Sutter's Fort State Historic Park

I really enjoy history. I went during the week and in the afternoon, so there was only three other people there besides myself and the park Rangers. Entrance fee was only about $5. You really do get the feel of walking into history. Everything is as it was and it feels as if you are a part of history well. It begins with an informational video. Then you walk into the courtyard and see it all staged to see how camp would have looked like. Each room is staged as it would have been. You can’t enter the rooms, only look inside them from the doors. The bottom half of the doors are closed. There is one building you can enter rich was the jail. You can walk into the forts two towers on opposite side where the canons are strategically placed to protect the fort and those in it. Nice park surrounding it with a pond, bridge going over the pond, turtles in the pond and lots of geese. The State Indian Museum is right next to it.

Nice spot, well kept. Since you can’t actually go in a lot of rooms it would be nice if there was a little bit more shade. It’s a tough place to visit during the summer. I like that they are acknowledging a lot of things history of the place.

A good place to visit, parking may be a challenge, the fort was mostly reconstructed in the 1890s but the main building g is original. A 12 minute video places Sutter's Fort in a modern historical setting, adding some balance to the stories told. If you're not from California/Sacramento you might want to read up on some of the pioneering era history before coming here.

Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park is a fascinating glimpse into California’s early history! The self-guided tour allows you to explore at your own pace, taking in the well-preserved buildings and historical artifacts. Admission is very affordable—just $5 for adults and $3 for youth, with kids 5 and under free. The fort is filled with interesting exhibits showcasing pioneer life, including blacksmithing tools, living quarters, and trade goods. The atmosphere really transports you back in time, and the informational signs provide great context. It’s a great spot for history buffs, families, or anyone looking for a unique experience in Sacramento. The outdoor setting makes for a pleasant walk, and the reconstructed rooms give a real sense of what life was like in the 1800s. There are also occasional live demonstrations, which add to the experience. Parking can be around the park, not free on weekdays but free on Sunday.

If given the opportunity, I would highly recommend visiting the fort with a school on a field trip. It gives you an entirely different experience from the self-guided tour. This is something I did in school 30 years ago, and was also just able to experience with my daughter and her class. It's run by 4 or so state park employees, and then for field trips, the parent volunteers run the stations. This gives the kids a chance to make candles, rope, leather stamping, bake in a stone oven, churn butter, and more.

We visited on Saturday afternoon. The admission ticket was $5 per person. The fort was pretty big and it was a quiet place to walk. The self guided tour allowed us to explore the rooms at our own pace. There are informations about John Sutter and the history of the fort itself. We spent about 30 minutes to walk around the area.

Haven't been to Sutter's Fort since I was a kid on a Elementary School field trip. I would have to think during the summer months there are more activities and employees giving and sharing information. During the winter months it is a self-guided tour and a couple rooms to read about Sutter and how the fort came to be. The gift shop have some cool gifts and trinkets. The exterior of the fort is a easy walk with lots of food and drink places across the streets

Amazing to be able to have this historic building in the middle of the city of Sacramento. Great spot for short walks, sipping coffee, having a picnic, or visiting the State Indian Museum. $5 entrance fee each.

Same as I remember as a kid and with my own daughter. Great location, easy "app" pay shaded parking, nice grassy area surround the fort. Personable helpful dosants. Something different to do while waiting for my stepmom to complete her doctor appointments.

We've walked through this park quite a few times. We love taking our dog and walking around the water to look at the ducks and turtles. It's always a cute spot to spend some time and enjoy nature. On our latest walk there were baby ducks swimming around, turtles sunbathing and we enjoyed hanging around in the shade. We haven't visited the actual Sutter's Fort but the park area is absolutely worth a walk through if you're in the area.

We visited on Saturday afternoon. The admission ticket was $5 per person. The fort was pretty big and it was a quiet place to walk. The self guided tour allowed us to explore the rooms at our own pace. There are informations about John Sutter and the history of the fort itself. We spent about 30 minutes to walk around the area.

