What’s New at Sutter’s Fort?

May 18, 2013 (10:00 – 5:00) -- Hands on History: Sutter’s Fort in 1846: A Community of Many Faces

$7 per adult (18 and older), $5.00 per youth (ages 6-17), free for children 5 years and under

The Gold Rush of 1849 brought tens of thousands of people to California from all over the world.  But even before the first gold seekers arrived, Sutter’s Fort was already a melting pot of ethnic, social and cultural diversity.  On May 18th, the volunteers of Sutter’s Fort and invited guests will honor and celebrate the diversity of the Fort before the Gold Rush.  For more information, please call (916) 445-4422.

Hidden Treasures & Unique Gift Ideas Await At Local Historic Parks & State Museums!

For those searching for unique gifts, a wide and wonderful variety of specialty items can be found at local state museums and historic parks and offer a great way to support historic treasures at the same time. Outlined below is a sampling of holiday gift ideas and special items waiting to be discovered at popular destinations around the greater Sacramento region.

Capital District

• 3-Park Pass -- Perfect for museum lovers, a Capital District 3-Park Pass is now available that offers a discounted admission price for three great experiences. In fact, the 3-Park Pass never expires and passes are available and honored for one visit, at up to three of the following parks: California State Railroad Museum, Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, State Indian Museum, Governor's Mansion State Historic Park and Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park. Passes are available at the participating park units.
• Annual Memberships -- For those wishing to give a rewarding gift that lasts all year long, museum memberships are a thoughtful gift idea. The California State Railroad Museum, Governor's Mansion State Historic Park and Sutter's Fort State Historic Park all offer annual memberships with different levels of participation that are administered by non-profit partners that assist in financially supporting the parks. Memberships are available by calling or visiting the individual park units.

California State Railroad Museum (916-323-9280, 916-324-4950 or www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org)

• Waiting For The Cars Book -- New to the Museum store, this visually-intriguing book features 218 photographs of the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad presented as the photographer intended them to be seen -- in full 3D stereo -- and comes complete with 3D glasses.
• Polar Express Merchandise -- Of course, the Museum Store sells a vast array of popular Polar Express merchandise, all officially licensed by Warner Brothers and not available in general retail stores. Gift items include snow globes, lighted picture frames, ornaments, conductor's hats, toy locomotives, and more.

State Indian Museum (916-324-0971)

• Billy Mills Holiday Gift Pack -- Exclusive to the State Indian Museum, a special Billy Mills Holiday Gift Pack is available that includes: a signed copy of his book Lessons of a Lakota, a Running Brave DVD starring Robbie Benson, a Winning the Gold! DVD depicting the final moments of the run when Billy won in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, and a Winning! notecard by his wife and artist Pat Mills.
• Signed Native Literature -- Perfect for book lovers, the State Indian Museum Store offers the largest selection of California Native literature in Northern California. And, just in time for holiday gift giving, a limited number of signed books including We Were All Like Migrant Workers Here by William Bauer and Indian Voices: Listening to Native Americans by Alison Owings.

Governor's Mansion State Historic Park (916-323-3047)

• California and State Parks Branded Merchandise -- Perfect for California lovers, the Governor's Mansion SHP store has California branded merchandise such as mini flags, California bear mugs, t-shirts, books, pins and more. Plus, a variety of State Parks branded merchandise is available, too.
• Period Popular Jewelry -- Affordable yet tasteful costume jewelry (that represents the period of interpretation 1903-1967) is available in the Mansion store and includes necklaces, bracelets, brooches, pins and earrings. Great conversation pieces!

Sutter's Fort State Historic Park (916-445-4422)

• Timeless Specialty Items -- Celebrate the simpler times at the new Sutter's Fort Museum Store! Fort guests can choose from old fashioned chestnut roasters for your open fire, hand-crafted beeswax candles made on-site, quill and ink sets in beautiful wooden boxes, pewter ware and more!

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park (209-984-3953 or www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org)

• When Steam Was King by Gerald French -- This eye-catching book is a best-seller at Railtown 1897 SHP in Jamestown. When Steam Was King is a photographic study of the Sierra Railroad, as well as three nearby railroads in the Central Mother Lode region of California.

The items listed above are merely a sampling of gift items available now at the various museums and historic parks. No admission fee is necessary to browse through the various on-site stores. More information and hours for the various sites is available online at www.parks.ca.gov/CapitalDistrict.

Sutter's Fort Introduces Visitor Enhancements & Announces the Return of the Iconic Patty Reed Doll Back on Public Display Beginning November 15

Originally established in 1839 and known today as a popular tourist destination, Sutter's Fort State Historic Park (SHP) will soon offer exciting new enhancements to delight Fort guests from near and far -- including the iconic Patty Reed doll that is going back on public display beginning November 15, 2012.

A series of recently completed enhancements are designed to enrich the visitor experience and assist in the interpretation and educational efforts of the Fort. In addition to a newly reconstructed ticketing kiosk that guests will experience when they first arrive, a few of the key recent developments include the following:

"One Fort, Many Views" Orientation Gallery & Exhibit - Opens November 15
In an effort to introduce the many different facets of Sutter's Fort and to properly showcase the Patty Reed doll going back on permanent public display after a 15-month hiatus, the "One Fort, Many Views" Orientation Gallery and permanent exhibit will officially open to the public on Thursday, November 15. The installation of the Orientation Gallery, theater and permanent exhibit will set the stage for Fort visitors to begin to understand the complexity of the Fort's role in California history that extends far beyond that of John Sutter and his ill-fated dreams. In fact, one of the goals of the Orientation Gallery and exhibit is to highlight how the Fort was a central gathering place for many diverse cultures including Native Americans and Hawaiian emigrants. In addition to an introductory film and the crowd-favorite Patty Reed doll, the Orientation Gallery and exhibit will also showcase life-sized character sketches representing diverse cultures, and a 5-foot plow made from a tree branch that was excavated at the Fort in the 1930s or 1940s. And soon after the official opening, the Gallery and exhibit will also offer interactive "cabinet discovery drawers" filled with interesting artifacts and objects.

New Raised Cannon Platforms - On Current Display
As visitors venture deeper into Sutter's Fort, they will undoubtedly notice the two new towering raised cannon platforms located on either side of the South gate, which once served as the original main Fort entrance. Twelve-foot in height, the raised cannon platforms and genuine (refurbished) cannons serve to remind Fort visitors how California's earliest residents had to prepare to defend themselves and their establishment from perceived threats.

Updated and Re-Merchandised Museum Store - Now Open
After visiting Sutter's Fort, many guests will also enjoy perusing the recently renovated Museum Store in search of a special gift or treasure to remind them of their visit. With all new shelves, fixtures and an emphasis on period-appropriate finishes, the popular Museum Store now offers an intriguing mix of new and tried-and-true historically-appropriate merchandise such as historic writing instruments, beautiful traditional home décor items and souvenirs including the best-selling replica of Patty Reed's doll.

These exciting developments at Sutter's Fort SHP are just part of a continuing process to interpret history for Fort visitors and were made possible by Proposition 84 funding, California State Parks, Friends of Sutter's Fort (FOSF), the non-profit Sacramento Trust for Historic Preservation (that funded the orientation video) and dedicated volunteers.

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