OLD SACRAMENTOthe only Sacramento and was called Sacramento City. THIS IS THE REAL DEAL! What you'll see here is not an imaginary recreation of an Old West town - it's the lovingly restored and replicated original town that existed in the mid-1800s.
In their day, these buildings have seen the likes of Leland Stanford, Mark Twain, & Sam Brannan. People as diverse as Lotta Crabtree, E. B. Crocker, John Sutter, Jr., and some of the survivors of the Donner Party have crossed the cobbled streets and strolled the wood-plank walkways. To visit Old Sacramento is to take a step back in time! Visit during Gold Rush Days and you may actually believe you've stepped off a paddlewheel boat newly arrived from San Francisco in 1849! "IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS"
The original merchants of Sacramento operated out of canvas tents set up right on the mudflat shores of the Sacramento River. But the Sacramento River was a typical river - it had a tendency to overflow its banks during the heavy winter rains. Even after the tents were replaced with more solid structures built of wood, brick, and masonry, the shopkeepers and home owners found themselves cleaning up after the floodwaters. The leaders-of-the-day finally wised up. They didn't want to move inland from the banks of the river because of the ease of access to the riverboats, so someone came up with the idea of raising the street so it would be above flood level. And, so it began . . .  They brought in thousands of cubic yards of dirt and buried the first floor of their stores and homes! What had been the second floor was now the first. What had been the first floor was now the basement! To see the lower level, check out the former location of Fulton's Prime Rib, across from the Railroad Museum. The upper building is no longer there, but the restaurant was housed at the original street level in what would have been - after the raising of the streets - the building's basement. THINGS TO DO IN OLD SACRAMENTO
 Gold Rush Days If you really want to know what Old Sacramento was like back in 1849, time your visit for Labor Day weekend and Old Sac's annual celebration of Gold Rush Days.  You'll find the streets closed to automobile traffic and covered with 200 tons of dirt to lend an authentic air to the event. There are costumed portrayals of life in the 1800s, musicians, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural activities, dancers, a tent city, and storytelling - all designed to bring back the "Good ol' Days," at least for a little while. Old Sacramento is only one of the ways that you can step back in time to the California Gold Rush days: Sutter's Fort San Francisco in 1849 Follow the Sacramento River Please continue your exploration of what Northern California has to offer by using the Nav Bar at the left, by using the links at the bottom of the page, or by using the customized search box below to find the specific topic that interests you. Like what you're finding here at DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com? Then please share with your Social Network (see the buttons in the NavBar to the left, or at the bottom of the page). For more pictures of Northern California and other great stuff, check out my facebook page, www.DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com. Become a fan, write on my Wall, contribute to the Discussion Board, post a Review -- join in the fun!  Return to Discover the California Gold Rush from Old Sacramento Return to Discover Northern California Home Page from Old Sacramento
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