Sacramento, California
If you’re looking for a sunny life, moving to Sacramento may be a great idea for you. Located at the confluence of the American River and the Sacramento River, this beautiful city is one of the sunniest places in the nation. Rain typically falls for just 58 days between November and March with a few light showers in April. Residents cite the weather as one of the most important reasons for relocating to Sacramento.
What else keeps the Sacramento moving companies busy? The quality of life in Sacramento is sometimes rated as one of the highest in the country. In 2008, Kiplinger Magazine rated it as one of the top 10 “Best Cities to Live, Work and Play.” The city has taken care to maintain its historic charm, particularly in the Old Sacramento Historic District, but Sacramento also has a modern side. Its Midtown Grid offers shopping and family fun, and the city also caters to sports enthusiasts with its NBA and WNBA basketball teams (the Kings and Monarchs) and its AAA baseball team (the Rivercats).
Economy:
Sacramento is the capital city of California, which led to the State of California becoming the city’s largest employer. The largest state agencies include the Child Abuse Prevention Office, the Employment Development Department, the Education Department, the state’s Environmental Protection Agency, the Social Services Department and the Corrections Department.
Other large industries in Sacramento include chemical manufacturing, computer system design and hospitals.
History:
John Sutter arrived at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers in 1839, when the area was still under the governance of Mexico. He had a Mexican land grant which he used to establish Sutter’s Fort. The fort slowly grew to become the area’s trading center, but it really took off when settlers from the United States began moving cross-country to take part in the California Gold Rush.
Seeing an opportunity, a merchant named Sam Brennan opened a store on the waterfront of the Sacramento River, a short distance from the fort. Due to its location near the river, the town was subjected to several severe floods. It was also razed by devastating fires. In 1862, after three catastrophic floods, the citizens of the town organized to haul tons of dirt into the area and raise the town’s street level above the flood line.
As the new commercial district of Sacramento became the center of activity, the area known as Sutter’s Fort (or Old Sacramento) degenerated into one of the highest-crime areas west of Chicago. In the 1960s, the town began a revitalization of Old Sacramento, reconstructing the old building facades and turning Old Sacramento into a prime tourist attraction.
Tourism:
As mentioned above, Old Sacramento is one of the most beautiful, most historic parts of Sacramento. Visitors can take part in a wide variety of activities, including tours of the westernmost Pony Express office, three theaters and twelve museums.
History buffs will enjoy tours of Sacramento’s Underground, which offers glimpses into the city that was covered up when the street level was raised in 1862. The guides and docents on the tours dress in period costumes and offer entertaining stories about the half-buried windows, doors and alleyways. The city also offers a Riverboat Casino Night, in which tourists can buy tickets to gamble and attend a live auction on the historic Hornblower Empress.
Colleges/Universities:
• The Art Institute of California—Sacramento Campus
• American River College
• Sacramento City College
• Sierra College
• California State University—Sacramento Campus
• University of the Pacific—McGeorge School of Law
Interesting Facts:
• The origins of the name of Sacramento (and the river it was named after) are uncertain. The most likely answer is that explorer Gabriel Moraga found the river during his explorations and named it for the Blessed Sacrament of the Catholic religion.
• Sacramento’s first baseball team was called the Solons. The children of Sacramento loved the team and were notorious for sneaking out of school and watching the games through the knotholes in the board fence at the back of the team’s field. To prevent this, the schools cut a deal with the team managers to issue passes for “The Knothole Gang,” which allowed the children to sit in the upper level after the third inning (which was when school let out).
Helpful Links:
• Sacramento Real Estate
• Sacramento Dental Offices
• Sacramento Insurance
• Sacramento Moving Guide