It was an incredible experience to learn about the history of Sutter Fort. We visited all the rooms which were open to the public, viewed artifacts and watched the ranger's demonstrate the black smith work. It's educational experience for all ages. Worth a visit!!!

Such a great family friendly place. There were lots to explore and see. The staff were friendly and we learned a lot!

Well run part of the local history of the fort and John Sutter. They are doing a good job updating and including more information about the people, what they did and how they lived. This is a good place to take kids and people who are interested in California history. We took our 10 year old niece and she had a good time. There is a small gift shop and the staff are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. When you study history and learn about life in the past, you will see that there were no good old days.

The Sacramento area has a lot of history, and if you're doing that tour then Sutterms Fort should be on your list! They've done a fabulous job keeping the place in working order, and making it interactive for the kids.

A slice of history in the Sacramento area. This was the spot where the I'll fated Donner Party was attempting to reach when they got stranded in the Sierra Nevadas. They have rooms styled how they would be in the 1850's alongside informative videos. I also like how this site discusses the history of Indigenous groups in the Sacramento area and what they faced when the fort came to be.

An interesting place to go if you are in the area, it's good that in the orientation room they acknowledge how terrible the existence of this fort was for Native Americans and I recommend checking out the State Indian Museum afterwards which is on the same property. If you come during a weekday there may be a field trip so I would recommend going on a weekend. This is also definitely something you can go through in an hour or 2 if you like to read everything and thoroughly look around.

Nice experience as a field trip. Crowd keeps on coming. Great way to know history. It is outdoor with exhibits inside the rooms which you peep in.

So, let's start with some basics: The only original remaining structure of Sutter's Fort is the "main building"--a two story structure in the center of the complex. It was built between 1841 and 1843. Everything else at "Sutter's Fort State Historic Park" is a reconstruction, based on historic documentation. Entry is $5 for adults; $3 for ages 6 to 17; and children enter for free. Sutter's Fort State Historic Park does not have its own parking lot. Metered city parking is available on 26th and K streets, and there are several public parking lots in the vicinity. It has been 25 years since my last visit. Since then, a lot of re-construction and restoration work has been performed. There are a more displays and demonstrations than I remember. (Coincidentally, school field trips were taking place during my visit. I kept my distance, but was able to observe staff and volunteers give their presentations and conduct their demonstrations.) If you're interested in history, Sutter's Fort is well worth the visit. Everyone can walk away with from their visit with a number of different of interpretations, based on context of analysis. BTW ... The State Indian Museum is adjacent to the Fort. If you have the time, you can tour that museum for a separate admission fee.

Awesome piece of history and the educational portion of how the fort came to be, the natives it impacted and the response from the Mexican government were eye opening. This isn't watered down history skewed to one side, it's an uncomfortable truth and something we should all remember to avoid the same mistakes in the future. Really well laid out and lots of artifacts from the past in plain view. Startling to see the amount of weaponry especially the cannons. The living conditions, low doorways, small rooms but everything was located inside these walls. There is an Native American Museum on the side of the fort as well. Parking is on the street and the area is and enjoyable environment for a walk and to just be outside.

It was awesome to see all the different rooms set up how they would have been used. You could really imagine yourself in the 1840s wandering around. They are re-doing the roof on the central building, so today, entry was free.

In Sacramento with my kids, we always pass by this old cool looking house. We always wondered what it was. I looked it up online and I realized it's like a little Museum. We decided to stop by to check it out. I purchased the tickets which was very affordable $5 dollars for adults, and Youth $3 (ages 6 to 17) Children Free (5 and under) the hours are 10-5 everyday expect for holidays . This was a fun experience for me and the boys lots of history to be learned the self walk tour takes maybe 40 mins . They also have a cute gift shop inside my boys got some cold things from . The employees were very helpful and attentive. If you have any questions, you could always ask them. They also have clean bathrooms inside the building very cool place to check out ..

