Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Sacramento shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Sacramento offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Sacramento at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Sacramento? Wrong! If the Sacramento is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Sacramento then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Sacramento? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Sacramento and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Sacramento wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Sacramento then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Sacramento site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Sacramento, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Sacramento, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox Settlement|official_name = City of Sacramento, California|nicknames = River City, Sac|settlement_type = City|subdivision_name = [United States|subdivision_name1 = [California|subdivision_name2 = [Sacramento County, California|government_type =|leader_title = Mayor|established_date =|unit_pref = Imperial|area_magnitude = 1 E8|area_total_km2 = 257.0|area_total_sq_mi = 99.2|area_land_km2 = 251.6|area_land_sq_mi = 97.2|area_water_km2 = 5.4|area_water_sq_mi = 2.1|population_as_of = 2007|population_footnotes = |population_total = 467343 (city proper)|population_metro = 2103956|population_density_km2 = 1818|population_density_sq_mi = 4711|timezone = [Pacific Standard Time Zone|utc_offset = -8|timezone_DST = Pacific Daylight Time|utc_offset_DST = -7|latitude = 38°31'|longitude = -121°30'|latd = 38 |latm = 33 |lats = 20 |latNS = N|longd = 121 |longm = 28 |longs = 8 |longEW = W|elevation_m = 8|elevation_ft = 25|area_code = Area code 916|blank_name = Federal Information Processing Standard|blank_info = 06-64000|blank1_name = Geographic Names Information System feature ID|blank1_info = 1659564|footnotes =|website = http://www.cityofsacramento.org/-->Sacramento is the State capital of the State of California and the county seat of Sacramento County, California. Located in California's expansive California Central Valley, it is the seventh most populous city in California with a 2007 estimated population of 467,343. Sacramento is the core cultural and economic center of its four-county metropolitan area (El Dorado County, California, Placer County, California, Sacramento County, California, and Yolo County, California counties) with a combined population of 2,103,956. The Sacramento Metropolitan Area is the largest in the Central Valley, and is the fourth-largest in California, behind the Greater Los Angeles Area, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the San Diego area. Greater Sacramento has been cited as one of the five "most livable" regions in America, America's Most Livable: Greater Sacramento. America's Most Livable Communities. Retrieved on 2007-06-14. and the city was cited by Time magazine as America's most integrated.

Sacramento became a city due to the efforts of John Sutter, a Swiss immigrant, and James W. Marshall. There were settlers in the area before this time. The Dutch came in the 1820s. Sacramento grew faster due to the protection of Sutter's Fort, which was established by Sutter in 1839. During the California Gold Rush, Sacramento was a major distribution point, a Commerce and agricultural center, and a terminus for wagon trains, stagecoaches, riverboats, the Telegraphy, the Pony Express, and the First Transcontinental Railroad.

Typical of California informality, Sacramento is referred to by many nicknames. The most common names are Capital City, River City (after the Sacramento River and American River), and the City of Trees (due to Arbor Day recognition as a Tree City USA for 29 years). The nicknames most used by those living in Sacramento are Sac, Sactown, or Sacto. The area where Sacramento was originally developed is still in existence as a tourist venue, and is simply named Old Sacramento, or Old Sac.

California State University, Sacramento, more commonly known as Sacramento State or Sac State, is the major local university. It is one of the twenty-three campuses of the California State University system. Currently, many other universities have been proposed in the immediate metropolitan area.

History Indigenous culture Nisenan (Southern Maidu) and Plains Miwok Indians have lived in this area for perhaps thousands of years. Unlike the settlers who would eventually make Sacramento their home, these Indians left little evidence of their existence. Traditionally, their diet was dominated by acorns taken from the plentiful oak trees in the region, and by fruits, bulbs, seeds, and roots gathered throughout the year.

In either 1806 or 1808, the Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga "discovered" and named the Sacramento Valley and the Sacramento River after the Spanish language term for 'sacrament', specifically, after "the Most Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ", referring to the Roman Catholicism sacrament of the Eucharist.

From pioneers to gold fever The pioneer John Sutter arrived from Liestal, Switzerland in the Sacramento area with other settlers in August 1839 and established the trading colony and stockade Sutters Fort (as New Helvetia or "New Switzerland") in 1840. Sutter's Fort was constructed using labor from local Native American tribes. Sutter received 2,000 fruit trees in 1847, which started the agriculture industry in the Sacramento Valley. In 1848, when gold was discovered by James W. Marshall at Sutters Mill in Coloma, California (located some 50 miles, or 80 kilometers, northeast of the fort), a large number of gold-seekers came to the area, increasing the population. John Sutter, Jr. then planned the City of Sacramento, in association with Sam Brannan against the wishes of his father, naming the city after the Sacramento River for commercial reasons. He hired topographical engineer William H. Warner to draft the official layout of the city, which included 26 lettered and 31 numbered streets (today's grid from C St. to Broadway and from Front St. to Alhambra Blvd.). However, a bitterness grew between the elder Sutter and his son as Sacramento became an overnight commercial success (Sutter's Fort, Mill and the town of Sutterville, all founded by John Sutter, Sr., would eventually fail).

The part of Sacramento originally laid out by William Warner is situated just east and south of where the American River meets the Sacramento River (though over time it has grown to extend significantly north, south, and east of there). A number of directly adjacent towns, cities or unincorporated county suburbs, such as Fair Oaks, California, Carmichael, California, Citrus Heights, California, Elk Grove, California,Folsom, California, Rancho Cordova, California, Roseville, California, Rocklin, California, West Sacramento, California, Orangevale, California, and North Highlands, California extend the greater Sacramento area.

The citizens of Sacramento adopted a city charter in 1849, which was recognized by the state legislature in 1850. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, incorporated on February 27 1850. City of Sacramento Municipal Homepage During the early 1850s the Sacramento valley was devastated by floods, fires and cholera epidemics. Despite this, because of its position just downstream from the Mother Lode in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), the newly founded city grew, quickly reaching a population of 10,000.

Capital city

The California State Legislature, with the support of Governor John Bigler, named Sacramento as the permanent home of the state capital in 1854 by law, but the city did not physically hold that honor until January 1 1855. Previously, the capital was located in Monterey, California, San Jose, California, Vallejo, California, and Benicia, California successively.

Begun in 1860 to be reminiscent of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, the Renaissance Revival style California State Capitol was completed in 1874. The legislative chambers were first occupied in 1869 while construction continued. From 1862-1868, part of the Leland Stanford Mansion was used for the governor's offices.

With its new status and strategic location, Sacramento quickly prospered and became the western end of the Pony Express, and later the First Transcontinental Railroad (which began construction in Sacramento in 1863 and was financed by "The Big Four" — Mark Hopkins, Charles Crocker, Collis P. Huntington, and Leland Stanford) Leland Stanford was the man who hammered in the last (golden) spike into the transcontinental railroad.

, a landmark of Sacramento.

The same rivers that earlier brought death and destruction began to provide increasing levels of transportation and commerce. Both the American and especially Sacramento rivers would be key elements in the economic success of the city. In fact, Sacramento effectively controlled commerce on these rivers, and public works projects were funded though taxes levied on goods unloaded from boats and loaded onto rail cars in the historic Sacramento Rail Yards.

In an effort to control the flooding the Sacramentans raised the level of the city by landfill. Thus the previous first floors of buildings became the basements, which were later connected by tunnels under the streets of Old Sacramento. The tunnels became a network of opium dens, which were also eventually filled in.

Now both rivers are used extensively for water sports. The American River is a 5-mph (8-km/h) waterway for all power boats (including jet-ski and similar craft) (Source Sacramento County Parks & Recreation) and has become an international attraction for rafting and kayakers. The Sacramento River sees many boaters, who can make day trips to nearby sloughs or continue along the Delta to the San Francisco Bay Area and San Francisco, California. The Delta King, a paddlewheel steamboat which for eighteen months lay on the bottom of the San Francisco Bay, was refurbished and is now a hotel and restaurant.

The modern era The city's current charter was adopted by voters in 1920, establishing a city council-manager government form of government, still used today. As a charter city, Sacramento is exempt from many laws and regulations passed by the California State Legislature. The city has expanded continuously over the years. The 1964 merger of the City of North Sacramento with Sacramento substantially increased its population, and large annexations of the Natomas, Sacramento, California area eventually led to significant population growth with the housing boom of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

Sacramento City and County (along with a portion of adjacent Placer County, California) are served by a customer-owned electric utility, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). Sacramento voters approved the creation of SMUD in 1923. In April, 1946, after 12 years of litigation, a judge ordered Pacific Gas and Electric Company to transfer title of Sacramento's electric distribution system to SMUD. SMUD today is the sixth-largest public electric utility in the U.S., and has a worldwide reputation for innovative programs and services, including the development of clean fuel resources, such as solar energy.



