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Sacramento, California

"The City of Trees"
Where the Gold Rush began and California governs from — Sacramento grew from Sutter's Fort into the state capital, sitting at the confluence of two rivers in the heart of the Central Valley.
Founded 1848 | Population 524,943 | Peak 524,943 (2020) | County Sacramento County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Sacramento, California

1
1848Gold Discovered at Sutter's Mill: James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's sawmill in Coloma, 40 miles east of Sacramento. The discovery triggered the California Gold Rush, drawing 300,000 people westward and transforming Sacramento into a supply hub.
2
1863Transcontinental Railroad Begins: The Central Pacific Railroad broke ground in Sacramento, beginning the western half of the transcontinental railroad. Thousands of Chinese laborers built the line through the Sierra Nevada under brutal conditions.
3
1862Great Flood: Weeks of rain created a flood that submerged Sacramento under 10 feet of water. The governor traveled to his inauguration by rowboat. Sacramento responded by raising its entire downtown by one story.
4
1854Sacramento Becomes State Capital: After the state capital moved between several cities, Sacramento was chosen as the permanent capital of California, largely due to its location between the gold fields and the coast.
5
1935State Capitol Expansion: The California State Capitol was expanded and modernized, and Capitol Park was established as one of the largest urban parks in the state, cementing Sacramento's identity as the seat of government.
6
1850Sacramento Incorporated: Sacramento was one of the first cities incorporated in California, growing from a tent city serving Gold Rush miners into an organized municipality.
7
1856Pony Express Terminus: Sacramento served as the western terminus of the Pony Express, receiving mail carried by horseback from Missouri in just 10 days — a revolutionary achievement in communication.
8
1920Agricultural Processing Hub: Sacramento became a major center for canning, milling, and processing the agricultural bounty of the Central Valley, earning it the nickname 'Farm-to-Fork Capital.'.
9
1985Sacramento Kings Arrive: The NBA's Kansas City Kings relocated to Sacramento, bringing professional sports to the capital and eventually building a new downtown arena that catalyzed urban revitalization.
10
2018Stephon Clark Shooting: Sacramento police shot and killed Stephon Clark, an unarmed Black man, in his grandmother's backyard. The shooting sparked weeks of protests and national debate over police use of force.
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Population Over Time

0 131,236 262,472 393,707 524,943 1850 1860 1870 1880 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Latest News in Sacramento

News articles will appear here as they're published.

Complete Historical Timeline

1839 Government
John Sutter establishes Sutter's Fort
1848 Industry
Gold discovered at Sutter's Mill
1849 Industry
Sacramento becomes major Gold Rush supply center
1850 Government
Sacramento incorporated as a city
1854 Government
Sacramento becomes permanent state capital
1856 Transport
Pony Express western terminus established
1862 Disaster
Great Flood submerges the city
1863 Transport
Transcontinental Railroad construction begins
1920 Industry
Agricultural processing industry grows
1963 Culture
Sacramento State University expands
1985 Sports
Sacramento Kings NBA team arrives
2016 Architecture
Golden 1 Center arena opens downtown
2018 Civil Rights
Stephon Clark shooting sparks protests
2022 Crime
Mass shooting in downtown kills six

Did You Know?

1
Sacramento raised its entire downtown by one full story after the devastating 1862 flood — you can still see the old ground-level storefronts buried beneath the current street level.
2
Sacramento has more trees per capita than any city in America, which is why it's called the 'City of Trees' — the urban canopy covers nearly 20% of the city.
3
The California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento is the most visited railroad museum in North America, preserving the history of the transcontinental railroad that began there.
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