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What Sacramento, CA looked like in the 1860s

As the American Civil War began in 1861, Sacramento was strongly pro-Union, although the Confederate States of America also had active supporters there. Sacramento’s population was alarmed when Union forces stationed within the city were drawn eastward for battle in anticipation of an invasion by Confederate forces stationed in Texas. Consequently, volunteers formed military defense forces to counter a possible invasion. Sacramento adopted the Pony Express in 1860 to replace the inefficient ocean-based letter delivery system around Cape Horn in South America. The Great Plains were the first cross-continental communication route and connected California with the east. The Pony Express lasted only 18 months and was rendered obsolete when the First Transcontinental Telegraph arrived. The telegraph lines on the other side of the continent were connected to Sacramento by 1861.

The devastating floods of December 1861 and January 1862 threatened the future of the city. Sacramento residents agreed that additional levee construction was necessary to resolve the issue. Nevertheless, the city was divided between those who supported only a slight grading to raise the city off the crests of the rivers and those who supported substantial grading for basements in the city. After the election of 1863, the level of grading in the city became a primary factor; candidates that supported high-level grading won, and high-level grading renovations began.

In 1865, the burgeoning company acquired the Sacramento Valley Railroad, and in 1867, the Western Pacific Railroad was incorporated to connect Sacramento to Stockton. Due to the joint efforts of the two railroad companies, the Yolo-Sacramento Bridge was built, the first bridge across the Sacramento River.

Here are some stunning historical photos that show Sacramento, California in the 1860s.

#1 Construction of the Sacramento River waterfront near I Street, 1864.

Construction of the Sacramento River waterfront near I Street, 1864.

The old grade of the levee, sloping toward the Sacramento River is just visible below the boardwalk. Sacramento’s first bridge across the Sacramento River, which opened in 1858, also can be seen extending across the river to Yolo County.

#2 Locomotive No. 162 on tracks at foot of U Street in Sacramento, 1869

#5 The Railroad Depots on the Levee, Sacramento City, 1866

#6 A Central Pacific Railroad train of the Dry Creek Bridge, located 17 miles east of Sacramento, 1865

#7 View of K Street looking west from 6th Street in Sacramento, 1868

#8 The Levee Sacramento 1866. The photo shows boats, railroad tracks with train, and men seated on boat in foreground.

#11 Sacramento from the top of the incomplete California State Capitol building while construction, 1867

#12 Sacramento Bee Building, 1860

Sacramento Bee Building, 1860

The Sacramento Bee was founded as The Daily Bee in 1857. It is the longest-running and most widely circulated newspaper in the Sacramento area.

#19 K Street, Sacramento, 1868

K Street, Sacramento, 1868

View looking down K Street from the Masonic Hall in Sacramento. The Golden Eagle hotel and a church are seen on the left. Toll's Stable is seen on the right.

#22 Old Sacramento street scene Wells Fargo Express Office 1863 Post Office Union Hotel Sacramento.

#23 Antelope Ridge, near New Castle, 30 miles from Sacramento. Alfred Hart image, Golden State Photographic Gallery, Sacramento, 1860s.

#24 View looking north on Front Street from L Street; shows Central Pacific freight shed, 1869

View looking north on Front Street from L Street; shows Central Pacific freight shed, 1869

The photos shows locomotive and freight cars at left, Adams, Mc. Neill and Co. store and railroad freight cars at right; three men in the street.

#25 The Government Stanford” engine in Sacramento, 1864

#26 Steamer “Chin Du Wan” docked on the Sacramento River, 1860

#27 The Levee at Sacramento, from the deck of the steamer Capital, 1866

#28 The second Sacramento County Courthouse being raised during the street raising project of the 1860s.

#29 American River Bridge, 3 miles from Sacramento, 1860s

#32 The Central Pacific snowsheds at Black Butte, near Cisco in 1867. It took three years to build the sheds.

