ROOTED HERE
The history of Folsom
Folsom’s Gold Rush history meets the shops and restaurants around Sutter Street. Lake Natoma and Folsom Lake shape outdoor plans, while the historic district offers a starting point for exploring town.
People who shaped Folsom
These milestones connect the area’s Indigenous history, railroad and power infrastructure with the community’s work to preserve its story. Explore the linked state-park and museum sources for more detail. Explore Folsom History.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Folsom Prison Museum
California’s corrections department introduces the Folsom Prison Museum through archival photographs and museum displays. This recorded feature is historical context, not current visitor-access information.
Watch on YouTube ↗- Before the Gold Rush
Southern Maidu homelands
The area around today’s Folsom Powerhouse was home to Southern Maidu people long before European settlement. California State Parks describes the river landscape and a surviving grinding rock used to prepare acorn meal.
California State Parks: Folsom Powerhouse brochure ↗ - 1856
Railroad to Sacramento
A railroad connected Sacramento and the new town of Folsom. The Sacramento Valley Railroad established shops and a rail yard here as the route linked the river city with the foothills mining region.
California State Parks: Powerhouse History ↗ - 1895
Electricity travels to Sacramento
Folsom Powerhouse sent electricity over a twenty-two-mile transmission line to Sacramento. Power arrived on July 13, 1895, helping supply streetcars, factories and street lighting.
California State Parks: Folsom Powerhouse brochure ↗ - 1952–1958
From working plant to historic park
The powerhouse stopped operating in November 1952 during construction of the new Folsom Dam, after fifty-seven years of service. PG&E donated the historic powerhouse to California State Parks in 1958.
California State Parks: Folsom Powerhouse brochure ↗ - 1961
Preserving the community’s story
Local residents founded the Folsom Historical Society in 1961. Today, Folsom History operates the Sutter Street museum and The Square, preserving collections and presenting exhibitions and community programs.
Folsom History: About Us ↗
See the history for yourself.
Check current opening hours and visitor information before you go: Folsom History.
For local services and public information, the local government website is a starting point. For historical research, consult local libraries, archives and museums and check collection-specific image permissions.
Selected milestones from the linked historical sources. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.