The Sacramento-Yolo Port District was created in 1947, and ground was broken on the Port of Sacramento in 1949. On June 29 1963, with 5,000 spectators waiting to welcome her, the Motor Vessel Taipei Victory arrived. The port was open for business. The Nationalist Chinese flag ship, freshly painted for the historic event, was loaded with 5,000 tons of bagged rice for Mitsui Trading Co. bound for Okinawa and 1,000 tons of logs for Japan. She was the first ocean-going vessel in Sacramento since the steamship Harpoon in 1934. The Port of Sacramento has been plagued with operating losses in recent years and faces bankruptcy. As of 2006, the city of West Sacramento, California will take full responsibility for the Port of Sacramento. This severe loss in business is due to the heavy competition from the Port of Stockton, which has a larger facility and a deeper channel.

In 1967, Governor Ronald Reagan became the last Governor of California to live permanently in the city. A new executive mansion, constructed by private funds in a Sacramento suburb for Reagan, remained vacant for nearly forty years and was recently sold by the state.

The 1980s and 1990s saw the closure of several local military bases: McClellan Air Force Base, Mather Air Force Base, and Sacramento Army Depot. As a result, the U.S. armed forces have little military presence in the city except for recruiting offices.

In the early 1990s, Mayor Joe Serna attempted to lure the Los Angeles Raiders football team to Sacramento, selling $50 million in bonds as earnest money. When the deal fell through, the bond proceeds were used to construct several large projects, including expanding the Convention Center and refurbishing of the Memorial Auditorium. Serna renamed a city park for controversial farm labor organizer César Chávez. Through his effort, Sacramento became the first major city in the country to have a paid municipal holiday honoring Chavez.

In spite of major military base closures and the decline of agricultural food processing, Sacramento continued to experience massive population growth in the 1990s and early 2000s. Primary sources of population growth are people migrating from the San Francisco Bay Area seeking lower housing costs, as well as immigration from Asia, Central America, Mexico, Ukraine, and the rest of the former Soviet Union. From 1990 to 2000, the population grew 14.7%. The Census Bureau estimates that in four years (2000-2004), the population of Sacramento County, California increased from 1,223,499 to 1,352,445.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Mayor Heather Fargo made several abortive attempts to provide taxpayer financing of a new sports arena for the Maloof family brothers, owners of the Sacramento Kings National Basketball Association Basketball franchise. In November 2006, Sacramento voters soundly defeated a proposed sales tax hike to finance this, due in part to competing plans for the new arena and its location.


Despite a devolution of state government in recent years, the state of California remains by far Sacramento's largest employer. The City of Sacramento expends considerable effort to keep state agencies from moving outside the city limits. In addition, many federal agencies have offices in Sacramento.

The California Supreme Court normally sits in San Francisco, California.

Geography and climate Geography

• Elevation: 25 feet (8 m) above mean sea level.
• Latitude: 38° 31' N; Longitude: -121° 30' W

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 257.0 square kilometre (99.2 square mile). 251.6 km² (97.2 mi²) of it is land and 5.4 km² (2.1 mi²) of it is water; 2.1% of the area is water. The population in United States 2000 census was 407,018; the 1980 population was 275,741. The city's current estimated population is approximately 454,330. Depth to groundwater is typically about . Much of the land to the west of the city (in Yolo County, California) is a flood control basin. As a result, the greater metropolitan area sprawls only four miles (6 km) west of downtown (as West Sacramento, California) but 30 miles (50 km) northeast and east, into the Sierra Nevada (U.S.) foothills, and 10 miles (16 km) to the south into valley farmland.

The city is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River, and has a deepwater port connected to the San Francisco Bay by a channel through the Sacramento River Delta. It is the shipping and Rail transport center for the Sacramento Valley, fruit, vegetables, rice, wheat, dairy goods, and beef. Food processing is among the major industries in the area.

Climate Sacramento has a Mediterranean climate that is characterized by mild winters and dry, hot summers (Koppen climate classification Csa). The area usually has low humidity. Rain typically falls only between November and March, with the rainy season tapering off almost completely by the end of April. The average temperature throughout the year is 61 °F (16 °C), with the daily average ranging from 46 °F (8 °C) in December and January to 76 °F (24 °C). Average daily high temperatures range from 53 °F (12 °C) in December and January to 93 °F (34 °C) in July (with many days of over 100 °F (38 °C) highs). Daily low temperatures range from 38 to 58 °F (3 to 14 °C). The average year has 73 days with a high over 90 °F (32 °C), with the highest temperature on record being 115 °F (46 °C) on July 25, 2006, and 18 days when the low drops below 32 °F (0 °C), with the coldest day on record being December 11, 1932, at 17 °F (-8 °C).

Average yearly precipitation is 17.4" (442 mm), with almost no rain during the summer months, to an average rainfall of 3.7" (94 mm) in January. It rains, on average, 58 days of the year. In February 1992, Sacramento had 16 consecutive days of rain (6.41" or 163 mm). A record 7.24" (184 mm) of rain fell on April 20 1880.

On average, 96 days in the year have fog, mostly in the morning (tule fog), primarily in December and January. The fog can get extremely dense, lowering visibility to less than 100 feet (30 m) and making driving conditions hazardous.

The record snowfall was recorded on January 4 1888, at 9 cm (3.5 in). Snowfall is rare in Sacramento (with an elevation of only 52 feet or 16 m above sea level), with a dusting of snow every eight to ten years. Forty miles (65 km) east of Sacramento, in the foothills, snow accumulation is an annual occurrence. Further east, the Lake Tahoe recreation area is home to a number of world famous ski areas which have accumulation greater than 90" (230 cm) nearly every year during the peak season. Spots in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.) mountains east of Sacramento annually receive some of the greatest snowfall in the lower 48 states, and the mountain range's immense snowpack is a vital source of water for the entire state of California.

{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;"|Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | Month! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Rec High °F| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 70| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 76| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 88| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 95| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 105| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 115| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 114| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 110| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 108| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 104| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 87| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 72|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Norm High °F| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 53.8| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 60.5| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64.7| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71.4| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 87.4| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92.4| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91.4| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 87.5| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78.2| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63.7| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 53.9|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Norm Low °F| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 38.8| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 41.9| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 44.2| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46.3| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 50.9| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 55.5| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58.3| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58.1| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 55.8| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 50.6| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 42.8| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 37.7|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Rec Low °F| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 23| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 23| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 26| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 31| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 41| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 48| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 43| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 26| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 18|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Precip (in)| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 3.84| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 3.54| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 2.8| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 1.02| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.53| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.2| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.05| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.06| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.36| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.89| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 2.19| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 2.45|-| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|Source: USTravelWeather.com Sacramento Weather. U.S. Travel Weather. Retrieved on 2007-06-15.|}

City Neighborhoods The city groups its neighborhoods into four areas:

Area One (Central/Eastern) Alkali Flat, Boulevard Park, Campus Commons, California State University, Sacramento, Dos Rios Triangle, Downtown, Sacramento, California, East Sacramento, Sacramento, California, Mansion Flats, Marshall School, Midtown Sacramento, New Era Park, Sacramento, California, Newton Booth, Old Sacramento State Historic Park, Poverty Ridge, Richards, Richmond Grove, River Park, Sierra Oaks, Sacramento, California, Southside Park.

Area Two (Southwestern) Airport, Freeport Manor, Golf Course Terrace, Greenhaven, Land Park, Little Pocket, Mangan Park, Meadowview, Sacramento, California, Parkway, Pocket-Greenhaven, Sacramento, California, Sacramento City College, Land Park, Sacramento, California, Valley Hi / North Laguna, Z'Berg Park

Area Three (Southeastern) Alhambra Triangle, Avondale, Brentwood, Carleton Tract, College/Glen, Colonial Heights, Colonial Village, Colonial Village North, Curtis Park, Sacramento, California, Elmhurst, Sacramento, California, Fairgrounds, Florin-Fruitridge, Industrial Park, Fruitridge Manor, Glen Elder, Granite Regional Park, Hollywood Park, Lawrence Park, Med Center, North City Farms, Oak Park, Sacramento, California, Packard Bell, South City Farms, Southeast Village, Tahoe Park, Tahoe Park East, Tahoe Park South, Tallac Village, Woodbine

Area Four (North of the American River) Natomas, Sacramento, California (north, south, west), Valley View Acres, Sacramento, California, Gardenland, Northgate, Woodlake, North Sacramento, Terrace Manor, Hagginwood, Del Paso Heights, Sacramento, California, Robla, Sacramento, California, McClellan Heights West, Ben Ali, Sacramento, California, and Swanston Estates.

