In 1839 John Sutter arrived on the shore of the American River
near its confluence with the Sacramento River. With the promise
of a Mexican land grant, Sutter and his landing party established
Sutter’s Fort. As the settlement grew and became permanent, it
attracted other businessmen looking for opportunities. Sutter and
the people he attracted created a commercial center in the area,
but it was the Gold Rush in 1848 that created the City of
Sacramento.
When gold was discovered in the nearby foothills by James
Marshall, local merchant Sam Brannan rushed to open a store near
the Sacramento River to take advantage of the convenient
waterfront location. What was then called Sutter’s Embarcadero
was soon known as the City of Sacramento. The city rapidly grew
into a trading center for miners outfitting themselves for the
gold fields.
Early Sacramento’s waterfront location was prime for commercial
success, but was prone to severe flooding. The city also fell
victim to repeated fires engulfing its hastily constructed
buildings composed mainly of wood and canvas. In 1850 the new
city experienced its first devastating flood and in 1852 the city
was again wiped out by high water. It was apparent that drastic
measures would have to be taken if it was to be saved.
In 1853 a mammoth project was proposed to raise the city above
the flood level. The ambitious and expensive proposal was not
fully accepted until another devastating flood swept through the
city in 1862. Within a few years, thousands of cubic yards of
earth were brought in on wagons and the daring scheme to raise
the street level began. The original street level can be seen
throughout Old Sacramento under the boardwalks and in basements.
The center of the commercial district gradually moved east and
the original part of the city on Sutter’s Embarcadero became
known as the worst skid row west of Chicago. Reformers,
ministers, politicians and others spoke out against conditions in
this part of the city, but little was done to change the basic
conditions.
In the mid-1960s, a plan was set forth to redevelop the area and
through it, the first historic district in the West was created.
Today, with 53 historic buildings, Old Sacramento has more
buildings of historic value condensed into its 28 acres than most
areas of similar size in the West. Registered as a National and
California Historic Landmark, the properties in the district are
primarily owned by private owners, with individual businesses
leasing shops and offices. The area has flourished and is once
again a thriving commercial trade center.