Sutter's Fort

Sutter's Fort
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
California Historical Landmark
Sutter's Fort, 1840s illustration
Location within Sacramento, California Location within California Location within the United States
Location	2701 L Street Sacramento, California
Coordinates	38°34′20.9″N 121°28′16.4″W
NRHP reference No.	66000221
CHISL No.	745 & 591
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966

Sutter's Fort flag, c. 1839–1848

Sutter's Fort interior

Sutter's Fort lone star flag, c. 1846

Sutter's Fort was a 19th-century agricultural and trade colony in the Mexican Alta California province. Established in 1839, the site of the fort was originally part of a utopian colonial project called New Helvetia (New Switzerland) by its builder John Sutter, though construction of the fort proper would not begin until 1841. The fort was the first non-Indigenous community in the California Central Valley, and saw grave mistreatment of Indigenous laborers in plantation or feudal style conditions. The fort is famous for its association with the Donner Party, the California gold rush, and the formation of the city of Sacramento, surrounding the fort. It is notable for its proximity to the end of the California and Siskiyou Trails, which it served as a waystation.

In modern times, the adobe structure has been restored to its original condition and is now administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961.