Sutter's Fort | |
 Sutter's Fort, 1840s illustration | |
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| Location | 2701 L Street Sacramento, California |
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| Coordinates | 38°34′20.9″N121°28′16.4″W / 38.572472°N 121.471222°W /38.572472; -121.471222 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000221) |
| CHISL No. | 745 |
| CHISL No. | 591 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
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Sutter's Fort was a 19th-century agricultural and trade colony in the MexicanAlta California province.[3][4] Established in 1839, the site of the fort was originally part of a utopian colonial project calledNew Helvetia (New Switzerland) by its builderJohn Sutter, though construction of the fort proper would not begin until 1841. The fort was the first non-Indigenous community in the CaliforniaCentral Valley,[5] and sawgrave mistreatment of Indigenous laborers in plantation or feudal style conditions. The fort is famous for its association with theDonner Party, theCalifornia gold rush, and the formation of the city ofSacramento, surrounding the fort. It is notable for its proximity to the end of theCalifornia andSiskiyou Trails, which it served as a waystation.[6]
In modern times, theadobe structure has been restored to its original condition (38°34′20″N121°28′16″W / 38.5723°N 121.4712°W /38.5723; -121.4712) and is now administered byCalifornia Department of Parks and Recreation. It was designated aNational Historic Landmark in 1961.[7]: 42
To build his colony, John Sutter secured a 50,000-acre land grant in the Central Valley from theMexican governor.[8] The main building of the fort, a two-storyadobe structure built between 1841 and 1843, was constructed usingIndigenous forced labor. It is the only original surviving structure at the reconstructed Sutter's Fort State Historic Park. On January 28, 1848,James Marshall met privately with John Sutter inside this building to show him thegold found during the construction ofSutter's Mill along theAmerican River four days earlier. Sutter built the original fort with walls 2.5 feet (0.76 m) thick and between 15 and 18 feet (5.5 m) high.[6] Pioneers began settling at Sutter's Fort around 1841. Following the start of theCalifornia Gold Rush, the fort was largely deserted by the 1850s and fell into disrepair.
The party led by John Sutter landed on the bank of the American River in August 1839. The group included three Europeans and a Native American boy, probably to serve as interpreter. Some of the first people brought to the colony wereNative Hawaiian workers, calledKanakas. Sutter had entered a contract with thegovernor of Hawaii to import and use the labor of these eight men and two women for three years. Once the first camp was set up, Sutter used localMiwok,Nisenan, and"missionized" Native Californians to build the first building, a three-room adobe.[8]
Once the fort was built, Sutter established an agricultural colony with labor structures similar toSouthern plantations andEuropean feudalism.[8] The colony relied onranching and growingwheat crops. European colonists oversaw Native Californian and Native Hawaiian workers, who were often gravely mistreated. Sutter employed acaste system to ensure that the minority European settlers maintained control over the colony. Although some of the laborers worked voluntarily, many were subjected to brutal conditions that resembledenslavement orserfdom.[9]
After gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill (also owned by John Sutter) inColoma on January 24, 1848, the fort was abandoned.[3][6]
In 1891, theNative Sons of the Golden West, who sought to safeguard many of the landmarks of California's pioneer days, purchased and rehabilitated Sutter's Fort when the City of Sacramento sought to demolish it. Repair efforts were completed in 1893 and the fort was given by the Native Sons of the Golden West to the State of California. In 1947, the fort was transferred to the authority ofCalifornia State Parks asSutter's Fort State Historic Park.
Most of the original neighborhood structures were initially built in the late 1930s as residences, many of which have been converted to commercial uses such as private medical practices. The history of the neighborhood is largely residential.
Sutter's Fort is located on level ground at an elevation of approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) above mean sea datum.[10] The slope elevation decreases northward toward the American River and westward toward theSacramento River. Slope elevation gradually increases to the south and east, away from the rivers. All surface drainage flows toward the Sacramento River. Groundwater in the vicinity flows south-southwest toward theSacramento Delta. However, after peak rainfall, the Sacramento River swells and thegroundwater flow can actually reverse away from the river.[11]
Sutter's Landing is the spot the Captain John A. Sutter landed in August 1839 at theAmerican River after coming up the Sacramento River fromYerba Buena at38°34′54″N121°27′58″W / 38.5816°N 121.4660°W /38.5816; -121.4660. After landing, Sutter built a base camp, then Sutter's Fort. The site of the landing is California Historical Landmark #591 that was listed on May 22, 1957.[12]
The old Coloma Road opened in 1847, it ran from Sutter's Fort to the city ofColoma. Marshall traveled the road to tell of his gold find to Captain John A. Sutter. During the 49ers gold rush thousands of miners traveled the road heading out to look for gold and claims. Coloma Road at Sutter's Fort is a California Historical Landmark No. 745.[13] There are two other Coloma Road California Historical Landmarks:Coloma Road, Rescue California Historical Landmark, No. 748, in Coloma and California Historical Landmark No. 747 atMarshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.[14][15][16] California's first stage line,California Stage Company, traveled the road starting in 1849, the line was founded byJames E. Birch.[17]
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