Sacramento City, Sacramento County, California (CA) 95814

Sacramento City

Sacramento County, California

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Sacramento City Hall is located at 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Phone: 916‑264‑5011.


Van Voorhies House

Beginnings [1]

Flat stretches of unclaimed land, the navigable river, which was named Sacramento in honor of the sacrament, by Jose Moraga, commandant of the presidio of San Jose, and tractable Indians for workers drew the attention of Capt. John Augustus Sutter, the pioneer settler, in 1839. The Swiss ex-army officer took up a 50,000-acre grant by swearing allegiance to the Mexican flag, and built a principality named "New Helvetia" in memory of the old country. He ruled in baronial splendor, with Indians as his subjects, and a fort of timber and adobe brick as his castle, with twelve guns mounted on the ramparts. Sutter built forges and shops, grazed herds on his lands, trapped for furs, and carried on a lively trade. The spot was a haven for settlers in the tide of overland emigration in the early 1840's. In 1848 the town of Sacramento was laid out on Sutter's farm, and the first lots were sold in January, 1849.

Neighborhoods

  • Boulevard Park Historic District
  • Bungalow Row Historic District
  • New Helvetia Historic District
  • Tahoe Park
  • West Tahoe Park
  • Acme Acres
  • Alkali Flat Historic District
  • Alta Vista Estates
  • Altos Acres
  • Amara Condominiums
  • Antelope Meadows
  • Arcade Oaks
  • Arcade Park
  • Arcadia Gardens
  • Arcadian Estates
  • Arden Fair
  • Arden Manor
  • Arden Oaks
  • Arden Park
  • Arlington Park
  • Arroyo Vista Estates
  • Ashley Oaks Haven
  • Autumnwood
  • Avondale
  • Barrington Square
  • Bella Rose Condos
  • Bella Rose Villas
  • Belmont Estates
  • Ben Ali
  • Bohemian Village
  • Boulder Glen
  • Boulevard Park
  • Boulevard Terrace
  • Bowling Green
  • Bradshaw Woods
  • Brentwood
  • Bridgecreek
  • Bridgeview at Riverlake
  • Brisas Del Rio
  • Brittany Park
  • Brookfield
  • Brookfield Meadows
  • Burlingame Terrace
  • Cabrillo Park
  • Calvine Crossing
  • Cambay West Village
  • Camellia Acres
  • Camellia Gardens
  • Camellia Heights
  • Camellia Park
  • Campus Commons
  • Capitol Avenue Historic District
  • Carella Gardens
  • Carleton
  • Carnation Garden Village
  • Carriage Lane Condominiums
  • Casa Loma Terrace
  • Cathedral Square Historic District
  • Central Oak Park
  • Chaparral
  • Chardonnay
  • Charter Pointe
  • Chelsea Park
  • Churchill Downs
  • City Farms
  • Cloverdale Park
  • Cobble Stone Glen
  • Coleman Ranch
  • College Glen
  • College Greens
  • College Greens East
  • College Manor
  • Coloma Heights
  • Coloma Terrace
  • Colonial Acres
  • Colonial Heights
  • Colonial Manor
  • Colonial Terrace
  • Colonial Village
  • Cottonridge
  • Country Club Estates
  • Countryside
  • Creekside
  • Crestgate
  • Curtis Oaks
  • Curtis Park
  • Deerfield
  • Del Paso Heights
  • Del Paso Manor
  • Del Paso Park
  • Del Verde Square
  • Discovery Village
  • Dos Rios Triangle
  • Downtown
  • Dreher Tract
  • Duncan Estates
  • East Del Paso Heights
  • East Sacramento
  • Edison Avenue Gardens
  • Ehrhardt Estates
  • Elder Creek Ranch
  • Ellenwood Court
  • Elmhurst
  • Elmhurt
  • Evergreen Estates
  • Fair Way Estates
  • Fairgrounds
  • Florin
  • Florin Estates
  • Florin Glen
  • Florin Terrace
  • Folsom Estates
  • Foothill Farms
  • Foothill Oaks
  • Foothill Terrace
  • Four Oaks Tract
  • Four Seasons at Westshore
  • Franklin Villa Estates
  • Frates Ranch
  • Freeport Manor
  • Fremont Park Historic District
  • Fruitridge Gardens
  • Fruitridge Manor
  • Fruitridge Oaks
  • Fruitridge Park
  • Fruitridge Vista
  • Garden Oaks
  • Gardena Park
  • Gardenland
  • Garfield Landing
  • Gary Gardens
  • Gatewate North
  • Gateway Center
  • Gateway West
  • Glen Elder
  • Glen Orchard
  • Glen Rachael Estates
  • Glenbrook
  • Glenbrook East
  • Glenbrook Estates
  • Glenwood Meadows
  • Glenwood Park
  • Golden Meadows
  • Golf Course Terrace
  • Golf Course Village
  • Green Acres
  • Green Tree
  • Greenhaven
  • Greenholme
  • Greenland
  • Greenmont
  • Guild Estates
  • Haggin Park
  • Hagginwood
  • Hampton Station
  • Hampton Village
  • Harvard Park
  • Heritage Park
  • Heritage Place
  • Hillsdale
