A Fort For Free

When you drive for 9 or 10 hours a day, it doesn't leave much time for sight-seeing and such. On my second day in Sacramento, I was done with my work by the late afternoon, so I made a beeline to the nearest historical sight: Sutter's Fort. I got there at 4:30 and they let me in free since they were closing at 5. (Score!) I spent the next half hour wandering the place and taking pictures while the employees were closing up for the day.

You may have heard of Johann Sutter. His sawmill, 50 miles east of the fort, was where gold was discovered in 1848. There's probably a Mormon Battalion connection there somewhere. Anywho, Johan came to America in 1835, mostly to escape mounting debts and a rocky marriage. He started building his fort in 1840 and it became a haven for immigrants and a workplace for many.

It's a nice state park with reconstructed living quarters that have motion-activated audio descriptions and living history volunteers. My quick stop was well worth the visit.