These rivers have always held a sense of promise and prosperity.
Since California's earliest days, the Sacramento and American Rivers have played a pivotal role in the history of the Golden State. As early as 1839, settler John Sutter declared their confluence a "perfect place." Strategically situated at the center of Sutter's vast landholdings on the rugged outskirts of Mexican California, this fertile piece of the river valley was selected for the site of his new fort. In the years that followed, Sutter's riverfront fort became a regular stop for the increasing number of Americans venturing into California.
A few years later the waters of the American River altered history by unearthing gold before the eyes of John Marshall at Sutter's Mill, bringing a rush of fortune seekers from around the world to northern California. The Sacramento and American Rivers served as watery highways for the '49'ers racing to strike it rich along the western-flowing tributaries.
Cities and towns sprang up along the Sacramento and American Rivers during the Gold Rush; the largest of these, Sacramento City was founded at that point where the two rivers met.
The '49ers soon learned that the real gold in the area was the rich delta soil deposited over the centuries by the Sacramento and the American Rivers. With fertile soil for cultivation, convenient waterways for transport and hungry new cities demanding food, the Central Valley became the nation's breadbasket.
Grupe is privileged to be the stewards for Sutter's perfect place. The legacy of natural beauty, optimism and prosperity is an intrinsic part of The Rivers community plan. Poised at the junction of a rich past and an exciting future, this community promises a living environment as dynamic and enduring as the rivers themselves.
Photos courtesy of the California History Room, California State Library, Sacramento, California