The exhibits were just OK. Interpretation is VERY skimpy, and I guess no one tells the Living History volunteers to clean up after themselves on demonstration days--my son noticed bar codes and Ace Hardware logos on some of the "artifacts." I also didn't find out until after we got home that we could have scanned a QR code at the ticket booth for a self-guided tour. The park rangers never told us anything about that. Oh well. But that's nothing compared to the film guests are told to watch when they arrive at the Fort. It's unsubstantiated, racist trash that paints John Sutter as the worst human being to crawl the earth since Pol Pot. A lot of revisionist cliches about stolen land, genocide (yes, the Native American interviewees ACTUALLY accuse Sutter of committing genocide against Native Americans), yada yada yada. I'm really not trying to make fun of anyone here, but you can practically hear sad violins playing in the background. Funny thing, though, the video doesn't mention a single confirmed example of Sutter mistreating Native Americans, yet Friends of Sutter's Fort and the California State Park System want the Fort to align the rest of its interpretation with this toxic, inflammatory nonsense. They'd better be prepared for their numbers to drop. And California had better hope none of Sutter's descendants find out about this, because they may sue.

Learned so much about Sacramento history. Property is well taken care of. The self guided tour was just fine. Gift shop was great. Staff very professional. Staff friendly. Would go again when in from out of town. Thank you

I used to come to Sutter's Fort when I was a kid and hadn't visited again until recently when I brought my kid to visit. It was a great time for me to bring back some of my childhood memories and to get a refresher on California history! It wasn't that busy on the Saturday afternoon that we visited but we lucked out as they had a ton of volunteers "operating" the fort that day- we had volunteers teach us about blacksmithing, trapping/furs, cooking, making yarn, gold panning, and few other things I can't remember. At any rate, it was awesome to see history come to life through the volunteers. They really engaged my child to help her learn and they were all very passionate about what they do- one guy I talked to had been volunteering there since I visited as a kid in the '80s! My daughter loved getting to try the bread and cinnamon rolls they baked in the outdoor oven, twirling her own yarn, etc. I don't know when they have their volunteers on hand (can't be every day) but if you can come when they have a lot of volunteers it definitely levels up the experience!

I came here as a kid probably around 17 years ago so it was interesting seeing it again and trying to figure out what I remembered from back then. Patty Reed's doll is no longer on display but it's a cool spot to learn some history about California

Historic, memorable museum that shows how Sutter and his followers/workers/vaqueros/indigenous individuals lived in the 1800s. Incredible to see what the people who lived and worked at the fort did back then as you get to peek inside the different living and working spaces. State parks staff will answer your questions and guide you for the best experience. Inexpensive admission makes this a go-to when my kids and I want to be outdoors, do a little walking, and step into the past. There is a separate "Indian" Museum near the pond as well - not sure why they call it that (this is not India, it's California), but it displays items that indigenous individuals created, and you can get a sense of their culture.

Sutter Fort, we thank you! My son and I had a blast visiting the fort but this review is specifically for the kind and informed gentleman in the gift shop who took time to give us a great history lesson! The lesson was so good that my son was able to convince me to buy a Donner Party book for his reading pleasure!

My nephew had such a good time exploring this space, since his school hadn't planned a field trip here, our family decided to do it on our own one Saturday. I, myself, hadn't been here for probably 20+ years so it was cool to walk around and revisit. You can spend as much or as little time here as you please, the bathrooms are clean, the gift shop is nice, and the staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. The pond is also so lovely with turtles and ducks to look at.

Hot in the summer and very boring. If you love history and like reading, you'll love it. I think I should have gin reenactment day so it comes more to life. Street parking only. Beware of time limits. Next to 2 other historic museums. You should visit all 3 if you are from out of town and enjoy CA history

The fort as it used to be. Quite picturesque and Interesting but I am not into old stuff. I can only see so much old stuff in my life but I do appreciate the efforts of saving stuff for posterity and I enjoy authentic period recreations in the movies. Talking to the docents who are dressed in the period of the time was more interesting. It would better to come here when the weather is cooler.

