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| The Miwok, Shonommey and Maidu Indians who've been in the area for thousands of years, were Sacramento's earliest residents. The name of the area comes from an early 19th century Spanish explorer who, as you might guess, named the valley and the river with the Spanish name for 'sacrament.'
In 1839 Swiss pioneer John Sutter established a trading colony and stockade in the area; you can still visit his "Sutter's Fort." In the 1840s gold was discovered in the hills to the east, and the population exploded around Sacramento.
Sutter's son, John Sutter, Jr. was the first to plan the city of Sacramento, which, recognized by state legislature in 1850, is the oldest incorporated city in California. Sacramento became the permanent home of the state capital in 1854 and the capital building itself was designed to be reminiscent of the U.S. Capitol in D.C. Between the gold, the nearby Sacramento and American rivers, and the city's status as state capital, the population and economy grew quickly.
Various facets of government have moved elsewhere since. Actor, state governor and later U.S. president Ronald Reagan was the last governor to live in Sacramento in 1967. His mansion downtown has remained vacant for decades but is open for tours. Many of the governor's state offices have moved to Los Angeles and California Supreme Court normally sits in San Francisco.
Sacramento took an economic hit with the closures of several local millitary bases in the 1990s and the decline of agricultural production in the area hasn't helped. At the same time the population continues to increase with Bay Area transplants looking for cheaper housing.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the enterprising Maloof brothers, owners of some Las Vegas properties as well as the Sacramento Kings, tried, with the help of mayor Heather Fargo, to secure some public funds for a new stadium to replace Arco Arena. They've failed and the fate of Sacto's beloved Kings remains uncertain. |
| Sacramento's Mediterranean climate keeps things mild and comfortable year round. Winters are cool with rain between November and March. The average temperature in the winter months is 46 degrees. In the summers it's 76. Highs in the summer can get into the 100s though; be prepared for scorching, but dry, heat during a hot spell in July or August. |
Sacramento sits in California's central valley, on interstate 80, roughly between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe. Much of the area just to the west of Sacramento sits in a flood control basin, which has limited the city's westward sprawl. To the northeast and east the city spreads out 30 miles. Farmland lies to the south. The current population is around 418,000. |
Despite a devolution of state government in recent years, state bureaucracy remains by far
Sacramento's largest employer. The City of Sacramento expends
considerable effort to keep state agencies from moving outside the city
limits. In addition, many federal agencies have offices in Sacramento. |
| The city's current charter was adopted by voters in 1920 establishing a city council-and-manager form of government, still used today. As a charter city, Sacramento is exempt from many laws and regulations passed by the state legislature. Mayor Fargo's tenure also saw the passing of a resolution for immediate unilateral withdrawal from the War on Terror in Iraq, and a resolution condemning the Patriot Act.
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| Sacramento hasn't traditionally been a cultural center. The Sacramento Convention Center runs the Community Center Theatre, where the Sacramento Ballet performs, and the Memorial Auditorium. A fledgling arts scene has also begun to develop in Sacramento's downtown, which is experiencing something of a bohemian revolution. |
Some have derided the central valley as provincial and Sacramento has strived to distinguish itself. The state capitol brings a certain amount of wealth and presitge in, but more importantly Sacramento is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse cities in the U.S. Furthermore, there is a notable lack of racial tension in the city.
Sacramentans are fiercely loyal to their sports teams. The Sacramento Kings have done well in recent seasons and Arco Arena is frequently sold out. This loyalty even extends to the local minor league baseball team. The Rivercats' games sell out as well and attract picnicing families who like to sit on the green hills near the outfield. |
| Sacramento is very ethnically diverse and people of different backgrounds and creeds tend to live in harmony. Almost any faith you can imagine is practiced in the city. |
| The official language is English, but Sacramento's diversity means that many other languages are spoken in the city as well, from Hmong to Russian. |
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