California’s state capital, SACRAMENTO, in the flatlands of the Central Valley, was founded in 1839 by the Swiss John Sutter. He worked hard for ten years to build a busy trading center and cattle ranch, only to be thwarted by the discovery of gold at a nearby sawmill in 1848. His workers quit their jobs to go prospecting, and thousands more flocked to the goldfields of the Central Mother Lode, without any respect for Sutter’s claims to the land.

Sacramento became the main supply point for the miners, and remained important as the western headquarters of the transcontinental railroad. Flashy office towers and hotel complexes have now sprung from its rather suburban streetscape, enlivening the flat grid of leafy, tree-lined blocks, and going some way towards resurrecting the rowdy, free-for-all spirit of the city’s Gold Rush past.

Sacramento is not especially prominent on most travelers’ itineraries. There’s not a great deal to see, though the wharves, warehouses, saloons and stores of the historic core along the riverfront have been restored and converted into the touristy shops and restaurants of Old Sacramento. On the northern edge of the old town, the California State Railroad Museum (daily 10am–5pm; $6) brings together a range of lavishly restored 1860s locomotives, with “cow-catcher” front grilles and bulbous smokestacks. The old passenger station and freight depot, a block south, now serve as the summer depot for a refurbished steam train (summer weekends 10am–5pm; $6), which makes a seven-mile, 45-minute round-trip along the river.

Further east, and isolated from downtown, the dome of the state capitol stands proudly in a spacious green park two blocks south of K Street Mall. Recently restored to its original elegance, and still the seat of state government, the luxurious building brims over with finely crafted details. Although you’re free to walk around, you’ll see a lot more if you take one of the free hourly tours (daily 9am–5pm).

The History of Sacramento

California State Capitol Museum (10th St. between L and N Sts., in the capitol building. 916-324-0333) California's opulently domed, Renaissance Revival capitol, built in 1860-1874, contains restored offices of the period 1900-1910, furnished with old desks and leather chairs.

Governor's Mansion State Historic Park (1526 H St. 916-323-3047. Guided tours only; adm. fee) This Second Empire Italianate mansion, built in 1877 for a hardware merchant, housed 13 governors ending with Ronald Reagan. Items left by first families range from inaugural gowns to the dollhouse of Earl Warren's daughter. 

Old Sacramento Historic District (Bet. I-5 and the Sacramento River, from I to L Sts. Walking tour brochure available at Visitor Center, 2nd and K Sts. 916-442-7644) Sacramento's former business hub along the riverfront, this 28-acre site showcases fine gold rush-era buildings along wooden sidewalks. The 1852 B.F. Hastings Building (2nd and J Sts.) served as the terminus of the Pony Express, as well as the original home of the California Supreme Court. It now houses a Pony Express exhibit; restored California Supreme Court chambers; and the Wells Fargo Museum (916-440-4263), filled with gold displays, a working telegraph, and a restored Concord stagecoach. Nearby, the California State Railroad Museum (2nd and I Sts. 916-448-4466. Adm. fee)--the nation's largest interpretive railway museum--commemorates Sacramento's role as a terminus of the transcontinental railroad. The collection includes beautifully restored locomotives and cars from the 1860s through the 1960s. Admission includes the nearby 1876 Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station and its train shed. 

Also in the district you'll find the California Military Museum (1119 2nd St. 916-442-2883. Adm. fee); the wood-and-canvas 1849 Old Eagle Theatre (Front and J Sts. 916-323-6343. Guided tours by appt.), California's first building constructed as a theater; and the one-room Old Sacramento Schoolhouse (Front and L Sts. 916-483-8818), its desks furnished with slates, chalk, and McGuffey's Readers. Docked nearby on the Sacramento River, the historic Delta King (916-444-5464), which once churned between Sacramento and San Francisco, is now an elegant floating hotel and restaurant. 

Sutter's Fort State Historic Park (2701 L St. 916-445-4422. Adm. fee) Sacramento's earliest settlement, founded in 1839 by Swiss immigrant John Sutter, conveys the feeling of pioneer life. Reconstructed walls surround the adobe fort's original central building; visitors can tour a bakery, cooper and blacksmith shops, dining room, and living quarters. Nearby stands the California State Indian Museum (2618 K St. 916-324-0971. Adm. fee), where baskets and exquisite ceremonial dance costumes highlight Native American artifacts.

Sights

The gold rush lured thousands of prospectors to the area, which became the bustling frontier town of Sacramento and, in 1854, the state capital. The State Capitol (10th St. and Capitol Mall. 916-324-0333), with marble mosaic floors and a 120-foot-high dome, resembles the U. S. Capitol. The wood sidewalks, cobblestoned streets, and false-front stores of Old Sacramento (Visitor Center, 1104 Front St. 916-442-7644), the commercial district during the gold rush, have been lovingly restored. To learn more about the boom era, examine the memorabilia in the Sacramento History Museum (101 I St. 916-264-7057. Closed Mon. May-Oct.; adm. fee). 

The California State Railroad Museum (2nd and I Sts. 916-445-7387. Adm. fee) chronicles the city's role in launching the first transcontinental railroad. The largest museum of its kind, it showcases 21 shiny locomotives and railroad cars. The B.F. Hastings Building (2nd and J Sts. 916-445-7387. Call for hours) housed California's first supreme court and served as the western terminus of the Pony Express. The California State Indian Museum (2618 K St., next to Sutter's Fort. 916-324-0971. Adm. fee) exhibits baskets, beadwork, and other artifacts.

RANCHO CORDOVA

Practicalities

Sacramento’s most accessible visitor information center is at 1101 Second St (daily 10am–5pm; tel 916/442-7644). Besides the central Sacramento Hostel, 900 H St, there are plenty of places to stay within walking distance of the city center – the best value is the Econolodge, 711 16th St, while Abigail’s, 2120 G St, and Hartley House Inn, 700 22nd St, both offer nineteenth-century elegance in the heart of Sacramento’s liveliest local neighborhood. 

Paesano’s, at 1806 Capitol Ave (tel 916/447-8646), is a delicious and popular pizza restaurant; Virga’s, at 1501 14th St near O (tel 916/442-8516) offers scrumptious Italian fare and was selected best restaurant in local polls; Centro Cocina Mexicana, 454 28th St near J Street (tel 916/442-2552), offers innovative Californian-Mexican fusion cuisine. Local indie bands play at the down-to-earth Cafe Paris, 2326 K St (tel 916/442-2001).

For more info on Great Drives of this area, go to: Mother Lode & the Sierra