Sacramento is the capital of the state of California. It lies on the eastern banks of the Sacramento River about 80 miles northeast of San Francisco. The Sacramento River is joined here with the American River. The area between the two rivers houses the business district and the 40 acre Capitol Park.

Sacramento is in the heart of the Central Valley agricultural region, and there are a great many food processing and packaging factories in and around the city. Another large employer in the city is the government, and the railroad and maintenance shops that are located in the area are among the largest in the country.

Interstate highways 5 and 80 run through Sacramento and there is a good railroad system. The Port of Sacramento is linked to the Bay of San Francisco by a 30 foot deep shipping channel that primarily carries rice and grain.

The state capitol, which was built in 1874 is a very pleasant looking Classic revival style structure and stands in the center of Capitol Park. The nearby state library houses all kinds of artwork that depicts California's great history, all the way back to the earliest Spanish days. The Sutter Fort State Historical Park contains relics belonging to early pioneers and those who participated in the California Gold Rush.

Old Sacramento is a 28 acre historic area that runs along the riverbanks and contains re creations and restorations of charming 19th Century buildings. The California State Railroad Museum is located here too.

Sacramento began its life when in 1839; a Swiss immigrant called Captain John Sutter established a fort with a large land grant from Mexico. Around this fort the colony of New Helvetica evolved and by the time gold was discovered there in 1848 it boasted a population of 200.

A year after the discovery of the gold the town of Sacramento was laid out, as a shipping and supply center to service the busy goldmines. When it was incorporated just two years later in 1850 Sacramento had a population of almost 7,000 souls and was declared the capital of the state of California.

In 1839 Captain John Augustus Sutter, a Swiss immigrant, established a fort on a large land grant from Mexico near the junction of the American and Sacramento rivers. Around the fort grew the colony of New Helvetia, which had a population of more than 200 by the time gold was discovered nearby in 1848. The following year the town of Sacramento was laid out, and it soon became the supply and shipping center for the goldfields. By the time of its incorporation in 1850 the new town had a population of nearly 7,000. In 1854 Sacramento was made the state capital. Another reason for Sacramento's great early growth was its position as a great center for transportation. By 1860 Sacramento was the western terminus of the California Trail, the Pony Express and the Overland Stage Route and truly acted as the heart of the great California Gold Rush.