Old Sacramento State Historic Park

Old Sacramento State Historic Park is a special place in Sacramento, California. It covers about one-third of the Old Sacramento Historic District, which is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District. People often call this area "Old Sacramento" or "Old Sac." Since the 1960s, this area has been restored and is now a popular place for visitors to learn about history and see beautiful, preserved buildings.

History

The city of Sacramento began growing in the mid-1800s near Sutter's Fort, but the Fort was far from the Sacramento River, the main way to travel to California's coast. The city grew along the river instead.

Before levees were built, the area often flooded. To stay safe, the streets were raised. Today, many old tunnels can still be found in Old Sacramento and the downtown area.

By the 1960s, the area had become run-down. People worked hard to save it, turning it into an outdoor history center much like Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. Some important old buildings were moved or rebuilt, while others that were too damaged were taken down.

Now, the Old Sacramento Historic District stretches from the river to Interstate 5, between I Street and the Capitol Mall. The State Historic Park covers about a third of this area, including much of the waterfront and railroad features. Almost all the buildings here date from the 1800s, especially after a big fire in 1852, and they look very much like they did back then, even though many have been restored. Today, most of these buildings are used for restaurants, shops, and tourist attractions.

Old Sacramento State Historic Park welcomes many visitors each year. Popular events include the Sacramento Music Festival (formerly the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee), Gold Rush Days, New Year's Eve celebrations, the St. Patrick's Day Parade, the World Music and Dance Festival, and Mardi Gras.

Architecture

The buildings in Old Sacramento State Historic Park remind you of places like Spain and its old colonies. You can see this in the tall buildings, big arched doors, tall windows, and pretty iron balconies. These styles came from people who moved to California from Spain and other places long ago.

Old Sacramento’s oldest buildings look similar to cities such as San Juan in Puerto Rico, Havana in Cuba, Tampico in Mexico, Seville in Spain, Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands, and Madrid in Spain. Even though the buildings might look like Paris, they are actually older than the big changes Paris made to its buildings.

Historic buildings

Old Sacramento State Historic Park has many important old buildings. You can see the B. F. Hastings Building, where the Pony Express ended and the California Supreme Court first met. There is also the Big Four House, built by California’s railroad leaders Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, and Charles Crocker. Other notable spots are the Lady Adams Building, the oldest non-home building in Old Sacramento, and the Pioneer Telegraph Station. You can also visit the Sacramento Engine Company No. 3, the oldest firehouse still standing in Sacramento, and the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum. The park includes the Eagle Theatre, which was rebuilt after the original version from 1849 to 1850.

Memorials

The area has many memorials for the people who helped start the city and build important railroads and transportation systems. You can see monuments such as the one for Theodore Judah and the Pony Express Statue.

Current attractions

Old Sacramento has many fun places to visit, like the California State Railroad Museum, the California State Military Museum, the Sacramento History Museum, the Wells Fargo History Museum, and the Old Sacramento Interpretive Center.

Visitors can enjoy rides in horse-drawn carriages, historic trains from the old Central Pacific Railroad station, and cruises on historic riverboats. A famous old riverboat called the Delta King is tied up in the river and is used as a hotel, restaurant, and theater. There is also a place called Atrium 916 in the North Public Market with artist studios, a cafe, and local goods. The Embarcadero area, north of J Street, gives visitors a chance to get close to the water. The Sacramento Valley Rail Station is also nearby.

Interpretive programs

The Old Sacramento Historical Foundation has fun programs to help people learn about the city's past. You can see history come alive with actors dressed in old clothes showing what life was like long ago, and you can even explore areas below the streets. In October, there is a special Halloween tour that tells stories from the past.

Every Labor Day weekend, Old Sacramento hosts a big event called Gold Rush Days. During this celebration, the streets are covered in dirt instead of pavement, and no cars are allowed. More actors and volunteers join in to make it feel just like Sacramento did in the 1800s.