California Gold Rush: the Sacramento Grid by bicycle
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About the Tour
About the Tour
How did Sacramento come to be California's capital city?
What was the city's founder, a Swiss named Johann Sutter, doing here in what once was Spanish territory?
How did his efforts to expand a fort here at the confluence of two rivers lead to the discovery of gold and the rush to come get it?
Learn the answers and more by taking this 2-hour tour by bicycle. We will depart and finish at the Capitol, stopping along the way at markers and structures that tell us about the founding of this city and the Gold Rush of 1849.
If you need to rent a bike, you can find rent a JUMP or Lime bike, which you can find at various parking spaces around the Capitol.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Marc Christensen
Born in the Golden State, I have been a resident of Sacramento since 1999. From a European family who emigrated directly to the wild American West in the late 19th century, I have long held an interest in the westward expansion story and early settlement of this area. I have read many books and accounts from the time when native Americans alone lived here, to the Spanish mission effort in Alta California, to John Sutter's arrival in 1839.
Various plaques, monuments and statues (some recently removed) will verify the dates and basic facts presented in this tour. But to understand what happened here, it is essential to visit Sutter's Fort, the waterfront and the state Capitol which covers a little over four miles round-trip. Riding a bicycle is the best method of getting around. Full disclosure: I developed this tour while looking for more options for operating pedicabs in the downtown grid. www.ridevelocab.com
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Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 1
State Capitol West Facade - 10th Street side
You should be on your bike, on the sidewalk at the picturesque west side of the Capito... Read More
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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State Capitol
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Sutter's Fort
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K Street
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the Cathedral
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Sac Valley Train Station
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Old Sacramento
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the Stanford Mansion
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start location1315 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
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Total distance8km
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Final location1315 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
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Distance back to start location88.24m
Directions to Starting Point
The State Capitol, 1315 10th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95814
the west facade (10th Street)
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Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
Sutter's Fort, Saint Francis Church, Sacramento Valley Station, Old Sacramento, Stanford Mansion
Best time of day
Before dark; before the parks close at 5pm; this tour takes 2 hours by bicycle
Precautions
Bikes can be rented in Old Sacramento at Practical Cycle. Also, at bike racks throughout the city from a bike share program - www.bikethetower.com; lock them if you leave them
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