Unincorporated Neighborhoods Antelope, California Antelope is an unincorporated area located approximately northeast of downtown Sacramento. Established in the mid-1800s by Chinese immigrants who worked for the railroad, Antelope began as, and remains, a Commuter town. By 1973, Antelope still consisted of little more than a general store and a half-dozen homes. As the surrounding areas grew in the 1980s and 1990s, so did Antelope. By 1993 the residents of the area voted to be recognized as a community by the county and with their own ZIP code (95843) which became effective July 1, 1994. By the 2000 Census the population had grown to more than 36,000.

Arden-Arcade, California Arden Arcade is an affluent community immediately east of the city of Sacramento and north of the American River. It is home to over 90,000 people and boasts 42,987 households, 55% of which are family households. It is located only minutes from downtown and offers many shopping and entertainment venues. There are over 2,000 businesses in the area, employing over 40,000 people. Access to out doors recreation is also nearby because Arden is bordered by the American River Parkway, a 26-mile (42-kilometer) hike and bike trail that follows the American River to Folsom Lake. Golf, swimming and city parks are also close by.

Carmichael, California Carmichael is located northeast of downtown Sacramento and is a historic community that dates back to the early 1900s. It was founded by Dan Carmichael, who was mayor of Sacramento in 1917-1919. Some of the remaining signs of the early Carmichael days are the palm trees along Palm Drive, planted around 1913. The current population is 49,742; there are 20,631 total households, 64% are family households, and the median age is 40. Carmichael is home to the beautiful Ancil Hoffman Park which houses the 77 acre Effie Yeaw Nature Center, a sprawling pristine nature preserve along the banks of the American River. Golf can also be played in the park under the shade of native oaks trees.

Fair Oaks, California Fair Oaks, located east of downtown Sacramento and, with a population of 28,808, is an affluent, well-established community. It consists of suburban and semi-rural neighborhoods. The area is home to rolling hills and numerous native oaks that add to the area's quality of life. The views of the American River bluffs and nearby Nimbus Hatchery and Folsom Dam add to the distinctive character of Fair Oaks.

Fair Oaks’ uniqueness also stems from its existing business core and town center, known as the Fair Oaks Village. The village is home to narrow winding roads, rolling hills, an open-air amphitheatre, and a historic plaza of historic buildings full of unique galleries and shops. The Village has a charming small town atmosphere. The Plaza Park Amphitheatre, located in the Village, is the main site of the Fair Oaks Theatre Festival, one of the many outdoor community theatres in the area. Fair Oaks Village is also the site of the annual Fiesta Days, an event celebrating the residents of Fair Oaks.

Gold River, California Gold River is an affluent suburb east of downtown Sacramento that is often mistakenly considered part of Rancho Cordova, California, an incorporated city in Sacramento County, California. The population was 8,023 at the 2000 census. The Gold River Community Association is the master association for the 25 separate "villages" that make up the community. Each village has its own sub associations as well.

La Riviera, California La Riviera is a suburban community, east of downtown Sacramento. The population was 10,273 at the 2000 census. La Riviera is a primarily residential neighborhood located between the American River and Highway 50. It's popular place to live for college students attending California State University Sacramento, or CSUS. The community is sub-divided by La Riviera Drive into the areas of College Greens and Glenbrook.

Rio Linda, California Rio Linda, Spanish for "Beautiful River", is a community located north of Sacramento city and is home to over 10,000 people. There are approximately 3,500 households, 77% of which are family households and the median age is 34. This rural working-class community offers an escape from the busy city life. Rio Linda/Elverta has its roots as a small farming community established in the early 1900s. The Gibson Ranch and Cherry Island Gold Course are a couple of the places this area offers for horseback riding and outdoor recreation.

North Highlands, California North Highlands is a community of 44,000 residents that is located approximately northeast of downtown Sacramento. The community was formally established with the opening of the North Highlands post office in July of 1952 and this unincorporated area grew with the development of the McClellan Air Force Base. North Highlands is mostly a middle-class residential housing area. With some commercial and industrial regions around the McClellan Air Force Base, now a civilian airport, called McClellan Business Park.

Vineyard, California Vineyard is a new suburban neighborhood in Sacramento County approximately southeast of downtown Sacramento. The population was 10,109 at the 2000 census, however, plans have been announced to add as many as 20,000 new homes to Vineyard. This could add as many as 60,000 new people to the area. Along with the houses would come new shopping centers, parks, and schools. However, some have been critical of the expansion and one California State University, Sacramento professor referred to it as "car-oriented sprawl development." However, there are plans to extend some sort of public transportation to Vineyard and to build around the train tracks that go through the town.

Demographics {| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left:3px; text-size:80%; text-align:right"|align=center colspan=2| Sacramento
Population by year|-|1860 || 13,785|-|1870 || 16,283|-|1880 || 21,420|-|1890-1910 || N/A|-|1920 || 65,908|-|1930 || 93,750|-|1940 || 105,958|-|1950 || 137,572|-|1960 || 191,667|-|1970 || 254,413|-|1980 || 275,741|-|1990 || 369,365|-|2000 || 407,018|-|2007 || 467,343|}As of the census of 2000, there are 407,018 people (2004 Est. 454,330), 154,581 households, and 91,202 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,617.4/km² (4,189.2/mi²). There are 163,957 housing units at an average density of 651.5/km² (1,687.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 48.29% White (U.S. Census), 15.47% African American (U.S. Census), 1.30% Native American (U.S. Census), 16.62% Asian (U.S. Census), 0.95% Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), 10.96% from Race (U.S. Census), and 6.41% from two or more races. 21.61% of the population are Hispanic (U.S. Census) or Latino (U.S. Census) of any race.

There are 154,581 households out of which 30.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% are Marriage living together, 15.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% are non-families. 32.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.57 and the average family size is 3.35.

Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento in Cathedral Square, Downtown.In the city the population is spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $37,049, and the median income for a family is $42,051. Males have a median income of $35,946 versus $31,318 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,721. 20.0% of the population and 15.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 29.5% of those under the age of 18 and 9.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Factors such as mild climate, a location at the crossroads of major interstate highways and railroads, and the availability of campsites along the rivers, as well as an outlook of tolerance, attract some homeless people.

Sacramento is notably diverse racially, ethnically, and by household income, and has a notable lack of inter-racial disharmony. In 2002, Time (magazine) magazine (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,340694,00.html) and the The Civil Rights Project of Harvard University identified Sacramento as the most racially/ethnically integrated major city in America.Stodghill, Ron; Bower, Amanda (2002-08-25). Welcome to America's Most Diverse City. Time. Retrieved on 2007-06-15. The U.S. Census Bureau also groups Sacramento with other U.S. cities having a "High Diversity" rating of the diversity index. The Geography of U.S. Diversity (PDF). United States Census. Retrieved on 2007-06-15.

Education Colleges and universities Sacramento is home to California State University, Sacramento, founded as Sacramento State College in 1947. In 2004, enrollment was 22,555 undergraduates and 5,417 graduate students in the university's eight colleges. The university's mascot is the hornet, and the school colors are green and gold. The 300 acre (1.2 km²) campus is located along the American River Parkway a few miles east of downtown. A satellite campus of Alliant International University also serves the city with a number of graduate programs.

Sacramento is home to an unaccredited private institution, University of Sacramento, a Roman Catholic university run by the Legionaries of Christ. Currently, the university offers course work in graduate programs. Nearby Rocklin, CA is home to William Jessup University, an evangelical Christian college.

The University of California has a campus, UC Davis, in nearby Davis, CA and also has a graduate center in downtown Sacramento. The UC Davis Graduate School of Management (GSM) is located in downtown Sacramento on One Capital Mall. Many students, about 400 out of 517, at the UC Davis GSM are working professionals and are completing their MBA part-time. Overall, there are about 517 MBA students enrolled in the program. The part-time program is ranked in the top-20 and is well known for its small class size, world class faculty, and involvement in the business community. UC also maitains the Unversity of California Sacramento Center (UCCS for undergaduate and graduate studies. Similar to the UC's Washington DC program, "Scholar Interns" engage in both academic studies and as well as internships, often with the state government.

Also, the UC Davis School of Medicine is located at the UC Davis Medical Center in Oak Park.

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, a top 100 law school according to U.S. News and World Report's annual rankings of U.S. law schools (2006, 2007 & 2008), is located in the Oak Park section of Sacramento.

The private campus of the University of Southern California has an extension in downtown Sacramento, called the State Capital Center. The campus, taught by main campus professors, Sacramento-based professors, and practioners in the State Capitol and state agencies, offers Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Health degrees.