This place is bigger than it looks from the outside. The place has a self guided tour element to it, with the help of speakers triggered by motion detectors. Some rooms you can look at but are closed off and other rooms you can go inside off and look around. I visited this place in the afternoon and there was a field trip there. Due to this, there were certain parts of the fort I didn't get a good look at. The children on the field trip seemed to have the best time. They were all dressed up in bonnets and such. They got to make bread and help prepare the fresh food. It looked like a great field trip.

Not what it used to be, and not much now. The only original building is in the center, worth about 5 min of exploration. The rest - the rooms that make up the walls of the fort - are small rooms "reconstructed" a hundred years ago that used to be full of re-enactors baking, blacksmithing, etc (you will see reviews talking about how good this was). Well, we were told by the rangers that they have decided that the re-enactors were not historically accurate, because they were re-enacting white "pilgrim-like" settlers when most of the inhabitants were actually local Indians. So did they alter the programs to be more accurate? Nope, just cancelled them. So you just walk around and look in rooms full of what is apparently abandoned re-enactor's gear (pots, pans, woodwork and blacksmith tools) and wonder if any of them are historically accurate. What really is the point? Most is re-created, and they tell you a lot of that is now deemed inaccurate- but not WHAT is inaccurate or a valid re-creation. There is a short film telling how Sutter repressed the Indians, and a small exhibit with signs that often contradict the film, and a LOT of abandoned re-enactors stuff.

At first glance we thought it was closed But we were looking at the large wood doors from the side of Sutter's Fort. They were closed so we thought it wasn't opened. Luckily my bf was like let's just drive around & we did so ... thank goodness Because it was open !!!!! So we found parking around the park very easily. Paid $5 as an adult to enter We were told to start on the left and follow the road until it finished They gave us a map so we can easily figure out which room was which... Did yalllllllllknow there was a whole room just for making candles !!!!!! Well I thought that was cool. I love crafting so this excited me. Check out the map !!!! From left to right Fort Entrance (East Gate) Immigrant Room Jail Coopers Shop Orientation Gun Platform (South Gate) Gun Platform Period Trade Store Bed room Candle Shop Blacksmith Shop Staff area Gunsmith shop Quarters Vaquero Room Gift shop Carpenters Shop Covered Work area Millstone Bastion Covered area (dried wood) Distillery Kitchen Historic Archive West Yard (middle area) Well Fort Bell Fire pit Parlor Sutter's Office Doctors office Dining room Clerks office East Yard (Middle area) Revive oven Fire pit Oak tree Covered area woodpile Bakery stores Weaving room Offices Have a LOOK at the map

I like this museum. Entrance is only $5 for adults, we came when some group of kids were there,so they did butter, baked bread,very interesting. Thank you for stuff, you can really see that they are interested in their job ,they know a lot!

This was an interesting thing to see! It is NOT the real deal, NOT actually Sutter's Fort but instead a very nice replica of what a group feels is the way it was. Everyone has their own ideas, the ranger said there have never been any actual pictures or drawings of what the actual fort looked like when Sutton operated it. It was still nicely reconstructed with lots of deco to try to look old. The story of what Sutton did with Native Americans was heartbreaking, but history is history. it took us about an hour to go through all of areas and listen to the video.

We are from Sacramento so we used to go to this fort and before it was absolutely well run and now it seems to be a little bit rundown and everything has become automated with a few exceptions but even the store the gift store we tried to go in the person was on lunch for like two hours so we missed buying gifts I think it needs to be revamped and upgraded and better programs put in to be more fun and exciting for kids and adults as well

