Friends of Sutter's Fort is the nonprofit cooperating association for Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park. We collaborate with California State Parks to connect community members to the health, recreational and educational benefits of the park grounds, museum exhibits, educational programs and events at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park. With the help of our donors, we are also able to continue our longstanding commitment to fund projects that preserve and restore artifacts and historic structures.
With your help, Friends of Sutter’s Fort will continue to:
What is Sutter’s Fort?
More than 100,000 people visit Sutter's Fort SHP annually from throughout the world to better understand the history that led to the famous Gold Rush, the Bear Flag Revolt and to California becoming part of the United State of America, and how these events impacted the lives of California Native Americans.
In a typical year, more than 50,000 students visit Sutter’s Fort SHP to experience educational programs aligned with the curriculum framework for 4th grade education in California. Tens of thousands more participate in free, virtual field trips from classrooms located throughout the United States.
Sutter’s Fort is currently in the process of undergoing fundamental changes in an effort to tell a more inclusive story in consultation with California Native Americans. Many of these changes are already underway, with work continuing to make future improvements to exhibits, educational materials and more.
Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park has been part of the California State Park System since 1947 and is both a California Historical Landmark and a National Historic Landmark.
Sutter’s Fort consists of original historic structures, and reconstructed buildings set in a public, urban park. The Central Building of Sutter’s Fort is a two-story adobe structure built between 1841 and 1843, and it the oldest existing building in Sacramento. The remaining structures were reconstructed in the 1890s, which makes Sutter’s Fort the oldest restored Fort in the United States.
Friends of Sutter's Fort collaborates with California State Parks to better connect community members to the health, recreational and educational benefits of the park grounds, museum exhibits, educational programs and events at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park.
At the heart of our mission is a deep belief in the transformative power of parks and museums within communities. Our focus is on enhancing community access to Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, aiming to cultivate a hub of learning and connection for all.
Your support is pivotal in achieving this vision. By contributing, you enable us to extend grants to schools, empowering them to bring students to experience the history they learn about in text books.
Unrestricted donations are currently our greatest need, and allow us to quickly and efficiently respond to the needs of our community and California State Parks.
In the coming year's Friends of Sutter's Fort aims to not only continue existing programming but expand the activation of Sutter's Fort with additional programming, lighting, bike and scooter parking and more!
Friends of Sutter's Fort is dedicated to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our mission and operations. Inclusion is central to our work, and we strive to create an environment where everyone, regardless of background or identity, feels welcome, valued, and heard.
Significant efforts began in 2020 by our partners at California State Parks to tell a more inclusive story at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park. In collaboration with local California tribes and as part of the State Parks' Reexamining Our Past Initiative, interpretive programs have been, and continue to be transformed to provide a more historically accurate experience. The ongoing fundamental changes at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park include enhancements to exhibits, educational materials, programs and more. The Friends of Sutter's Fort fully supports these efforts. We are committed to refocusing our work to align with the goals of inclusivity and historical accuracy.
Together with our partners at California State Parks, we aim to support efforts that create an environment where the stories of Mexican citizens of Alta California, European and American pioneers, and California Native Americans are respectfully and accurately shared, ensuring that the history of Sutter's Fort reflects the richness and diversity of California's past.
Inclusion is not just a goal for us; it is a guiding principle that informs our decisions, actions, and collaborations.
Our commitment to equity is reflected in our mission to ensure that all students have the opportunity to visit the park and experience its rich history, and that visitors of all ages and backgrounds feel welcome when they visit the historic site and public park.
Organization name
Friends of Sutter's Fort
other names
FOSF, Sacramento Historic Sites
1990
Tax id (EIN)
94-2608741
Mission Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Operating Budget
$100,001-$250,000
Organization Need
Funding: Unrestricted, Funding: Program
Demographics Served
Youth & Children, General population
Local Counties Served
Sacramento
Address
2701 L StreetSacramento, CA, US
Yolo, CA, US
Sacramento, CA, US
Placer, CA, US