The Los Rios Community College District consists of several Community college in the Sacramento area – American River College, Cosumnes River College, Sacramento City College, Folsom Lake College, plus a large number of outreach centers for those colleges.

Sacramento has a number of private Vocational education as well.

In the PBS KVIE building, there is also an extension of San Francisco, California's Golden Gate University.

Public schools Several public school districts serve Sacramento. Sacramento City Unified School District serves most of Sacramento. Other portions are served by the Center Unified School District, Natomas Unified School District, San Juan Unified School District, Grant Joint Union High School District, Rio Linda Union School District, North Sacramento Elementary School District, Del Paso Heights School District, and Robla School District.

The Valley Hi/North Laguna area is served by the Elk Grove Unified School District, despite being in the city limits of Sacramento and not in Elk Grove.

Private schools Shalom School is the only Jewish day school in Sacramento.

Continuing an educational history that began in the Sacramento region at the time of the Gold Rush, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento operates 1 diocesan high school within the city and surrounding suburbs, St. Francis High School (Sacramento, California). Various Roman Catholic religious congregations operate four additional Catholic "private" (i.e., non-diocesan) high schools in the city and suburbs: Loretto High School (sponsored by the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Christian Brothers High School (Sacramento, California) (sponsored by the Brothers of Christian Schools), Jesuit High School (the Society of Jesus, or "Jesuits"), and, as of the Fall of 2006, Cristo Rey High School Sacramento (co-sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the Sisters of Mercy, and the Jesuits). Sacramento is one of 12 cities in the United States with a Cristo Rey Network High School, the first of which was founded by the Jesuits in Chicago in 1996 on a reduced tuition model designed to be accessible to those otherwise unable to afford conventionally-priced private education.

Additionally within the city and surrounding suburbs are 30 "parochial" schools - i.e., schools attached to a parish. These range from the oldest still operating, St. Francis of Assisi Grammar School (1895), to the newest, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (2000), to the recently consolidated, John Paul II School (2005), combining All Hallows (1948) and St. Peter (1955) Schools at the All Hallows Parish site.

In 1857, almost immediately upon their arrival from Ireland, the Sisters of Mercy opened the first school of any kind in Sacramento. Open to all regardless of religious denomination, St. Joseph Academy continued operation through the late 1960s. The final school site is now a city of Sacramento parking garage. The "St. Joseph Garage" honors the name of the school that marked the arrival of formal education in Sacramento.

While Catholic institutions still dominate the independent school scene in the Sacramento area, in 1964, Sacramento Country Day School opened and offered Sacramentans an independent school that is affiliated with the California Association of Independent Schools. SCDS has grown to its present day status as a learning community for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

There is one Islamic school in Sacramento, founded in 1998.

Culture and Arts The primary newspaper is The Sacramento Bee, founded in 1857 by James McClatchy. Its rival, the Sacramento Union, started publishing six years earlier in 1851. It closed its doors in 1994. Writer and journalist Mark Twain wrote for the Union in 1866. In late 2004, a new Sacramento Union returned with bimonthly magazines and in May 2005 began monthly publication, but does not intend to return as a daily newspaper. In 2006, The McClatchy Company purchased Knight Ridder Inc. to become the second-largest newspaper publisher in the United States. The Sacramento Bee has won five Pulitzer Prizes in its history. It has won numerous other awards, including many for its progressive public service campaigns promoting free speech (the Bee often criticized government policy, and uncovered many scandals hurting Californians), anti-racism (the Bee supported the Union during the American Civil War and publicly denounced the Ku Klux Klan), worker's rights (the Bee has a strong history of supporting unionization), and environmental protection (leading numerous tree-planting campaigns and fighting against environmental destruction in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.)). A full list of recent major awards won by the Bee can be found here.



The oldest part of the town besides Sutter's Fort is Old Sacramento State Historic Park, which consists of cobbled streets and some historic buildings, some from the 1860s. Buildings have been preserved, restored or reconstructed, and the district is now a substantial tourist attraction, with rides on steam-hauled historic trains and paddle steamers.

The "Big Four Building", built in 1852, was home to the offices of Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, and Charles Crocker. The Central Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad were founded there. The original building was destroyed in 1963 for the construction of Interstate 5, but was re-created using original elements in 1965. It is now a National Historic Landmark. Also of historic interest is the Eagle Theatre, a reconstruction of California's first permanent theatre in its original location.


Theatre Arts


There are several major theatre venues for Sacramento. The Sacramento Convention Center governs both the Community Center Theatre and Memorial Auditorium (Sacramento). The Wells Fargo Pavilion is the most recent addition. It is built atop the old Music Circus tent foundations. Next to that, is the McClatchy Main stage, originally built as a television studio, it was renovated at the same time the pavilion was built. It is the smallest of the venues providing seating for only 300. The The Sacramento Ballet, Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra and the Sacramento Opera perform at the Community Center Theatre.

There are several Theatre companies with professional stature. California Musical Theatre and its Summer stock theatre, Music circus bring many directors and performers from New York and the Los Angeles area to work and perform in their productions at the Wells Fargo Pavilion. During the fall, winter and spring seasons Broadway Sacramento brings bus and truck tours to the Convention Center Theatre. The Sacramento Theatre Company provides non-musical productions of high quality as an Equity House Theatre, performing in the McClatchy Main stage. At the Street Theatre, smaller and more intimate professional productions are performed as well as a children's theatre. The Sacramento Shakespeare Festival provides entertainment under the stars every summer in William Land Park.

The Sacramento area has one of the largest collection of smaller Community Theatres in California. Some of these include, the 24th Street Theatre, River City Theatre Company, Runaway Stage Productions, Magic Circle Theatre, Big Idea Theatre, Celebration Arts, Lambda Player, Synergy Stage and the historic Eagle Theatre. Many of these theatres compete annually for the Elly Awards overseen by The Sacramento Area Regional Theatre Alliance or SARTA.

On Wednesday June 13, 2007 a new studio for the performing arts was announced to be built along side the Sacramento Theatre company and the Wells Fargo Pavilion. The new multi million dollar complex will be named "The E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts" and will provide rehearsal space for 4 of the regions principal arts groups, the Sacramento Ballet, California Musical Theatre, Sacramento Opera and the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, centralizing most of the city's Arts organizations.


Visual ArtsThe Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission is an organization which was established as the Sacramento arts council in 1977 to provide several arts programs for the city. These include Art in Public Places, Arts Education, Grants and Cultural Programs, Poet Laureate Program, Arts Stabilization Programs and Other Resources and opportunities.

Sacramento Second Saturday Art Walk is a program of local art galleries that stay open into the late evenings every second Saturday of each month providing a unique experience for the local population as well as tourists to view original art and meet the artists themselves.


MuseumsSacramento has several major museums. The Crocker Art Museum, the oldest public art museum west of the Mississippi River is one of the finest. On July 26th, 2007 the Museum broke ground for an expansion that will more than triple the buildings floor space. The Modern architecture will be much different from the Victorian style building it is added to. Construction is to be completed by 2010.

Also of interest is the Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park, a large Victorian Mansion which was home to 13 of California's Governors. The Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park, which was completely restored in 2006, serves as the State’s official address for diplomatic and business receptions. Guided public tours are available. The California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts, home of the California Hall of Fame, is a cultural destination dedicated to telling the rich history of California and its unique influence on the world of ideas, innovation, art and culture. The Museum educates tens of thousands of school children through inspiring programs, sharing with world visitors California's rich art, history and cultural legacy through dynamic exhibits, and serving as a public forum and international meeting place. The California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento has historical exhibits and live steam locomotives that patrons may ride.


MusicThe area is home to many local rock bands that aspire to bigger things. Many have broken through to mainstream popularity. Each year the city hosts the Sammies, the Sacramento Music Awards. Sacramento also has a reputation as a center for Dixieland jazz, because of the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee which is held every Memorial Day weekend. Events and performances are held in multiple locations throughout the city. Each year thousands of jazz fans from all over the world visit for this one weekend. Sacramento is also home to the Sacramento French Film Festival, a cultural event held every year in July that features U.S. premiers of French films and classic masterpieces of French cinema. In addition, Sacramento is home to the Trash Film Orgy, a summer film festival celebrating the absurd, B-movies, horror, monster, exploitation.