Most of what you see here isn't the original fort. But it's still over 120 years old and is the oldest restored fort in the United States. Timeline: 1839: Sutter's Fort was built 1848: Gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in Coloma. People go crazy and head over there 1850s: After having been abandoned, Sutter's Fort falls into disrepair 1891: When the City of Sacramento seeks to demolish the fort, The Native Sons of the Golden West purchases and starts rehabilitating it 1893: Repairs are complete, and the fort is given to the State of California 1961: The fort is designated as a National Historic Landmark For less than the price of a premium coffee ($5 for adults, $3 for youth), you can tour the fort and see what life was like in the 1800s. The fort is partitioned into multiple rooms and is built around a large courtyard. The rooms include sleeping quarters, a trading post, weapon and tool storage, a weaving room, and a smithy where a volunteer demonstrates 19th century blacksmithing techniques. On the day of our visit, a cannon firing demonstration was scheduled at noon, and three musket firing demonstrations were scheduled throughout the day. The schedules may change, so it's best to call ahead. This was a great place to spend a couple hours learning more about this time period in California's history!

Sutter's Fort is must visit if you are interested in California history or if you enjoy fascinating places. This wasn't the first time I have been to the fort; my last visit was so long ago that it was all new to me. Surprisingly there were very few people wander around the grounds. Perhaps the 103 degree temperature discouraged visitors. There is not a lot of shade. It did not take me long to see everything. Motion sensors activate when you approach the different rooms, a few of them did not work. I just waved my hand under them and they started. The audio explained what I was looking at--and more interesting to me, stories about the people who lived and worked at the fort and the people who passed through on their travels . I spend a lot of time looking at old photos and reading letters and stories. After I read and looked at all this information I came away with new ideas about California and respect for John Sutter's place in the history of California. The fort covers the periods 1839-1850. The only original structure standing is the two story building. As Sacramento grew the old fort was torn down and used to build what is now Old Town Sacramento. The reconstruction is so well done it seems like the original fort. It would make a nice day to visit the fort, the Indian Museum, Old Town, and perhaps lunch or dinner at one of the many well rated restaurants nearby. Californian has a fascinating history and much of it started in Sacramento NOTE: I did not see it on the website, but dogs are not allowed in the fort.

This is a nice historical park in Sacramento. I looked at the displays and relics and walked around. We looked at the various rooms. If you want California history, this can be an option. It won't be exciting, but it's charming enough.

A great small historical fort. Their credit card machine was down but lucky my husband had some cash. If not, it would have been a pain to have to leave to get cash. The workers were all very friendly. Lots of history and reading to get you knowledgable. I will say this place isn't really for kids but adults interested in the history of this place. A bit boring for my daughter and mother but since the fee was only $5 to get it, we weren't too disappointed. The small gift shop had some fun stuff and books. Water was only $1 so they don't over change which was nice. Glad we came here.

This is such as great place for elementary school students to learn a little bit of Sacramento's history. Parents and students are able to ask questions and learn about the abundant history of how Sutter's Fort was established and what took place during those time. It was built in 1839 and originally called New Helvetia (New Switzerland) by its builder John Sutter. ... After gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill (also owned by Sutter) in Coloma, the fort was abandoned.

The founding fort in Sacramento or New Helvitia as Sutter named it - where Kit Carson and John C. Fremont recovered after their journey across the Sierras (Kit Carson Pass) in the dead of winter 1844 - proving that land travel to California was possible - and opening the door to the "manifest destiny" of the US reaching from sea to sea. The fort was the base for the gold discovery that cinched the westward expansion. Sutters Fort was built in 1840, gold was discovered in 1848, California joined the union in 1850. Very few places in California have the historical significance of Sutters Fort. It's one of those places that make Sacramento so much more cool than SF or SoCal.

Really interesting learning about the history of the Fort and seeing all of the original cannons, rooms, jail, and more. Spent about an hour looking at everything and taking pictures. The employees were all SO nice, wish I would've gotten names! Definitely recommend if you're looking to learn a little bit about history. The park is beautiful, overall.

