Folsom

Sister cities

• Pieve del Grappa

History

Prior to European settlement, the area in what is now Folsom was inhabited by the Nisenan tribe of Native Americans. The Gold Rush of 1849 brought violence, disease and displacement for the tribes of California. Joseph Libbey Folsom purchased Rancho Rio de los Americanos from the heirs of San Francisco merchant William Alexander Leidesdorff, and laid out the town called Granite City, mostly occupied by gold miners seeking their fortune in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Though few amassed a great deal of wealth, the city prospered due to Joseph Folsom's lobbying to get a railway to connect the town with Sacramento. Joseph died in 1855, and Granite City was later renamed Folsom in his honor. The railway was abandoned in the 1980s but opened up as the terminus of the Gold Line of Sacramento Regional Transit District's light rail service in 2005. A few former gold-rush era towns are located in and around Folsom, including Prairie City, Salmon Falls, and Mormon Island. During the American Civil War, the residents of Folsom remained fiercely loyal to the Union. The Granite Guard was organized at Folsom on May 27, 1861 and the majority of the recruits of Shirland's Cavalry Company of the 1st California Cavalry Regiment were also from Folsom. In 1866, 1871, and 1872, Folsom experienced major fires. In 1886, another major fire destroyed much of the city's business property. was opened. At the time it was opened, it had the longest overhead run of electricity (22 miles) in the country. The powerhouse operated until 1952. Folsom Dam was built in 1956, providing flood control and water rights for the Sacramento Valley and created Folsom Lake. The dam is located on the southwest corner of the lake. The lake is an estimated from Granite Bay to the most southern point of Folsom…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (7.53%) is water. Folsom is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Carpenter Hill in Folsom has the highest elevation in Sacramento County, at 831 feet (253 meters). Folsom's climate is characterized by long, hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters.