Old Sacramento, California

Old Sacramento was founded in 1848 by John Sutter, JR. as an outgrowth of Sutter’s Fort, established by his father. The city’s Spanish name is derived from the Santisimo Sacramento, the Catholic Eucharist of Holy Communion. Old Sacramento was a commercial, transportation, and agricultural center that surged rapidly with the nearby Gold Rush of 1848-49, and became the westernmost terminus of the Pony Express (1860-61). Today, Old Sacramento is a historically preserved district popular for shopping, dining, and entertainment. The California State Museum located there is a national destination for lovers of railroad history, with many of the exhibit trains having been used in the filming of major motion pictures.