Originally built by John Sutter, and restored into its original condition some decades after being abandoned, Sutter's Fort gives a glimpse into the very beginnings of Sacramento and the development of California in the early 19th century. The various rooms and chambers within the fort give visitors opportunity of learning how they functioned back when it served as Sutter's base of operations, truly making for a fun, educational, worthwhile visit. Especially for history lovers visiting California's capital city, this fort is one of the recommended places to stop by at! Admission fee is a cheap $5.

One of the oldest structures in Sacramento (construction began in 1839), with a ton of local history. The fort is very well preserved and excellently refabricated. If you have time, sit and watch the video narrated by Timothy Busfied, aka Danny Concannon from the West Wing. In addition, most rooms have very good audio that tells you about that area of the fort. It's $5 to enter, but there's an annual Free Museum Day in Sacramento, which includes Sutter's Fort. It was on 2/7/15, but for future years, just Google: "Free Museum Day Sacramento" John Sutter built the Fort and is renowned in California lore... and I'm not quite sure why. It seems like he was trying to get rich and was willing to take advantage of people around him. From Wikipedia: "Some Native Americans worked voluntarily for Sutter (e.g. Nisenans. Miwoks, Ochecames), but others were subjected to varying degrees of coercion that resembled slavery or serfdom" "There are written accounts by Sutter's contemporaries that indicate that Sutter raped Native American women as young as 12." Cool place, but the namesake in highly questionable.

This is a replica of the original fort that was a settlement in the times of yore. Ya know before sacramento was settled. Parking is usually no trouble, assuming you don't mind metered parking. The square the park/fort is located on is surrounded by designated lots. There will always be room somewhere around the square if not close by the front entrance. Assuming that, like me you chose the first spot you see you may have to trek around the square in order to find the one entrance that actually is an entrance instead the many barred decoy doors around every corner wall. No worries it's a nice walk. Although this is a replica that is not the same size as the original most of the space that was not replicated was exterior stables and suchlike. The interior is a near as it gets to the real thing. While they did make allowances for such things as electricity the overall feel is very authentic. There is an entrance fee of five bucks or so, and they do have guided tours along with themed/re enactment days. Surprisingly for this sort of thing not all the re enactments are military in nature. There are demonstrations on cooking, weaving, candle making and more. It was nice to see something reenacted that's not explodey. If you don't go for the guided tour-I didn't-this is a fully explorable space where you can learn at your own pace, even if the exhibits are heavy on the audio video side of things. While I'm perfectly capable of reading some prefer to listen to someone else read stuff while they ignore it to chat on the phone. The history is brutally honest. No sugarcoating of what actually happened, or emphasizing one role over another. While the world was a very different place and Sutter was definitely the right man in the right place at the right time some of the things that happened are uncomfortable to learn about. Like most historical thingys there is just tons to see and do. While the history obsessed can spend pretty much an entire day here, spouses (or other tag alongs) should chat with the re enactors a bit, drop by the gift shop, and spend some time on a bench watching people before popping out to one of the nearby shops for a snack. Plenty of space for kids to burn off excess energy in the main square if not the dark interiors that lack rails for the not quite but really a little bit rickety wooden stairs. Very much worth making a part of any downtown Sacramento family adventure. Not a must do if you are traveling solo, but still worth a side trip.

I really enjoyed the history at the fort. I'm not sure if you could get kids to pay attention long enough because some of the narrations are lengthy but anyone interested in the history will enjoy it.

One of the best parts of the annual Sacramento Museum Day is the opportunity to see local museums at their best. My trip to Sutter's Fort SHP on Museum Day 2016 was an excellent way to see the fort. The park is located in midtown Sacramento near the Sutter Hospital. I think that is more than a coincidence! While it is fun to wander through the park and garden, the fort entrance is on the west side through a rather non descript gate. The layout of the fort is similar to the original configuration, with many rooms built into the exterior wall. The central courtyard houses several outdoor exhibits and the central house for Sutter himself. During special events, the museum has several guides and guests dressed and acting out historic activities. You can see blacksmithing, cooking, and even some fur traders providing a bit of living history. The fort can be seen fairly quickly, but you can also spend some time at the exhibits for a bit more California history. Parking is a challenge during peak times, but the fort is served well by buses. The museum does a decent job of balancing the controversial parts of early California conquest and oppression, but it is still part of our shared past. Sutter's Fort is a favorite for field trips and tourists, but should also be a fun part of understanding the history of Sacramento and California.