  • Hollywood Park
  • Homeland
  • Howell Clark
  • Howell Clark Tract
  • Ivy Glen at West Park
  • Johnson Heights
  • Land Park
  • Lawrence Park
  • Little Pocket
  • Machado
  • Madison Villa Estates
  • Madison Woods
  • Mangan Park
  • Manlove Estates
  • Mansion Flats
  • Manzanita Gardens
  • Maple Park
  • Mariemont Estates
  • Marina Oaks
  • Mariner Point
  • Marion Heights
  • Marshall Park Historic District
  • Mayfair Gardens
  • Maywood Gardens
  • McClatchy Park
  • McKinley Park
  • Meaadowview Village
  • Meadow Lane Park
  • Meadow Wood
  • Meadowbrook
  • Meadowview Estates
  • Meadowview Manor
  • Medical Center
  • Meister Terrace
  • Merchant Auditorium Historic District
  • Merchant Street Historic District
  • Mesa Grande
  • Metro Commons
  • Midtown
  • Millrose
  • Monte Vista
  • Monterey Terrace
  • Morrison Brooks Estates
  • Myrtle Hollow
  • Natomas Creek
  • Natomas Crossing
  • Natomas Park
  • Natomas Village
  • New Era Park
  • New Glendale
  • Newton Booth
  • North City Farms
  • North Laguna
  • North Oak Park
  • North Sacramento
  • Northborough
  • Northgate
  • Northpoint Park
  • Northpointe
  • Northrop Estates
  • Norwood Estates
  • Oak Creek Estates
  • Oak Grove
  • Oak Knoll
  • Oak Park
  • Oak Plains
  • Oak Ridge Acres
  • Oak Terrace Condos
  • Oakmont Terrace
  • Old Sacramento
  • Orange Grove Oaks
  • Overbrook
  • Park River Estates
  • Parkcrest Estates
  • Parker Homes
  • Parkridge
  • Parkview Village
  • Parkway Estates
  • Parkway Greens
  • Parkway Meadows
  • Pavilions
  • Pavilions Condominiums
  • Pen Park Estates
  • Penland Park
  • Penthouses at Capitol Park
  • Pepperwood
  • Pinedale Estates
  • Pocket
  • Point West
  • Poverty Ridge
  • Powell
  • Premier Garden
  • Rancho Coronado
  • Rancho Del Paso
  • Rancho Silva
  • Regency Park
  • Richards
  • Richardson Village
  • Richmond Grove
  • Ridge Point
  • Ridgeway Terrace
  • River Bend Estates
  • River City Commons
  • River Gardens
  • River Park Estates
  • River Village
  • River Walk
  • Riverbend
  • Riverchase
  • Riverdale North
  • Riverfront Plaza Condos
  • Rivergate
  • Riverside Estates
  • Riverside Manor
  • Riverside North
  • Riverside Terrace
  • Robbins Village
  • Robla
  • Rose Heights
  • Rosedale
  • Rosemont Downs
  • Rosemont Park
  • Rosemont South
  • Rosemont Square
  • Rosswood
  • Ryland Gardens
  • Santa Anita
  • Santa Paula Manor
  • Saratoga Townhomes
  • Saunders
  • Scottsdale
  • Scottsdale East
  • Scottsdale Mead
  • Serenade at Regency Park
  • Sherman Oaks Estates
  • Sierra Oaks
  • Silver Legends
  • Silver Meadows
  • Silver Springs
  • South City Farms
  • South East
  • South Gate Meadows
  • South Hagginwood
  • South Land Park
  • South Natomas
  • South Oak Park
  • South Side Historic District
  • South Woods
  • Southfield
  • Southgate Meadows
  • Southland Village Condos
  • Southside Park
  • Southwoods
  • Spruce Ranch
  • Steamboat Bend
  • Stonewoods
  • Strawberry Manor
  • Summerfield
  • Sunnyside
  • Sunrise Countryside
  • Sunrise Greens
  • Sunrise Village
  • Sunrise Vineyards
  • Sutter Place
  • Swallows Nest
  • Swanston Acres
  • Swanston Estates
  • Swanston Palms
  • Swanston Park
  • Tahoe Park East
  • Tahoe Park South
  • Tallac Village
  • Tamarindo
  • Thornwood Terrace
  • Timberlake
  • Tokay Meadows
  • Tokay Park
  • Twin Rivers
  • University Estates
  • University Park
  • Upper Land Park
  • Valley Glen
  • Valley Hi
  • Valley Hi Village
  • Valleyview Acres
  • Verner Glen
  • Verner Oaks
  • Vienna Woods
  • Villa Palazzo
  • Villa Royale
  • Villa San Juan
  • Village Green
  • Village Greens Condos
  • Village Square
  • Vintage Meadows
  • Vintage Park
  • Vista Del Rio
  • Vista Del Venda
  • Walnut Acres Estates
  • Washington Historic District
  • Waters Edge
  • West Del Paso Heights
  • Westborough Village
  • Westlake
  • Westlake Village
  • Westley Estates
  • Wildhawk
  • Wildhawk Estates
  • Wildhawk West Village
  • Wilhaggin Oaks
  • Wilhaggin Park
  • Wilhaggin West
  • Willi's
  • Willow Glen
  • Willow Ranch
  • Willow Rock
  • Willow Woods
  • Willowcreek
  • Wills Acre
  • Winn Park Historic District
  • Winter Park
  • Wolf Heights
  • Woodbine
  • Woodbine Parkway
  • Woodbridge East
  • Woodgate
  • Woodgate West
  • Woodside Condos
  • Woodside East
  • Wyndgate

