Sutter's Fort State Historic Park

December 13th 1841, Sutter signed papers agreeing to purchase Fort Ross and its movable property from the Russians. After failed attempts to get the British, French, and Mexicans to purchase Fort Ross, the Russians approached Sutter at his establishment in the Sacramento Valley. Even prior to this, Sutter had been in debt, and the purchase on credit only put him further in debt. He agreed to pay $30,000 in money, wheat, flour, and cattle over a four-year period. In addition, ...the Russians demanded the mortgage of New Helvetia, in an effort to secure Sutter’s promise to pay. The transfer of movable property from Fort Ross to Sutter’s Fort in New Helvetia began soon after the purchase, a process that took nearly two years. John Bidwell was assigned to oversee this process in January of 1842. Farming tools such as plows made their way from the coast inland to Sutter’s Fort. Sutter’s workers drove horses, mules, cattle, and sheep to New Helvetia. The Russian Schooner Constantine was also part of this purchase, Sutter renamed it Sacramento and used it to carry goods to New Helvetia. The payments for the purchase of Fort Ross were never completed. The debt that Sutter accumulated became too much to overcome, and he continued to lose money with the onset of the Gold Rush. Sutter transferred management of his properties to his eldest son, John A Sutter Jr, in 1848. Due to the built-up debt and the inability to make payments, parcels of New Helvetia auctioned off for sale. The auctioned parcels of land would lead to the creation of Sacramento City. Fort Ross is part of the traditional land of the Kashaya Pomo. The Russians conscripted many Kashaya as laborers at Fort Ross, with many learning to speak Russian over time. After Russian departure in the 1840s, Mexicans and Americans entered the coastal areas in increasing numbers. Many changes occurred to the Kashaya way of life, and access to traditional resource areas were made more difficult. Throughout continued changes to their way of life and their traditional lands, the Kashaya Pomo continued to preserve their culture. By 1914, the process to establish the Stewarts Point Rancheria began. Today, the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria is a federally recognized tribe in Sonoma County. Today, Fort Ross is a State Historic Park located North of Bodega Bay on California Highway One. For more information about the park at Fort Ross see their webpage here: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=449 Image: Fort Ross Colony Russian River Rec. Region. (n.d.). California State Library. Collections/Digital Collections. Photographic Print(postcard) https://csl.primo.exlibrisgroup.com//alma990013912120205115

We wanted to share a reminder that while the museums may be closed, the exterior park grounds are open from sunrise to sunset daily. Take a walk or run on the winding paths around the park, walk your dog (on a leash), or take notice at the pond the urban wildlife that call the park home. Tips for an enjoyable visit:... Wear a mask/face covering, keep space from visitors outside your household, and be courteous of other visitors. Thank you for your continued support and patience during these times. We look forward to seeing you in the museums when it is safe to do so. In the meantime, we hope you continue to enjoy the outside park space #SuttersFort

December 6th 1846, marked the beginning of the Battle of San Pasqual, a well-known battle in California during the Mexican-American War. To learn more about this check out the video below presented by San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park.

Sutter’s Fort will be temporarily closing starting tomorrow, November 11, 2020, in compliance with department, state, and local guidelines. Sacramento County is currently in the widespread/purple tier 1 in California’s Blueprint to a Safer Economy. We are monitoring the situation carefully and are committed to following California Governor’s updated policy on social gatherings to help slow the spread of COVID-19. We thank you for your patience, trust and continued support. Check back here for updates.

Join us on Tuesdays at 10am, starting December 8th, for Harvest and Hides a Distance Learning Program at Sutter's Fort. For additional information see the event page below. While the program is geared to 3rd-5th grades, all ages are welcome. Advance registration is required for this free program. Register here: https://bit.ly/3lmZhXm ... Friends of Sutter's Fort California State Parks PORTS Distance Learning Program

For Native American Heritage Month, we'll be partnering with our sister site, the California State Indian Museum, to bring you posts highlighting Native Californian culture. This week, check out their post about celebrated artist and Sacramento local Harry Fonseca. Fonseca himself was of Nisenan and Maidu heritage, two tribes who have a long history with Sutter's Fort and the land it was built on.