#34 Ceremonies at the completion of the transcontintental railroad, 1869

#37 Store front on J Street with a men and a small boy posing in front of the store, 1868

#38 Union Boy cannon and Army crew in Plaza Park 1868.

#40 Cityscape of Sacramento taken from the state capitol building under construction. Taken from the Capitol Building. 10th street L to M street, looking West, 1868

#43 Flood of 1862, Sacramento, J Street looking east from levee.

#46 Tangent below Pino, 23 miles from Sacramento, 1860s

#47 Building Trestle at New Castle, Placer County.1860s,

#50 Heath’s Ravine Bank, 82 miles from Sacramento, 1860s

#52 Alta from the north…69 miles from Sacramento, 1860

#53 K Street, looking east from near 6th Street Sacramento, 1866

#54 Sacramento Daily & Weeklyl Union newspaper building, 1860s

#55 Nine members of the California Milita Batter B. An 1841 Howitzer Cannon at left. The men stand in grassy area, bldgs. at rear, Sacramento City Plaza, 1865

#56 La Grange, moored on the Sacramento River opposite H Street; used as the second Sacramento County prison from 1860s

#57 Sacramento County Courthouse, 1865

Sacramento County Courthouse, 1865

It also served as the "Statehouse" where the State Legislature met until 1869 when the Capitol building was finished. This was was the second courthouse in Sacramento, built in 1855.

#58 Cityscape of Sacramento, 1861

Cityscape of Sacramento, 1861

Cityscape of Sacramento taken from state capitol building under construction. Corner of 11th & L street looking North

#59 View of the Courthouse located on the northwest corner of 7th and I Streets, 1865

#60 Sacramento Valley Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad Buildings, 1863

Sacramento Valley Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad Buildings, 1863

In the immediate foreground, with a train stopped at its side, is the Sacramento Valley Railroad depot; to the right of that is the freight depot of the Central Pacific Railroad at 65 Front Street; beyond that, and boasting a double-cupolas roof, is Central Pacific’s passenger depot. At the end of Front Street, near the intersection with I Street, is the Sacramento Water Works building. Visible to the right of the photograph is wholesale grocer Adams, McNeill and Company. To the far left of the photograph and spanning the Sacramento River is the Central Pacific Bridge.

#64 Street scenes of businesses on K Street from 9th Street looking west in 1860. St. Rose of Lima Church is on the right.

#65 Crowd and engines gathered for Transcontinental Railroad Golden Spike completion ceremony, 1869

#72 J Street looking West, Sacramento City 1868,

J Street looking West, Sacramento City 1868,

The big anvil at left center marks E.J. Moore's Hardware store. P.H. Russell's grocery store at right center.

#75 Shows Capitol under construction, view from southeast, 1868

#76 The single-story Henry Fisher Refreshment Saloon and California Candy Factory and Fancy Cake Bakery at 118 J Street, 1869

#77 Elevated view of Sacramento taken from the dome of the capitol during its construction looking northeast over the city, 1868

#78 1212 Sacramento City, from the new Capitol Building— east, 1868

#79 An elevated view of Sacramento during the great flood of 1862. This view shows “China Slough” and the railroad construction project along I Street

#80 Cityscape of Sacramento taken from the state capitol building under construction. Typed on the back of the image “Corner of 10th & N street in the year 1868.

#81 Flood of 1862 in Sacramento. This view shows J Street from Front Street looking east.

#82 View of Sacramento from atop of the California State Capitol building under construction, 1868

#83 The S.S. Grace Dollar unloading lumber at the W.F. Knox lumber yards in Sacramento, 1860s. Shown are approximately 50 people watching from the dock.

#84 A view down J Street, showing, to the right, both the Metropolitan Baths and B.F. Hastings and Company, 1868

A view down J Street, showing, to the right, both the Metropolitan Baths and B.F. Hastings and Company, 1868

Hastings was a long standing bank in Sacramento and held distinction as the western terminus of the Pony Express which ran from 1860 to 1861. Hastings operated until November of 1871, when it failed. The Metropolitan was one of many bath houses in Sacramento. A much earlier Capital City bath house was the Eureka, which sat on Second Street, between I and J Streets.