Classical music is widely available in usual and unusual venues. The Sacramento Philharmonic, the Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra, the Sacramento Youth Symphony, and the Camellia Symphony each present a full season of concerts. Two local churches feature unusually sophisticated classical music programs. Sacred Heart Church, located in affluent East Sacramento, is host to Schola Cantorum, an ensemble chorus that features a full season of performances, while also participating at Sunday liturgies at Sacred Heart. All Hallows Church, serving working class south-central Sacramento, is host to the nation's only parish-based full symphony orchestra, which presents a full range of performances each season. Sections of the orch {{Infobox Settlement|official_name = City of Sacramento, California|nicknames = River City, Sac|settlement_type = City|subdivision_name = [United States|subdivision_name1 = [California|subdivision_name2 = [Sacramento County, California|government_type =|leader_title = Mayor|established_date =|unit_pref = Imperial|area_magnitude = 1 E8|area_total_km2 = 257.0|area_total_sq_mi = 99.2|area_land_km2 = 251.6|area_land_sq_mi = 97.2|area_water_km2 = 5.4|area_water_sq_mi = 2.1|population_as_of = 2007|population_footnotes = |population_total = 467343 (city proper)|population_metro = 2103956|population_density_km2 = 1818|population_density_sq_mi = 4711|timezone = [Pacific Standard Time Zone|utc_offset = -8|timezone_DST = Pacific Daylight Time|utc_offset_DST = -7|latitude = 38°31'|longitude = -121°30'|latd = 38 |latm = 33 |lats = 20 |latNS = N|longd = 121 |longm = 28 |longs = 8 |longEW = W|elevation_m = 8|elevation_ft = 25|area_code = Area code 916|blank_name = Federal Information Processing Standard|blank_info = 06-64000|blank1_name = Geographic Names Information System feature ID|blank1_info = 1659564|footnotes =|website = http://www.cityofsacramento.org/-->Sacramento is the State capital of the State of California and the county seat of Sacramento County, California. Located in California's expansive California Central Valley, it is the seventh most populous city in California with a 2007 estimated population of 467,343. Sacramento is the core cultural and economic center of its four-county metropolitan area (El Dorado County, California, Placer County, California, Sacramento County, California, and Yolo County, California counties) with a combined population of 2,103,956. The Sacramento Metropolitan Area is the largest in the Central Valley, and is the fourth-largest in California, behind the Greater Los Angeles Area, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the San Diego area. Greater Sacramento has been cited as one of the five "most livable" regions in America, America's Most Livable: Greater Sacramento. America's Most Livable Communities. Retrieved on 2007-06-14. and the city was cited by Time magazine as America's most integrated.

Sacramento became a city due to the efforts of John Sutter, a Swiss immigrant, and James W. Marshall. There were settlers in the area before this time. The Dutch came in the 1820s. Sacramento grew faster due to the protection of Sutter's Fort, which was established by Sutter in 1839. During the California Gold Rush, Sacramento was a major distribution point, a Commerce and agricultural center, and a terminus for wagon trains, stagecoaches, riverboats, the Telegraphy, the Pony Express, and the First Transcontinental Railroad.

Typical of California informality, Sacramento is referred to by many nicknames. The most common names are Capital City, River City (after the Sacramento River and American River), and the City of Trees (due to Arbor Day recognition as a Tree City USA for 29 years). The nicknames most used by those living in Sacramento are Sac, Sactown, or Sacto. The area where Sacramento was originally developed is still in existence as a tourist venue, and is simply named Old Sacramento, or Old Sac.

California State University, Sacramento, more commonly known as Sacramento State or Sac State, is the major local university. It is one of the twenty-three campuses of the California State University system. Currently, many other universities have been proposed in the immediate metropolitan area.

History Indigenous culture Nisenan (Southern Maidu) and Plains Miwok Indians have lived in this area for perhaps thousands of years. Unlike the settlers who would eventually make Sacramento their home, these Indians left little evidence of their existence. Traditionally, their diet was dominated by acorns taken from the plentiful oak trees in the region, and by fruits, bulbs, seeds, and roots gathered throughout the year.

In either 1806 or 1808, the Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga "discovered" and named the Sacramento Valley and the Sacramento River after the Spanish language term for 'sacrament', specifically, after "the Most Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ", referring to the Roman Catholicism sacrament of the Eucharist.

From pioneers to gold fever The pioneer John Sutter arrived from Liestal, Switzerland in the Sacramento area with other settlers in August 1839 and established the trading colony and stockade Sutters Fort (as New Helvetia or "New Switzerland") in 1840. Sutter's Fort was constructed using labor from local Native American tribes. Sutter received 2,000 fruit trees in 1847, which started the agriculture industry in the Sacramento Valley. In 1848, when gold was discovered by James W. Marshall at Sutters Mill in Coloma, California (located some 50 miles, or 80 kilometers, northeast of the fort), a large number of gold-seekers came to the area, increasing the population. John Sutter, Jr. then planned the City of Sacramento, in association with Sam Brannan against the wishes of his father, naming the city after the Sacramento River for commercial reasons. He hired topographical engineer William H. Warner to draft the official layout of the city, which included 26 lettered and 31 numbered streets (today's grid from C St. to Broadway and from Front St. to Alhambra Blvd.). However, a bitterness grew between the elder Sutter and his son as Sacramento became an overnight commercial success (Sutter's Fort, Mill and the town of Sutterville, all founded by John Sutter, Sr., would eventually fail).

The part of Sacramento originally laid out by William Warner is situated just east and south of where the American River meets the Sacramento River (though over time it has grown to extend significantly north, south, and east of there). A number of directly adjacent towns, cities or unincorporated county suburbs, such as Fair Oaks, California, Carmichael, California, Citrus Heights, California, Elk Grove, California,Folsom, California, Rancho Cordova, California, Roseville, California, Rocklin, California, West Sacramento, California, Orangevale, California, and North Highlands, California extend the greater Sacramento area.

The citizens of Sacramento adopted a city charter in 1849, which was recognized by the state legislature in 1850. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, incorporated on February 27 1850. City of Sacramento Municipal Homepage During the early 1850s the Sacramento valley was devastated by floods, fires and cholera epidemics. Despite this, because of its position just downstream from the Mother Lode in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), the newly founded city grew, quickly reaching a population of 10,000.

Capital city

The California State Legislature, with the support of Governor John Bigler, named Sacramento as the permanent home of the state capital in 1854 by law, but the city did not physically hold that honor until January 1 1855. Previously, the capital was located in Monterey, California, San Jose, California, Vallejo, California, and Benicia, California successively.

Begun in 1860 to be reminiscent of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, the Renaissance Revival style California State Capitol was completed in 1874. The legislative chambers were first occupied in 1869 while construction continued. From 1862-1868, part of the Leland Stanford Mansion was used for the governor's offices.

With its new status and strategic location, Sacramento quickly prospered and became the western end of the Pony Express, and later the First Transcontinental Railroad (which began construction in Sacramento in 1863 and was financed by "The Big Four" — Mark Hopkins, Charles Crocker, Collis P. Huntington, and Leland Stanford) Leland Stanford was the man who hammered in the last (golden) spike into the transcontinental railroad.

, a landmark of Sacramento.

The same rivers that earlier brought death and destruction began to provide increasing levels of transportation and commerce. Both the American and especially Sacramento rivers would be key elements in the economic success of the city. In fact, Sacramento effectively controlled commerce on these rivers, and public works projects were funded though taxes levied on goods unloaded from boats and loaded onto rail cars in the historic Sacramento Rail Yards.

In an effort to control the flooding the Sacramentans raised the level of the city by landfill. Thus the previous first floors of buildings became the basements, which were later connected by tunnels under the streets of Old Sacramento. The tunnels became a network of opium dens, which were also eventually filled in.

Now both rivers are used extensively for water sports. The American River is a 5-mph (8-km/h) waterway for all power boats (including jet-ski and similar craft) (Source Sacramento County Parks & Recreation) and has become an international attraction for rafting and kayakers. The Sacramento River sees many boaters, who can make day trips to nearby sloughs or continue along the Delta to the San Francisco Bay Area and San Francisco, California. The Delta King, a paddlewheel steamboat which for eighteen months lay on the bottom of the San Francisco Bay, was refurbished and is now a hotel and restaurant.

The modern era The city's current charter was adopted by voters in 1920, establishing a city council-manager government form of government, still used today. As a charter city, Sacramento is exempt from many laws and regulations passed by the California State Legislature. The city has expanded continuously over the years. The 1964 merger of the City of North Sacramento with Sacramento substantially increased its population, and large annexations of the Natomas, Sacramento, California area eventually led to significant population growth with the housing boom of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

Sacramento City and County (along with a portion of adjacent Placer County, California) are served by a customer-owned electric utility, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). Sacramento voters approved the creation of SMUD in 1923. In April, 1946, after 12 years of litigation, a judge ordered Pacific Gas and Electric Company to transfer title of Sacramento's electric distribution system to SMUD. SMUD today is the sixth-largest public electric utility in the U.S., and has a worldwide reputation for innovative programs and services, including the development of clean fuel resources, such as solar energy.



