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Sutter's Fort State Historic Park

2701 L Street
Sacramento , CA 95816
(916) 445-4422

Website: suttersfort.org

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The "Fort" built by Swiss immigrant John Sutter more than 150 years ago was not only located at a pivotal point in California. It was a pivotal point in history. This combination of big dreams, bold adventures, and reality all manifest themselves at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park and help bring California history to life.

John Augustus Sutter was born in Europe to Swiss-German parents in 1803. After several financial...

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John Augustus Sutter was born in Europe to Swiss-German parents in 1803. After several financial reverses, like millions of others in Europe during the time, Sutter set out to make his fortune in America. After a series of adventures that ranged from Missouri and Santa Fe to Hawaii and Alaska, Sutter finally made it to California and arrived in Sacramento in the late fall of 1839.

In Sacramento, he built what came to be known as Sutter's Fort--with walls that were 2.5 feet thick and 15 to 18 feet high--and developed what he considered to be the real wealth of California--crops such as grapes and wheat, along with vast herds of cattle. Aligning himself with the Mexican authorities, at one point, with his various land grants, Sutter owned more than 150,000 acres of the Central Valley, and was a generous host to such colorful and historically important characters as John C. Fremont and Kit Carson.

In 1848, James Marshall, a carpenter working for Sutter, discovered gold at the sawmill Sutter was having built in Coloma, on the American River. Before the mill could be finished, word of the discovery was out. Sutter's workers deserted the Fort for the goldfields seeking their fortunes. By the 1850s, all that was left of Sutter's Fort was the central building.

The Native Sons of the Golden West were influential in the restoration of the Fort which began in 1891 and was completed in 1893. Donated to the State of California, Sutter's Fort became a part of the California State Park System in 1947. Sutter's Fort stands as the oldest restored Fort in the United States.

Today, the Fort is furnished and reconstructed to reflect its 1846 appearance. Many activities and programs recreate the past thanks to the volunteers who give their time to share their love of California History.

Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park is operated by California State Parks with financial assistance from the nonprofit Friends of Sutter’s Fort.

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	Hands on History: War in California Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park June 15, 2013 In 1846, Mexican California was in a continuous state of political unrest and threats from foreign powers were a constant menace. The English Navy was anxious to have a good seaport on the Pacific Coast and kept warships in the area; French emissaries had approached John Sutter for an alliance; United State President James Polk was espousing... Hands on History: War in California Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park June 15, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)
	Hands on History: Mining the Miners: Sutter's Fort and the Gold Rush Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park July 20, 2013 "There's gold in them thar hills!" was the cry echoed around the world in 1849 and precipitated the largest, unforced migration in the history of humanity. People from everywhere descended on the lightly populated and ungoverned land of California and their primary destination was Sutter's Fort, before they started their quest for the... Hands on History: Mining the Miners: Sutter's Fort and the Gold Rush Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park July 20, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)
	Hands on History: Tools, Talent, and Technology: Jobs at Sutter's Fort Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park August 17, 2013 When John Sutter elected to build his agricultural empire in 1839 in the Sacramento Valley, people at the time suggested that he would never succeed. He located his establishment in a region densely populated with Native Indians who, it was believed, would surely chase him off the land, or kill him. Through chance or good judgment, Sutter was... Hands on History: Tools, Talent, and Technology: Jobs at Sutter's Fort Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park August 17, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)
	Feast at the Fort Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park September 21, 2013 Attention foodies and history enthusiasts, Friends of Sutter’s Fort is proud to present a unique culinary event that includes a four-course, sit-down dinner prepared using historic recipes by Sacramento’s top chefs amid a beautiful setting inside the historic walls of Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park. Fort guests will enjoy... Feast at the Fort Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park September 21, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)
	Hands on History: Harvest Time: The Real Gold in California Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park September 21, 2013 When John Sutter arrived in California in 1839, his dream was to build an agricultural empire that would encompass all of the Sacramento Valley, filling it with ranchers, who owed fealty to Sutter and had to buy all their supplies from his trading post. Unfortunately, the Gold Rush crushed Sutter's dream by re-routing the water courses... Hands on History: Harvest Time: The Real Gold in California Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park September 21, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)

