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Sacramento

City in California, United StatesSacramento lies inland in Northern California, in the Sacramento Valley where the American River flows into the Sacramento River. A ship channel through the river delta connects it to San Francisco Bay.

What it's known for

Sacramento has been California's capital since 1854, and its State Capitol building was completed in 1874. The city grew fast in the Gold Rush that began in 1848, and it became the western end of the Pony Express and an end point of the first transcontinental railroad.

Fun facts

  1. In 1808 the Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga named the river and valley after the 'Most Holy Sacrament', and the city later took its name from the river.
  2. The city grew from Sutter's Fort, built by John Sutter in 1839; his son, John Sutter Jr., began laying out the streets in 1848.
  3. Sacramento is known as the 'City of Trees' because of its large urban forest.

Finding it on the globe

Start at San Francisco Bay and go about 120 km inland to the northeast: Sacramento is where the American and Sacramento rivers meet.

Easy to mix up

Many players tap Los Angeles or San Francisco on the coast, but California's capital is Sacramento, inland.

Sources: Wikipedia: Sacramento, California, Wikipedia: Los Angeles