The Sacramento-Yolo Port District was created in 1947, and ground was broken on the Port of Sacramento in 1949. On June 29 1963, with 5,000 spectators waiting to welcome her, the Motor Vessel Taipei Victory arrived. The port was open for business. The Nationalist Chinese flag ship, freshly painted for the historic event, was loaded with 5,000 tons of bagged rice for Mitsui Trading Co. bound for Okinawa and 1,000 tons of logs for Japan. She was the first ocean-going vessel in Sacramento since the steamship Harpoon in 1934. The Port of Sacramento has been plagued with operating losses in recent years and faces bankruptcy. As of 2006, the city of West Sacramento, California will take full responsibility for the Port of Sacramento. This severe loss in business is due to the heavy competition from the Port of Stockton, which has a larger facility and a deeper channel.

In 1967, Governor Ronald Reagan became the last Governor of California to live permanently in the city. A new executive mansion, constructed by private funds in a Sacramento suburb for Reagan, remained vacant for nearly forty years and was recently sold by the state.

The 1980s and 1990s saw the closure of several local military bases: McClellan Air Force Base, Mather Air Force Base, and Sacramento Army Depot. As a result, the U.S. armed forces have little military presence in the city except for recruiting offices.

In the early 1990s, Mayor Joe Serna attempted to lure the Los Angeles Raiders football team to Sacramento, selling $50 million in bonds as earnest money. When the deal fell through, the bond proceeds were used to construct several large projects, including expanding the Convention Center and refurbishing of the Memorial Auditorium. Serna renamed a city park for controversial farm labor organizer César Chávez. Through his effort, Sacramento became the first major city in the country to have a paid municipal holiday honoring Chavez.

In spite of major military base closures and the decline of agricultural food processing, Sacramento continued to experience massive population growth in the 1990s and early 2000s. Primary sources of population growth are people migrating from the San Francisco Bay Area seeking lower housing costs, as well as immigration from Asia, Central America, Mexico, Ukraine, and the rest of the former Soviet Union. From 1990 to 2000, the population grew 14.7%. The Census Bureau estimates that in four years (2000-2004), the population of Sacramento County, California increased from 1,223,499 to 1,352,445.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Mayor Heather Fargo made several abortive attempts to provide taxpayer financing of a new sports arena for the Maloof family brothers, owners of the Sacramento Kings National Basketball Association Basketball franchise. In November 2006, Sacramento voters soundly defeated a proposed sales tax hike to finance this, due in part to competing plans for the new arena and its location.


Despite a devolution of state government in recent years, the state of California remains by far Sacramento's largest employer. The City of Sacramento expends considerable effort to keep state agencies from moving outside the city limits. In addition, many federal agencies have offices in Sacramento.

The California Supreme Court normally sits in San Francisco, California.

Geography and climate Geography

• Elevation: 25 feet (8 m) above mean sea level.
• Latitude: 38° 31' N; Longitude: -121° 30' W

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 257.0 square kilometre (99.2 square mile). 251.6 km² (97.2 mi²) of it is land and 5.4 km² (2.1 mi²) of it is water; 2.1% of the area is water. The population in United States 2000 census was 407,018; the 1980 population was 275,741. The city's current estimated population is approximately 454,330. Depth to groundwater is typically about . Much of the land to the west of the city (in Yolo County, California) is a flood control basin. As a result, the greater metropolitan area sprawls only four miles (6 km) west of downtown (as West Sacramento, California) but 30 miles (50 km) northeast and east, into the Sierra Nevada (U.S.) foothills, and 10 miles (16 km) to the south into valley farmland.

The city is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River, and has a deepwater port connected to the San Francisco Bay by a channel through the Sacramento River Delta. It is the shipping and Rail transport center for the Sacramento Valley, fruit, vegetables, rice, wheat, dairy goods, and beef. Food processing is among the major industries in the area.

Climate Sacramento has a Mediterranean climate that is characterized by mild winters and dry, hot summers (Koppen climate classification Csa). The area usually has low humidity. Rain typically falls only between November and March, with the rainy season tapering off almost completely by the end of April. The average temperature throughout the year is 61 °F (16 °C), with the daily average ranging from 46 °F (8 °C) in December and January to 76 °F (24 °C). Average daily high temperatures range from 53 °F (12 °C) in December and January to 93 °F (34 °C) in July (with many days of over 100 °F (38 °C) highs). Daily low temperatures range from 38 to 58 °F (3 to 14 °C). The average year has 73 days with a high over 90 °F (32 °C), with the highest temperature on record being 115 °F (46 °C) on July 25, 2006, and 18 days when the low drops below 32 °F (0 °C), with the coldest day on record being December 11, 1932, at 17 °F (-8 °C).

Average yearly precipitation is 17.4" (442 mm), with almost no rain during the summer months, to an average rainfall of 3.7" (94 mm) in January. It rains, on average, 58 days of the year. In February 1992, Sacramento had 16 consecutive days of rain (6.41" or 163 mm). A record 7.24" (184 mm) of rain fell on April 20 1880.

On average, 96 days in the year have fog, mostly in the morning (tule fog), primarily in December and January. The fog can get extremely dense, lowering visibility to less than 100 feet (30 m) and making driving conditions hazardous.

The record snowfall was recorded on January 4 1888, at 9 cm (3.5 in). Snowfall is rare in Sacramento (with an elevation of only 52 feet or 16 m above sea level), with a dusting of snow every eight to ten years. Forty miles (65 km) east of Sacramento, in the foothills, snow accumulation is an annual occurrence. Further east, the Lake Tahoe recreation area is home to a number of world famous ski areas which have accumulation greater than 90" (230 cm) nearly every year during the peak season. Spots in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.) mountains east of Sacramento annually receive some of the greatest snowfall in the lower 48 states, and the mountain range's immense snowpack is a vital source of water for the entire state of California.

{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;"|Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | Month! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Rec High °F| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 70| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 76| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 88| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 95| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 105| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 115| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 114| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 110| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 108| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 104| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 87| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 72|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Norm High °F| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 53.8| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 60.5| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64.7| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71.4| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 87.4| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92.4| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91.4| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 87.5| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78.2| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63.7| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 53.9|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Norm Low °F| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 38.8| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 41.9| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 44.2| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46.3| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 50.9| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 55.5| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58.3| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58.1| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 55.8| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 50.6| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 42.8| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 37.7|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Rec Low °F| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 23| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 23| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 26| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 31| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 41| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 48| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 43| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 26| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 18|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Precip (in)| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 3.84| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 3.54| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 2.8| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 1.02| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.53| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.2| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.05| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.06| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.36| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.89| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 2.19| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 2.45|-| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|Source: USTravelWeather.com Sacramento Weather. U.S. Travel Weather. Retrieved on 2007-06-15.|}

City Neighborhoods The city groups its neighborhoods into four areas:

Area One (Central/Eastern) Alkali Flat, Boulevard Park, Campus Commons, California State University, Sacramento, Dos Rios Triangle, Downtown, Sacramento, California, East Sacramento, Sacramento, California, Mansion Flats, Marshall School, Midtown Sacramento, New Era Park, Sacramento, California, Newton Booth, Old Sacramento State Historic Park, Poverty Ridge, Richards, Richmond Grove, River Park, Sierra Oaks, Sacramento, California, Southside Park.

Area Two (Southwestern) Airport, Freeport Manor, Golf Course Terrace, Greenhaven, Land Park, Little Pocket, Mangan Park, Meadowview, Sacramento, California, Parkway, Pocket-Greenhaven, Sacramento, California, Sacramento City College, Land Park, Sacramento, California, Valley Hi / North Laguna, Z'Berg Park

Area Three (Southeastern) Alhambra Triangle, Avondale, Brentwood, Carleton Tract, College/Glen, Colonial Heights, Colonial Village, Colonial Village North, Curtis Park, Sacramento, California, Elmhurst, Sacramento, California, Fairgrounds, Florin-Fruitridge, Industrial Park, Fruitridge Manor, Glen Elder, Granite Regional Park, Hollywood Park, Lawrence Park, Med Center, North City Farms, Oak Park, Sacramento, California, Packard Bell, South City Farms, Southeast Village, Tahoe Park, Tahoe Park East, Tahoe Park South, Tallac Village, Woodbine

Area Four (North of the American River) Natomas, Sacramento, California (north, south, west), Valley View Acres, Sacramento, California, Gardenland, Northgate, Woodlake, North Sacramento, Terrace Manor, Hagginwood, Del Paso Heights, Sacramento, California, Robla, Sacramento, California, McClellan Heights West, Ben Ali, Sacramento, California, and Swanston Estates.