November 4th 1841 On this day in 1841, the Bartleson-Bidwell party, led by Captain John Bartleson and John Bidwell, arrived at John Marsh’s ranch near Mt Diablo and present day Contra Costa County. Bidwell was employed at Sutter’s Fort for a time, and would later on serve a term as California’s representative to Congress in 1865. Bidwell kept a detailed journal throughout the overland journey from Independence, Missouri. This became a guide to future emigrants travelling to ...California. The party’s successful journey led to an increase in wagon trains travelling west in the years following 1841. Sutter's Fort became a destination for many Euro-Americans who traveled overland. More wagon trains crossing the Sierra Nevada affected the Native Californian populations in often devastating ways. When emigrants found places to establish themselves in California, they pushed Native Californians out of their traditional homes. This displacement became increasingly violent when gold was discovered in the foothills and as California entered statehood. Native land was rapidly exploited by Euro-Americans, which led to a changing landscape, both physically and culturally. Images: Portrait of John Bidwell, 1850 (California State Library). Map from native-lands.ca

Join us on Mondays at 10am, starting December 7th, for Sutter's Fort Through Time Distance Learning Webinar. For more details visit the event page below. This program is geared to 4th and 5th grades, but all ages are welcome to join. Register for this free webinar here: https://bit.ly/3qk6TgP (advance registration is required). ... Friends of Sutter's Fort California State Parks PORTS Distance Learning Program

November is Native American Heritage Month. This month long celebration honors the vibrant cultures of Native Americans: their creativity, strength, and resilience. Every Sunday this month, we will highlight the unique heritage of Native people and recognize their ongoing contributions to California. How will you honor Native American cultures? For additional information and resources on Native American Heritage Month visit: https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/ ... #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth

Park update: We are now open! While we look forward to seeing you all again, we have made some updates to maintain public health and safety. Your visit will look a little different than it did before, and we are here with some tips for planning your next visit. Please keep the following in mind when planning a visit to the museum/historic site: ... Masks are required to enter Please keep 6 feet apart from those outside your household Follow the path indicated by staff Credit Card preferred Groups no larger than 6 allowed at a time Entry for family groups will be every 10 minutes If you or anyone in your household is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please postpone your visit until everyone is feeling better. Call the Kiosk at 916-445-4422 with any additional questions. #SuttersFort

October 12th was Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Indigenous Peoples’ Day was officially recognized by the State of California in 2019, and was established to celebrate the vibrant, diverse, and still-present cultures of California’s Native People. California is home to hundreds of Native American tribes, bands, and communities, each with their own unique and magnificent arts and traditions. Sutter’s Fort would, quite literally, not exist without the work of Native Californians. The... Fort is built on their land, its bricks constructed with their labor. It is our goal moving forward to more completely acknowledge the history of Native Californians at our site. While Indigenous Peoples’ Day is meant to highlight Native cultures and traditions, it is important that we acknowledge and honor the indigenous people of California, and their vast contributions to the past, present, and future of our state, not just today but every day. See more

October 5th was World Teacher Day. We here at Sutter's Fort would like to take this day to thank all the hardworking teachers who bring life to the Fort by participating in educational programs and field trips. Their support is vital to our site, and we are honored to assist them in educating future generations about the complex history of our state and its people. We encourage you to take a moment to tell us about a teacher who has positively impacted your life, and thank them for all they've done. Pictured below: Parks staff providing interpretation at the Wagon for a crowd of excited children and parents.

An important update from Friends of Sutter's Fort regarding Haunted Fort. We are excited to host events again in the future and share our new interpretive vision with you all.

Check out the work that our friends on the north coast have been doing!

California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, State Parks Director Armando Quintero and Department of Transportation Director Toks Omishakin today announced a series of actions to identify and redress discriminatory names of features attached to the State Parks and transportation systems. Agencies also will expand representation and increase transparency around a state committee tasked with recommending changes to geographic names in California. Read full press release here: https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/976

Today, September 26th, is National Public Lands Day, observed the fourth Saturday of September. What are PUBLIC lands? Public lands are spaces meant for ALL! These are lands stewarded by government agencies such as the city, county, state, or federal government. They vary from historic cultural sites to forests, wildlife refuges, lakes and more. Public lands often have a complicated history. It is important to recognize that many of these lands are the traditional homelands ...of Native cultures. This spiritual connection to the land continues for Native people today. These lands are more than just resources and places of recreation, they are cultural landscapes each with a special history. What do public lands mean to you? Share your connection to one of California’s public lands. Pictured: California State Parks System Map; walking trails in the exterior park grounds of Sutter's Fort State Historic Park #NationalPublicLandsDay #SuttersFort

Native American Day (September 25): Today marks the 53rd observance of California Native American Day, the fourth Friday of September. How are you observing today?

Contact our friends at California State Indian Museum to learn more about their upcoming virtual field trip "All About Acorns"

Spend California Native American Day with California State Parks PORTS Distance Learning Program special Home Learning Program live from Sumeg Village and California State Parks North Coast Redwoods. This special program will be this Friday, September 25th at 1pm. Register for this unique program here: https://ports-ca.zoom.us//regist/WN_Mpzq6lwETICvZ5jh27gSbA ... For more information on this and other Home Learning Programs visit: www.ports-ca.us For information on California Native American Day visit: californianativeamericanday.com California Native American Day - State Capitol #californianativeamericanday #californiahistory