The story of the origin of Sacramento California is a little sad and warrants some further investigation. I would like to know a little more about this estranged father and son. Check it out.
John Sutter arrived in the Sacramento area on August 13, 1839. Sutter had received a 50,000 acre land grant from Mexico. By the following year, a massive Adobe Fort called Sutter's Fort had been constructed. Sutter named his new village, New Helvetia in honor of Switzerland. As settlers moved west, New Helvetia grew. Taking advantage of the beauty in the area, A man named Samuel Brannan established the first store near the Sacramento River. A small settlement started to grow around the store. Brannan named the settlement, Sacramento. As John Sutter and Fort Sutter enjoy great success and prosperity, John Sutter Junior arrived in 1848, and was supposed to help his father. However, John Junior partnered with Samuel Brannan and helped develop the city plan of Sacramento instead of help his father develop New Helvetia. This led to the estrangement of father and son and the eventual ruin of John Sutter Senior as Sacramento prospered and New Helvetia floundered. The town of Sacramento moved forward and ascended to city status, incorporating in 1849.