Unincorporated Neighborhoods Antelope, California Antelope is an unincorporated area located approximately northeast of downtown Sacramento. Established in the mid-1800s by Chinese immigrants who worked for the railroad, Antelope began as, and remains, a Commuter town. By 1973, Antelope still consisted of little more than a general store and a half-dozen homes. As the surrounding areas grew in the 1980s and 1990s, so did Antelope. By 1993 the residents of the area voted to be recognized as a community by the county and with their own ZIP code (95843) which became effective July 1, 1994. By the 2000 Census the population had grown to more than 36,000.

Arden-Arcade, California Arden Arcade is an affluent community immediately east of the city of Sacramento and north of the American River. It is home to over 90,000 people and boasts 42,987 households, 55% of which are family households. It is located only minutes from downtown and offers many shopping and entertainment venues. There are over 2,000 businesses in the area, employing over 40,000 people. Access to out doors recreation is also nearby because Arden is bordered by the American River Parkway, a 26-mile (42-kilometer) hike and bike trail that follows the American River to Folsom Lake. Golf, swimming and city parks are also close by.

Carmichael, California Carmichael is located northeast of downtown Sacramento and is a historic community that dates back to the early 1900s. It was founded by Dan Carmichael, who was mayor of Sacramento in 1917-1919. Some of the remaining signs of the early Carmichael days are the palm trees along Palm Drive, planted around 1913. The current population is 49,742; there are 20,631 total households, 64% are family households, and the median age is 40. Carmichael is home to the beautiful Ancil Hoffman Park which houses the 77 acre Effie Yeaw Nature Center, a sprawling pristine nature preserve along the banks of the American River. Golf can also be played in the park under the shade of native oaks trees.

Fair Oaks, California Fair Oaks, located east of downtown Sacramento and, with a population of 28,808, is an affluent, well-established community. It consists of suburban and semi-rural neighborhoods. The area is home to rolling hills and numerous native oaks that add to the area's quality of life. The views of the American River bluffs and nearby Nimbus Hatchery and Folsom Dam add to the distinctive character of Fair Oaks.

Fair Oaks’ uniqueness also stems from its existing business core and town center, known as the Fair Oaks Village. The village is home to narrow winding roads, rolling hills, an open-air amphitheatre, and a historic plaza of historic buildings full of unique galleries and shops. The Village has a charming small town atmosphere. The Plaza Park Amphitheatre, located in the Village, is the main site of the Fair Oaks Theatre Festival, one of the many outdoor community theatres in the area. Fair Oaks Village is also the site of the annual Fiesta Days, an event celebrating the residents of Fair Oaks.

Gold River, California Gold River is an affluent suburb east of downtown Sacramento that is often mistakenly considered part of Rancho Cordova, California, an incorporated city in Sacramento County, California. The population was 8,023 at the 2000 census. The Gold River Community Association is the master association for the 25 separate "villages" that make up the community. Each village has its own sub associations as well.

La Riviera, California La Riviera is a suburban community, east of downtown Sacramento. The population was 10,273 at the 2000 census. La Riviera is a primarily residential neighborhood located between the American River and Highway 50. It's popular place to live for college students attending California State University Sacramento, or CSUS. The community is sub-divided by La Riviera Drive into the areas of College Greens and Glenbrook.

Rio Linda, California Rio Linda, Spanish for "Beautiful River", is a community located north of Sacramento city and is home to over 10,000 people. There are approximately 3,500 households, 77% of which are family households and the median age is 34. This rural working-class community offers an escape from the busy city life. Rio Linda/Elverta has its roots as a small farming community established in the early 1900s. The Gibson Ranch and Cherry Island Gold Course are a couple of the places this area offers for horseback riding and outdoor recreation.

North Highlands, California North Highlands is a community of 44,000 residents that is located approximately northeast of downtown Sacramento. The community was formally established with the opening of the North Highlands post office in July of 1952 and this unincorporated area grew with the development of the McClellan Air Force Base. North Highlands is mostly a middle-class residential housing area. With some commercial and industrial regions around the McClellan Air Force Base, now a civilian airport, called McClellan Business Park.

Vineyard, California Vineyard is a new suburban neighborhood in Sacramento County approximately southeast of downtown Sacramento. The population was 10,109 at the 2000 census, however, plans have been announced to add as many as 20,000 new homes to Vineyard. This could add as many as 60,000 new people to the area. Along with the houses would come new shopping centers, parks, and schools. However, some have been critical of the expansion and one California State University, Sacramento professor referred to it as "car-oriented sprawl development." However, there are plans to extend some sort of public transportation to Vineyard and to build around the train tracks that go through the town.

Demographics {| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left:3px; text-size:80%; text-align:right"|align=center colspan=2| Sacramento
Population by year|-|1860 || 13,785|-|1870 || 16,283|-|1880 || 21,420|-|1890-1910 || N/A|-|1920 || 65,908|-|1930 || 93,750|-|1940 || 105,958|-|1950 || 137,572|-|1960 || 191,667|-|1970 || 254,413|-|1980 || 275,741|-|1990 || 369,365|-|2000 || 407,018|-|2007 || 467,343|}As of the census of 2000, there are 407,018 people (2004 Est. 454,330), 154,581 households, and 91,202 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,617.4/km² (4,189.2/mi²). There are 163,957 housing units at an average density of 651.5/km² (1,687.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 48.29% White (U.S. Census), 15.47% African American (U.S. Census), 1.30% Native American (U.S. Census), 16.62% Asian (U.S. Census), 0.95% Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), 10.96% from Race (U.S. Census), and 6.41% from two or more races. 21.61% of the population are Hispanic (U.S. Census) or Latino (U.S. Census) of any race.

There are 154,581 households out of which 30.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% are Marriage living together, 15.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% are non-families. 32.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.57 and the average family size is 3.35.

Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento in Cathedral Square, Downtown.In the city the population is spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $37,049, and the median income for a family is $42,051. Males have a median income of $35,946 versus $31,318 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,721. 20.0% of the population and 15.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 29.5% of those under the age of 18 and 9.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Factors such as mild climate, a location at the crossroads of major interstate highways and railroads, and the availability of campsites along the rivers, as well as an outlook of tolerance, attract some homeless people.

Sacramento is notably diverse racially, ethnically, and by household income, and has a notable lack of inter-racial disharmony. In 2002, Time (magazine) magazine (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,340694,00.html) and the The Civil Rights Project of Harvard University identified Sacramento as the most racially/ethnically integrated major city in America.Stodghill, Ron; Bower, Amanda (2002-08-25). Welcome to America's Most Diverse City. Time. Retrieved on 2007-06-15. The U.S. Census Bureau also groups Sacramento with other U.S. cities having a "High Diversity" rating of the diversity index. The Geography of U.S. Diversity (PDF). United States Census. Retrieved on 2007-06-15.

Education Colleges and universities Sacramento is home to California State University, Sacramento, founded as Sacramento State College in 1947. In 2004, enrollment was 22,555 undergraduates and 5,417 graduate students in the university's eight colleges. The university's mascot is the hornet, and the school colors are green and gold. The 300 acre (1.2 km²) campus is located along the American River Parkway a few miles east of downtown. A satellite campus of Alliant International University also serves the city with a number of graduate programs.

Sacramento is home to an unaccredited private institution, University of Sacramento, a Roman Catholic university run by the Legionaries of Christ. Currently, the university offers course work in graduate programs. Nearby Rocklin, CA is home to William Jessup University, an evangelical Christian college.

The University of California has a campus, UC Davis, in nearby Davis, CA and also has a graduate center in downtown Sacramento. The UC Davis Graduate School of Management (GSM) is located in downtown Sacramento on One Capital Mall. Many students, about 400 out of 517, at the UC Davis GSM are working professionals and are completing their MBA part-time. Overall, there are about 517 MBA students enrolled in the program. The part-time program is ranked in the top-20 and is well known for its small class size, world class faculty, and involvement in the business community. UC also maitains the Unversity of California Sacramento Center (UCCS for undergaduate and graduate studies. Similar to the UC's Washington DC program, "Scholar Interns" engage in both academic studies and as well as internships, often with the state government.

Also, the UC Davis School of Medicine is located at the UC Davis Medical Center in Oak Park.

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, a top 100 law school according to U.S. News and World Report's annual rankings of U.S. law schools (2006, 2007 & 2008), is located in the Oak Park section of Sacramento.

The private campus of the University of Southern California has an extension in downtown Sacramento, called the State Capital Center. The campus, taught by main campus professors, Sacramento-based professors, and practioners in the State Capitol and state agencies, offers Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Health degrees.

The Los Rios Community College District consists of several Community college in the Sacramento area – American River College, Cosumnes River College, Sacramento City College, Folsom Lake College, plus a large number of outreach centers for those colleges.

