OLD TOWN SACRAMENTO

I HAVE TRAVELED TO OLD TOWN SACRAMENTO WITH MY FAMILY A NUMBER OF TIMES. IT IS A FUN PLACE TO VISIT AND THEY HAVE MANY MUSEUMS. ONE IS A TRAIN MUSEUM WHERE MY SON HAD A LOT OF FUN. THEY HAVE A MOVABLE OLD TRAIN AND YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THE MOTION OF RIDING ON OLD RAILS. YOU CAN UNDERNEATH AN ENGINE AS THEY HAVE BUILT A SMALL TUNNEL SO YOU CAN SEE ALL THE PARTS UNDER THE TRAIN THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE GREASED AND MAINTAINED, THEY HAVE MANY ENGINES OF OLD TRAINS IN THIS MUSEUM. MOST YOUNG BOYS LOVE THIS MUSEUMS. INSIDE THERE ARE EXHIBITS THAT PRESENT INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE IT TOOK TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE TRAINS THAT WERE USED DURING THE GOLD RUSH DAYS, AND THE VARIOUS TYPES OF TRAINS THAT THEY BUILT IN CALIFORNIA.

THE OLD TOWN HAS BEEN RECONSTRUCTED AND REPAIRED AND IS VISITED BY MANY TOURISTS IN CALIFORNIA AND FROM OTHER STATES. THEY HAVE MANY RESTAURANTS, GIFT STORES, A SALOON, ANTIQUE STORES, SEVERAL HOTELS, LEATHER STORES, SEVERAL HOTELS, A FIRE STATION AND CHURCHES. THEY HAVE A STEAMBOAT YOU CAN RIDE ON THE SACRAMENTO RIVER. SOME OF THE OLD HARDWARE STORES TELL STORIES WHO OWNED THEM AND THEY HAVE OLD TIME CANDIES, AND LEATHER GOODS AS THEY DID WHEN COWBOYS ROAMED HERE. THEY HAVE SIDEWALKS MADE OF OLD WOOD AND IT IS FUN FOR KIDS TO RUN AROUND AND SEE SOME OF THE OLD TIME MOVIES IN AN HISTORIC SETTING.

IN 1839 JOHN SUTLER ARRIVED ON THE SHORE OF THE AMERICAN RIVER NEAR ITS CONFLUENCE WITH THE SACRAMENTO RIVER. WITH HIS LANDING PARTY HE ESTABLISHED SUTTER'S FORT TO ALERT BUSINESSMEN LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES. HE CREATED A COMMERCIAL CENTER, BUT IN 1848 IT WAS THE GOLD RUSH THAT CREATED DEVELOPED THE CENTER. JOHN MARSHALL DEVELOPED A GOLD MINE IN THE NEARBY HILLS, AND SAM BRANDON RUSHED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WATER FRONT LOCATION. THIS WAS SUTTER'S EMBARCADERO AND SOON BECAME SACRAMENTO. THE CITY GREW RAPIDLY FOR MINERS OUTFITTING THEMSELVES. IN 1850 IT WAS DEVASTATED BY A FLOOD AND AGAIN IN 1852. THEY DECIDED TO RAISE THE STREET LEVEL WHICH WAS AN AMBITIOUS ADVENTURE. YOU CAN STILL SEE THE ORIGINAL STREET LEVEL THROUGHOUT OLD SACRAMENTO UNDER BOARD WALKS. THE COMMERCIAL CENTER GRADUALLY MOVED EAST AND THE ORIGINAL SUTTER'S EMBARCADERO WAS A BAD SKID ROW. IN 1960 A PLAN WAS DEVELOPED TO REESTABLISH THIS HISTORIC BUILDINGS WITHIN 28 ACRES AND IT IS ON THE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK. TODAY IT IS THRIVING ONCE AGAIN. THEY HAVE ART MUSEUMS, HISTORY MUSEUMS, AUTO MUSEUMS AND THE STATE INDIAN MUSEUM.

THE CALIFORNIA STATE INDIAN MUSEUM DISPLAYS EXHIBITS OF THE STATES PREHISTORIC PEOPLE OF OVER 150 DISTINCT TRIBAL GROUPS REPRESENTING 500,000 PEOPLE.

THE CALIFORNIA MUSEUM INHIBITS BEADWORK, JEWELRY, BASKETRY, CLOTHING, AND ARTIFACTS OF ALL KINDS. THEY HAVE A HANDS ON EXHIBIT WHERE THE VISITOR CAN USE A MORTAR AND PESTEL AND OPERATE A PUMP DRILL AND TOUCH VARIOUS PLANTS. IT IS A SMALL MUSEUM I HAVE BEEN IN THE LARGE STATE COLLECTIONS MUSEUM OPERATED BY CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS WHERE BURIAL REMAINS AND ARTIFACTS ARE KEPT.

OLD SACRAMENTO ALSO HAS OLD THEATRES, OLD SCHOOLHOUSE, AS WELL AS 10 LANDMARKS, INCLUDING THE PACIFIC RAILROAD FREIGHT DEPOT, INCLUDING THE PACIFIC RAILROAD FREIGHT DEPOT. THEY HAVE A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE THAT TAKES PEOPLE ON STAGE COACH RIDES.

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