The entire city of Sacramento was raised by several feet in the 1860s and 1870s using hydraulic jacks to prevent repeated flood damage, leaving original building foundations as underground basements.
The B.F. Hastings Building, located within the district, served as the western terminus for the Pony Express.
The district features a functioning replica of an 1849 locomotive that occasionally offers rides along the riverfront tracks.
The Schoolhouse Museum is a restored one-room schoolhouse that provides insight into 19th-century education in California.
Old Sacramento was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965 to protect its unique collection of mid-19th-century commercial structures.
Old Sacramento Waterfront is a 28-acre National Historic Landmark District featuring a dense concentration of preserved Gold Rush-era buildings. The area served as the western terminus of the Pony Express and the start of the First Transcontinental Railroad. It contains over 50 historic buildings constructed primarily between 1849 and 1880. The district houses the California State Railroad Museum, which exhibits massive steam locomotives and restored rail cars. Visitors can access the Sacramento History Museum, which offers tours of the underground spaces created when the city raised its street level to avoid flooding. Cobblestone streets and wooden sidewalks characterize the district's layout. The waterfront park stretches along the Sacramento River and connects to the Tower Bridge. The district remains a functional commercial hub with boutiques, restaurants, and museums integrated into its historic architecture.
The elevated walkway near the Tower Bridge provides the best perspective of the river and the historic building facades.
Wear comfortable, flat walking shoes to navigate the historic wood-plank sidewalks and cobblestone streets.
Start your visit at the visitor center to pick up a map of the underground tour meeting points.
Visit on weekdays to avoid the heavy weekend crowds that frequent the waterfront restaurants.
Do not rely on street-level navigation for historic context; the most significant history is found inside the museums or on subterranean tours.
Casual, pedestrian-friendly attire; note that high heels are impractical on uneven historic walkways.