This is not your average historical landmark. Yes, they occasionally have some of what you'd expect like historical actors churning butter and pounding metal, but the story of Sutter's Fort and its fascinating history are anything but contrived. Begun in 1839 by builder John Sutter, the fort was a 19th century agricultural and trade colony and the first non-Native American community in central California. It's famous for its association with the Gold Rush and the Donner Party, which simultaneously fascinated and scared me to sleep as a child. Take a walk through the well-maintained grounds here on a weekend or, even better, a weekday afternoon and experience a well preserved piece of history, brought to life again thanks to our state park system.

Every now and then it's distressing to realize how badly I would FAIL a Sacramento history test. Here I am, the girl who bristles when negativity towards our fair city is mentioned. I'll automatically jump on the defensive-"Just walk through Cap Park on a beautiful Sunday morning and tell me you don't love it" or "You can't tell me the Early California pieces at Crocker wouldn't belong in any major museum" and I can go on and on. But on this day, I had one of the core facts so wrong. I thought John Sutter found riches during the Gold Rush and built the Fort for miners. Uh...not exactly. The day gold was discovered in what he was hoping to turn into a Coloma sawmill wound up being the worst day of his life. The year that California's population ballooned from 7,000 to 100,000(1 year!!) was the beginning of the end for Sutter. The flood of miners and a series of mistrusts led to the fort being in ruins just a few years later. But in it's heyday, it was a generous safe haven for early CA settlers. Such a stark contrast to stand in the middle of one those lovingly recreated adobe units and look outside to the passing cars as you take pictures with your IPhone. There's motion sensors in doorways that trigger a self-guided tour. I really enjoyed what looked to be a recent video narrated by Timothy Busfield that was as much about how floods affected Sacramento's history as it was about the Fort. Going on a weekday afternoon worked out very well. It was really nice to be able to relax without hordes of schoolkids or bored teenagers. There were about 10 other adults wandering the grounds. The audio portions are short, just enough to give the highlights and a few quotes from Sutter himself (with a funny European accent. Who knew he was born in Germany but considered himself Swiss? Oh yeah, anybody who knows more about CA history than me...Hello Eduardo :) Great way to spend a little time outdoors and get a bit of an education while you're doing it. For now, it's only $6 to get in and be just a little bit more of a Sactown know-it-all.

One of my first dates with the hubby was here. Well, we stopped by here for a dinner picnic before we went to a weekly bible study. It's a cute place and we really do enjoy it. We didn't go (and I don't remember ever having gone) into the Fort itself, but we walked around the park grounds and took pictures of each other and of the ducks, trees, flowers, etc. and it was a nice place for dinner dates during the warmer months in the spring, summer, and fall. This place brings back nice memories, maybe it's time to bring the little one now. =)

This place is only five dollars to take a self-guided audio tour. I'm all about learning California's history so I greatly enjoyed walking through the fort. I was a little disappointed knowing that it wasn't the original fort, but was restored according to all the photos and letters. Having just watched The Revenant, the idea of walking through an old fur trade fort, sounded very exciting. There is a gift shop inside the fort and seems like they have a lot of activities during summer. Overall it was worth the five dollars.

I was starting to wonder why nearly everything in Sacramento is named Sutter something (health care, laundromat, etc); it is all because of a dude (John Sutter) and his fort. The Fort is a great slice of American and California history, conveniently located in Midtown Sac and available for the public for only $4. Kids will like it because they are not confined to a tour and can roam around fairly freely under a parent's watchful eye. Upon walking through the doors, one is instantly transported to the Gold Rush era (blacksmiths! jails! canons!) without having to give up modern day conveniences. They even have wireless access so that you can yelp on site. Marvy. If you come Monday through Saturday (also open Sunday), don't forget to bring your quarters to feed the meter.