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Event Name: Hands on History: Sutter's Fort in 1846: A Community of Many Faces
"Accessibility"
Comment posted by: Colleen from Elk Grove, CA, May 14, 2013

Since the listing says no accessibility info was available, I thought I'd add some. I use a motorized wheelchair and have been to several HOH days. The ground is a little uneven but definitely doable... Expand

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Since the listing says no accessibility info was available, I thought I'd add some. I use a motorized wheelchair and have been to several HOH days. The ground is a little uneven but definitely doable and all the ground level areas and rooms are accessible (the gift shop can get a little tight if several customers are in it). There are a few areas that are upstairs but the ticket area has a book just for you with photographs of everything that is up there, as well as the written text for all the audio spots throughout the fort. I have always been very happy with the level of accessibility for such an historic area. Collapse

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	Hands on History: Sutter's Fort in 1846: A Community of Many Faces Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park May 18, 2013 The Gold Rush of 1849 brought tens of thousands of people to California from all over the world. But even before the first gold seekers arrived, Sutter's Fort was already a melting pot of ethnic, social, and cultural diversity. The volunteers of Sutter's Fort and invited guests will honor and celebrate the diversity of the fort before the Gold... Hands on History: Sutter's Fort in 1846: A Community of Many Faces Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park May 18, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)
	Traders' Faire: California's First Mall Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park April 20-April 21, 2013 Visitors will have the opportunity to learn from and support artisan crafters while browsing through the Traders' Faire: California's First Mall. Visitors will experience the hustle and bustle of pioneer trading days by watching artisans create goods, making their own crafts, haggling with traders, hammering square nails, and enjoying musket... Traders' Faire: California's First Mall Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park April 20-April 21, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)
	Hands on History: Hard Working Women of the Frontier Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park March 16, 2013 In honor of Women's History month, Sutter's Fort SHP will present a special Hands on History: Hard Working Women of the Frontier event. Author of Disaster & Triumph: Sacramento Women, Gold Rush Through the Civil War and Sacramento Chronicles: A Golden Past, Stapp will be at the Fort to give three presentations throughout the day... Hands on History: Hard Working Women of the Frontier Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park March 16, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)
	Hands on History: By Land and By Sea Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park February 16, 2013 Continuing a popular series of interactive and fun Hands on History activities, Sutter's Fort State Historic Park will present a special Hands on History: By Land and By Sea event. Through exciting demonstrations and fun hands-on activities, docents will help Fort visitors understand the two different ways emigrants originally came to... Hands on History: By Land and By Sea Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park February 16, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)
	Hands on History: Trappers, Trades, and Treaties Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park January 19, 2013 Sutter's Fort visitors will step back in time to the 1840s to learn why trappers were considered “jacks of many trades,” and experience how they lived, worked, explored new territory, and traded with local Native Americans. In addition to learning about many fascinating aspects in the life of a trapper, Sutter's Fort visitors will... Hands on History: Trappers, Trades, and Treaties Presented by Sutter's Fort State Historic Park at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park January 19, 2013 Event Rating (0 votes)

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Upcoming Events

Hands on History: War in California

Hands on History: Mining the Miners: Sutter's Fort and the Gold Rush

Hands on History: Tools, Talent, and Technology: Jobs at Sutter's Fort

Feast at the Fort

Hands on History: Harvest Time: The Real Gold in California

Past Events

Hands on History: Sutter's Fort in 1846: A Community of Many Faces

Traders' Faire: California's First Mall

Hands on History: Hard Working Women of the Frontier

Hands on History: By Land and By Sea

Hands on History: Trappers, Trades, and Treaties