museum and tour Old Sacramento. The State Capitol Building, Capitol Park, and the Leland Stanford Mansion are all worth visiting to learn more about the state’s government and the people who have shaped it.

With so much history and culture, and many things to do, it’s no wonder that Sacramento is one of California’s fastest-growing communities. Join us on a self-guided walking tour and learn about California’s original pioneer town.