#85 Trestle and Crossing of the American River near Sacramento-5145 feet long. 866, 1865

#86 View of the Central Pacific depot at the foot of J Street Sacramento, 1869.

#87 Named after Collis P. Huntington was the “C.P. Huntington” locomotive, 1864

#89 Group of young Sacramento women playing croquet, 1867.

#90 At the foot of Front & Jay street, looking East, in 1865.

#91 Sacramento River and Levee, from Front street, Sacramento City, 1860

#93 Central Pacific engine, A.A. Sargent, at J and Front Streets, 1865

#96 A rainy day in 1868 is viewed from on high upon the unfinished dome of the California State Capitol building. N Street and 12th Street intersect in the upper portion of the photograph.

#97 California State Capitol under construction, 1868

California State Capitol under construction, 1868

The photographer is standing near 10th and L streets, facing southeast. The shear detail of the undertaking was enough to push one of the building's architects, Reuben Clark, to insanity.

#98 The Levee at Sacramento, from the deck of the steamer Capital, 1866

#99 Exterior view of the state capitol during its construction. View taken from the southeast side of the building, 1869

#101 Looking east, of a deluged J Street near Fourth Street captures the scale of the flood of December 1861.

Looking east, of a deluged J Street near Fourth Street captures the scale of the flood of December 1861.

In the foreground is a sign for dentist W.H. Thomas, and the dry goods store of Patrick O'Connell and Jonathon Ryan. Just across the street is the St. George Drugstore. The winter of 1861-1862 saw two different levee breaks for Sacramento, one at 31st Street on Dec. 9 and one at Rabel's tannery on the American River a month later. In 1863, the city's business district was raised by 18 feet to avoid further flooding.

#102 Central Pacific Railroad Locomotive “A.A. Sargent”, 1865

Central Pacific Railroad Locomotive “A.A. Sargent”, 1865

A. A. Sargent,” also known as Number Seven, at the foot of J Street, facing east from Front Street. The locomotive’s namesake, Aaron Augustus Sargent, served as U.S. Senator from California from 1873 to 1879. In the foreground, two rail workers look toward the camera while the locomotive’s tender is packed with wood.

#105 Central Pacific Railroad Locomotive “A.A. Sargent”, 1865

#106 L Street circa 1865 is depicted with unpaved streets and wooden sidewalks, 1865

L Street circa 1865 is depicted with unpaved streets and wooden sidewalks, 1865

The shops are not easily identified although the words "Drugs," "Oils," "Paints," and, faintly, "Merchants Hotel" can be seen on a building on the right. To the left, a banner has the words "Coal Yard" on it.

#107 Second Street Between J and K Streets, 1863

Second Street Between J and K Streets, 1863

The Union Hotel dominates view of the west side of Second Street, between J and K Streets. Several people stand in front of the hotel while some stand on the balcony overlooking the street.

#109 A sketch of Sutter’s Fort as it appeared in 1862, fourteen years after its abandonment by John Sutter.

A sketch of Sutter’s Fort as it appeared in 1862, fourteen years after its abandonment by John Sutter.

The land formerly belonging to Sutter was contested in the years preceding this image with the City of Sacramento seeking to claim the former Mexican land grant. Decades before the restoration spearheaded by the Sons of the Golden West, in this image the fort lacks walls and consists of a single central building flanked by two smaller structures and surrounded by vegetation.

#110 Sacramento River, from the Bridge at Sacramento City, 1860

#111 Steamers for the Upper Sacramento River, at Sacramento, 1860s

#112 Union Hotel and Wells Fargo Express, 2nd Street between J & K Streets, 1863

#113 An elevated view looking west on K Street from 7th Street is Street, 1869. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.

#114 An early Central Pacific view of “Camp Victory” on the Utah plain, April 28, 1869.