This was the 2nd of 8 museums for the FREE Annual Sacramento Museum Day. I wasn't sure what to expect at Sutter's Fort SHP, but it's Really Good! From the Sacramento Museum Day website: "Founded by John Sutter in 1839, Sutter's Fort was the Sacramento Valley's earliest European settlement. Self-guided tours explain the unique museum exhibits, including a visitor orientation room and exhibit rooms, carpenter and blacksmith shops, bakery, dining room and living quarters. Living history programs." So the volunteers wore period costume outfits that makes you believe you're stepping back in time & you get to see what it must have been like living there at the time. Cool to see & hear them doing various task & you can ask them questions, watch & learn. I missed seeing them blow up a cannon, though I heard it. Have to go back one day. Sutter's Fort State Historic Park is also on the Governor's planned Closure list!! Let's keep it OPEN for Everyone! Hrs: Daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day Small fee. Bathrooms available. They have a gift shop too. Website: http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=485

I visited here recently while visiting the state fair because ..... after all: the state fair isn't what Sacramento is all about. Very historical and I love the method they mounted audio tours... as you near a room, a atop-door frame motion sensor detects your presence and starts the audio for this room automatically, full of tidbits and history. The exhibits are unfortunately scrawled on and scratched by less-appreciative prior visitors but you can still read and see what this park and fort has to offer. There is one exhibit with a drawing of the fort as it stood previously, and when you look at this drawing and see the vast emptiness of the area, plus compare it with what you see now, it is just awesome. The personal history of this great man who did so much is very saddening, and this fort is a great tribute to what he did, accomplished and stood for... it's a shame that there aren't many others like him..... today. The gift shop is air-conditioned and offers many things to every mind and age, though you can't touch anything. I usually do NOT buy gifts or such, but purchased a replica map of the Oregon-Texas trail showing much of the West Coast and the mid-west. It was available for under $5 and measures about 12x20". Great spot for those interested in history.... NOTE: While touring this grand place, I saw many kids as the families toured here also. Many were touching many thingsthey shouldn't be touching, screaming and running around. I saw even a few girls and boys sitting atop places and at window sills, that they shouldn't be and their stupid parents should've said something and taken them down. I hate parents who do NOT control their kids and allow them to disrepect things. They do it because they are kids unknowingly... parents allow this behavior which encourage future bad behavior. There are places where control is necessary. Just because this place is a "park" doesn't mean it's a playground. Parents: do your part please to control your kids no matter their age(s) {yea, this applies to grandpa too} so that this place can be enjoyed by future families. PHOTOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING: Use beams and columns for support. Lots of open spaces and some may say this is quite barren, but lots of opportunities to capture the fine though DARK details of life long ago and that we will never see again. Bring a hat for extreme sun. DON't know if they will allow a tripod. Many exhibits/rooms blocked by chicken-wire which will hamper your pic-taking, but still not impossible. If you use a zoom, you can get closer to the wire(s) so de-focus when focusing on the farther main subjects. The light inside many rooms is plain gorgeous.

Sutter's Fort was muuuch more magical in fourth grade. Learning about California's history, missions, and pioneers was totally worth it for the field trip here. I always looked forward to it. Sadly, we never got to do the overnight program. A bit scary to think about it, but I wish I had gotten to :[ I revisited this historical monument last summer. There were so many details that I had previously missed. As a child, you tend to miss how little pieces fit into the big puzzle. Haah. I really enjoyed the landscape outside the actual fort. There were lots of pretty plants. I think there was a fountain, too? Inside the fort, there's a museum walk area, with lots of information about the fort's history and how it was built. All the historical tidbits are included. Be sure to read through everything. It increased my appreciation for this historical landmark. This is a great place for a relaxing and nerdy outing around town. Support Sutter's Fort! :D