Sacramento has a number of private Vocational education as well.

In the PBS KVIE building, there is also an extension of San Francisco, California's Golden Gate University.

Public schools Several public school districts serve Sacramento. Sacramento City Unified School District serves most of Sacramento. Other portions are served by the Center Unified School District, Natomas Unified School District, San Juan Unified School District, Grant Joint Union High School District, Rio Linda Union School District, North Sacramento Elementary School District, Del Paso Heights School District, and Robla School District.

The Valley Hi/North Laguna area is served by the Elk Grove Unified School District, despite being in the city limits of Sacramento and not in Elk Grove.

Private schools Shalom School is the only Jewish day school in Sacramento.

Continuing an educational history that began in the Sacramento region at the time of the Gold Rush, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento operates 1 diocesan high school within the city and surrounding suburbs, St. Francis High School (Sacramento, California). Various Roman Catholic religious congregations operate four additional Catholic "private" (i.e., non-diocesan) high schools in the city and suburbs: Loretto High School (sponsored by the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Christian Brothers High School (Sacramento, California) (sponsored by the Brothers of Christian Schools), Jesuit High School (the Society of Jesus, or "Jesuits"), and, as of the Fall of 2006, Cristo Rey High School Sacramento (co-sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the Sisters of Mercy, and the Jesuits). Sacramento is one of 12 cities in the United States with a Cristo Rey Network High School, the first of which was founded by the Jesuits in Chicago in 1996 on a reduced tuition model designed to be accessible to those otherwise unable to afford conventionally-priced private education.

Additionally within the city and surrounding suburbs are 30 "parochial" schools - i.e., schools attached to a parish. These range from the oldest still operating, St. Francis of Assisi Grammar School (1895), to the newest, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (2000), to the recently consolidated, John Paul II School (2005), combining All Hallows (1948) and St. Peter (1955) Schools at the All Hallows Parish site.

In 1857, almost immediately upon their arrival from Ireland, the Sisters of Mercy opened the first school of any kind in Sacramento. Open to all regardless of religious denomination, St. Joseph Academy continued operation through the late 1960s. The final school site is now a city of Sacramento parking garage. The "St. Joseph Garage" honors the name of the school that marked the arrival of formal education in Sacramento.

While Catholic institutions still dominate the independent school scene in the Sacramento area, in 1964, Sacramento Country Day School opened and offered Sacramentans an independent school that is affiliated with the California Association of Independent Schools. SCDS has grown to its present day status as a learning community for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

There is one Islamic school in Sacramento, founded in 1998.

Culture and Arts The primary newspaper is The Sacramento Bee, founded in 1857 by James McClatchy. Its rival, the Sacramento Union, started publishing six years earlier in 1851. It closed its doors in 1994. Writer and journalist Mark Twain wrote for the Union in 1866. In late 2004, a new Sacramento Union returned with bimonthly magazines and in May 2005 began monthly publication, but does not intend to return as a daily newspaper. In 2006, The McClatchy Company purchased Knight Ridder Inc. to become the second-largest newspaper publisher in the United States. The Sacramento Bee has won five Pulitzer Prizes in its history. It has won numerous other awards, including many for its progressive public service campaigns promoting free speech (the Bee often criticized government policy, and uncovered many scandals hurting Californians), anti-racism (the Bee supported the Union during the American Civil War and publicly denounced the Ku Klux Klan), worker's rights (the Bee has a strong history of supporting unionization), and environmental protection (leading numerous tree-planting campaigns and fighting against environmental destruction in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.)). A full list of recent major awards won by the Bee can be found here.



The oldest part of the town besides Sutter's Fort is Old Sacramento State Historic Park, which consists of cobbled streets and some historic buildings, some from the 1860s. Buildings have been preserved, restored or reconstructed, and the district is now a substantial tourist attraction, with rides on steam-hauled historic trains and paddle steamers.

The "Big Four Building", built in 1852, was home to the offices of Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, and Charles Crocker. The Central Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad were founded there. The original building was destroyed in 1963 for the construction of Interstate 5, but was re-created using original elements in 1965. It is now a National Historic Landmark. Also of historic interest is the Eagle Theatre, a reconstruction of California's first permanent theatre in its original location.


Theatre Arts


There are several major theatre venues for Sacramento. The Sacramento Convention Center governs both the Community Center Theatre and Memorial Auditorium (Sacramento). The Wells Fargo Pavilion is the most recent addition. It is built atop the old Music Circus tent foundations. Next to that, is the McClatchy Main stage, originally built as a television studio, it was renovated at the same time the pavilion was built. It is the smallest of the venues providing seating for only 300. The The Sacramento Ballet, Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra and the Sacramento Opera perform at the Community Center Theatre.

There are several Theatre companies with professional stature. California Musical Theatre and its Summer stock theatre, Music circus bring many directors and performers from New York and the Los Angeles area to work and perform in their productions at the Wells Fargo Pavilion. During the fall, winter and spring seasons Broadway Sacramento brings bus and truck tours to the Convention Center Theatre. The Sacramento Theatre Company provides non-musical productions of high quality as an Equity House Theatre, performing in the McClatchy Main stage. At the Street Theatre, smaller and more intimate professional productions are performed as well as a children's theatre. The Sacramento Shakespeare Festival provides entertainment under the stars every summer in William Land Park.

The Sacramento area has one of the largest collection of smaller Community Theatres in California. Some of these include, the 24th Street Theatre, River City Theatre Company, Runaway Stage Productions, Magic Circle Theatre, Big Idea Theatre, Celebration Arts, Lambda Player, Synergy Stage and the historic Eagle Theatre. Many of these theatres compete annually for the Elly Awards overseen by The Sacramento Area Regional Theatre Alliance or SARTA.

On Wednesday June 13, 2007 a new studio for the performing arts was announced to be built along side the Sacramento Theatre company and the Wells Fargo Pavilion. The new multi million dollar complex will be named "The E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts" and will provide rehearsal space for 4 of the regions principal arts groups, the Sacramento Ballet, California Musical Theatre, Sacramento Opera and the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, centralizing most of the city's Arts organizations.


Visual ArtsThe Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission is an organization which was established as the Sacramento arts council in 1977 to provide several arts programs for the city. These include Art in Public Places, Arts Education, Grants and Cultural Programs, Poet Laureate Program, Arts Stabilization Programs and Other Resources and opportunities.

Sacramento Second Saturday Art Walk is a program of local art galleries that stay open into the late evenings every second Saturday of each month providing a unique experience for the local population as well as tourists to view original art and meet the artists themselves.


MuseumsSacramento has several major museums. The Crocker Art Museum, the oldest public art museum west of the Mississippi River is one of the finest. On July 26th, 2007 the Museum broke ground for an expansion that will more than triple the buildings floor space. The Modern architecture will be much different from the Victorian style building it is added to. Construction is to be completed by 2010.

Also of interest is the Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park, a large Victorian Mansion which was home to 13 of California's Governors. The Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park, which was completely restored in 2006, serves as the State’s official address for diplomatic and business receptions. Guided public tours are available. The California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts, home of the California Hall of Fame, is a cultural destination dedicated to telling the rich history of California and its unique influence on the world of ideas, innovation, art and culture. The Museum educates tens of thousands of school children through inspiring programs, sharing with world visitors California's rich art, history and cultural legacy through dynamic exhibits, and serving as a public forum and international meeting place. The California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento has historical exhibits and live steam locomotives that patrons may ride.


MusicThe area is home to many local rock bands that aspire to bigger things. Many have broken through to mainstream popularity. Each year the city hosts the Sammies, the Sacramento Music Awards. Sacramento also has a reputation as a center for Dixieland jazz, because of the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee which is held every Memorial Day weekend. Events and performances are held in multiple locations throughout the city. Each year thousands of jazz fans from all over the world visit for this one weekend. Sacramento is also home to the Sacramento French Film Festival, a cultural event held every year in July that features U.S. premiers of French films and classic masterpieces of French cinema. In addition, Sacramento is home to the Trash Film Orgy, a summer film festival celebrating the absurd, B-movies, horror, monster, exploitation.

Classical music is widely available in usual and unusual venues. The Sacramento Philharmonic, the Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra, the Sacramento Youth Symphony, and the Camellia Symphony each present a full season of concerts. Two local churches feature unusually sophisticated classical music programs. Sacred Heart Church, located in affluent East Sacramento, is host to Schola Cantorum, an ensemble chorus that features a full season of performances, while also participating at Sunday liturgies at Sacred Heart. All Hallows Church, serving working class south-central Sacramento, is host to the nation's only parish-based full symphony orchestra, which presents a full range of performances each season. Sections of the orch

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