#118 Street scenes of businesses on K Street from 7th Street looking east in 1869. The Golden Eagle Hotel is on the left and St. Rose of Lima Church is across 7th Street further on the left.

#120 1063. The Levee and Steamers at Sacramento City, 1860s

#121 1064. Sacramento City, K Street, Masonic Hall and Catholic Church, 1860s

#122 Sixth Street, Sacramento City, Grammar School, Baptist Church, Masonic Hall, 1860s

#123 The Levee and Central Pacific Railroad Freight Trains, Sacramento, 1860s

#124 Steamer Landing, and Pacific Railroad Depot, Sacramento City, 1860s

#125 The River and Steamers at Sacramento City, 1860s

#126 A group of men sitting by the woodpiles on the back of an engine, 1869

#129 Central Pacific Railroad. View from Bloomer Cut, 1866

#130 Street scenes of businesses on K Street from 5th Street looking west in 1868.

#135 Exterior view of the California State Capitol under construction, 1869

#139 Street scene from 1868 looking west down J Street from 9th Street. Moore and Prentice Hardware is on the far left, 1868

#140 Sutter’s Fort prior to being rebuilt with just the central building left standing. Several men and a dog are sitting in windows and doorways and standing next to the buiding, 1867

#141 The Levee at Sacramento, From the deck of the Steamer Capitol, 1860s

#142 K Street, Sacramento, from Kohn’s buillding, 1860s

#143 Sacramento. J Street, from Sixth Street. Laying the Nicolson Pavement, 1860s

#144 Residence of Ex-Governor Stanford, Sacramento City, 1860s

#147 Central Pacific R. R. Works, At China Slough, 1860s

#148 Sacramento City from the new Capitol Building, Looking East, 1860s

#149 Sacramento City, K Street, from Masonic Hall, 1860s

#150 Sacramento City from the New Capitol Building, Looking Northeast, 1860s

#151 Sacramento City, K Street, looking East from the Masonic Hall, 1860s

#152 The Railroad Depots, on the Levee, Sacramento City, 1860s

#153 Cabin of the Sacramento River Steamer Capital, 1860s

#154 Sacramento City, K Street, looking West from the Masonic Hall, 1860s

#160 Long Ravine Bridge from the West. 56 miles from Sacramento, 1866

#161 Crystal Lake House. 90 miles from Sacramento, 1866

#164 Sacramento City from the new Capitol Building, Looking Northwest–the River in the distance, 1860s

#165 Sacramento City from the new Capitol Building, Looking North–Ninth Street at the right, 1860s

#166 View of the American River from the Suspension Bridge at Folsom, Sacramento County, 1860s

#167 Sacramento City from the new Capitol Building, Looking west. M Street, 1860s

#168 The Railroad and Suspension Bridges, Folsom, Sacramento County, 1860s

#169 Sacramento City–China Slough, From the Pioneer Flour Mills, 1860s

#170 The Suspension and Railroad Bridge over the American River, at Folsom, Sacramento, 1860

#171 The Suspension Bridge at Folsom, Sacramento, 1860s

#172 Railroad and Suspension Bridges at Folsom, Sacramento, 1860s

#176 Sacramento Street, West from Montgomery St., 1860s

#177 Telegraph Hill from corner Sacramento and Powell streets, 1860s

#181 East side of Montgomery St., From Commercial to Sacramento street, 1860

#182 View among the Chinese on Sacramento Street, 1860

#183 East side of Montgomery St., from Sacramento, 1869

#184 Truckee River, looking towards Eastern Summit. 135 Miles from Sacramento, 1860

#185 Chinese Store–Chy Lung & Co., Sacramento street, 1980

#186 Railroad wharves at Sacramento, 213, 1867

Railroad wharves at Sacramento, 213, 1867

View of the dock along the Sacramento River; shows railroad tracks and flat car with railroad ties, wooden pier with sailing ships docked; bridge in the distance.

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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