It was Sutter's boss carpenter, James W. Marshall, who, on January 24, 1848, found the first gold flake while building a mill for Sutter near Coloma on the South Fork of the American River, which resulted in the great gold rush of 1849 and the 1850's and in California's admission to the Union as a State. It also led to Sutter's ruin. Trampling hordes from the East overran his hospitable fort, stole his cattle, drove off his Indians, disputed his rights to the land. His white retainers deserted for the mines. Meantime, millions of dollars in gold dust passed over Sutter's landing. He moved to Pennsylvania in 1873, with only a small pension from California, and died at Washington, D.C., in 1880, after vainly beseeching Congress for the restoration of his property.

The settlement became the supply center for the northern mines of the mother lode. Thousands of gold-hungry men came pouring in to outfit for the diggings. The 1850 census showed 6,820, and the population soon jumped to 10,000, with gold seekers camped along the river bank in tents, frame houses, and even under trees; a packing box or a strip of canvas was considered good housing. Bearded men from the mines flashed pokes of gold dust with assumed indifference, and spent grandly in saloons, fandango halls, and gambling houses. The most profitable mining was done by entrepreneurs, who took it out of the miners' pockets. Bitter struggles took place between squatters and men who claimed titles to farmlands.

Three disastrous floods came between 1849 and 1853, and in 1852 a fire wiped out two-thirds of the town. In 1849 Sacramento had offered $1,000,000 for the honor of being the State capital. The Legislature met in 1852, sitting on hot ashes, and when it officially became the capital in 1854, flood debris was still in evidence. The floods caused epidemics, and corpses were shoved into the swollen river to drift away. Levees were finally built, and the town pulled itself up out of the foot-deep dust of summer and the hub-deep mire of the rainy season. For many years the water remained unpalatable for those who had the temerity to drink it. Few did.

In 1856 Sacramento was the terminus of the first railroad in California, built as a short line to Folsom by Theodore Dehone Judah, the young engineer who planned the first transcontinental railroad through the passes of the Sierra Nevada. Four years later came the Pony Express, which ran until 1861, when the transcontinental telegraph went through.

The Central Pacific Railroad joined East and West in 1869. Judah's financial sponsors were all Sacramento storekeepers: Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Charles Crocker, and Leland Stanford, the "Big Four." The Central Pacific branched out and became the Southern Pacific, the "octopus" of Frank Norris' novel, which for 40 years practically controlled the State. Large-scale wheat growing and cattle raising soon after lost their lead to more lucrative fields of fruit, vineyards, cotton, and vegetables. Land prices rose, and Sacramento's prosperity with them.

Sacramento's position as the capital was challenged by Berkeley in 1907, and later by San Jose and Monterey, but with little effect. The river channel was dredged in 1911, and seagoing vessels could reach the city when the river stage was high. The early years of depression saw several State hunger marches, and in 1938 refugees from the labor troubles in Nevada City camped for a week outside the fairgrounds.

Some of the earliest unions in California were formed in Sacramento, which was rated a "good town" for labor. Industry got a start with the gold rush, and soon boiler plants, farm machine factories,, breweries, carriage shops, and processing plants were humming.

  1. Federal Writers' Project, Works Progress Administration, California: A Guide to the Golden State, American Guide Series, Hastings House, Publishers, New York, 1939.

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