Sutter's+Fort

=__Sutter's Fort__= toc In 1839 a Swiss man named John Augustus Sutter got a land grant (47,827 acres) in the Sacramento Valley from the Spainish ,however he had to become a Mexican citizen. So Sutter happily agreed and made a settlement ,which he called New Helvetia (New Switzerland). This was the first settlement there (besides Native Americans).

**__The Fort's Beginning__**
= = The fort itself was made 2.5 feet thick adobe ,and it stood 15 to 18 feet high. The entire fort was 320 feet long! It had many shops including a bakery, carpentry shop, a blanket factory, a blacksmith shop, and so on. Much trade happened because there was barley, wheat, wine, cotton, and beans.

__The Biggest Stop__
Many covered wagons stopped by here to rest and get supplies. Also merchants would stop by and do trade. It became very popular with the public and helped with idea of manifest destiny.

__The Gold Rush__
In 1848 a man named James Marshall ,a carpenter that worked for Sutter, found gold near Sutter's Mill. Once the word got out everyone up and left Sutter's Fort. With no one working for him Sutter went into finanical trouble.

__The Fort's Downfall__
Now Sutter couldn't keep his fort working. Then people started coming after the gold. By 1850 only the centeral building stood.with the last chance he had left Sutter deeded the land to his son.

__The Conclusion__
Much of the fort was destroyed or pilfered 49rs. However, The Native Sons of the Golden West bought it in 1890. Then they sold it to the state.It is reconstructed and is a historical monument today.

__References__
Garraty, John A.__The Story of America__. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1994 [] []