Sutter's Fort State Historic Park in the Sacramento region of California is a popular state protected park. Originally known as the 'New Helvetia', it was an agricultural and commercial colony in California during the nineteenth century.

History:

A Swiss immigrant John Sutter received a land allowance from the Mexican government in the Sacramento Valley and he developed that land into an affluent agricultural empire and called it New Helvetia. It was the first non- Indian settlement in the Central valley in California.

In 1847, Sutter provided aid to the Donner party, a group of refugees trapped in a winter storm in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Sutter became famous for his hospitality after that. He was kind to provide temporary shelter to travelers. Word spread made the New Helvetia popular and it was the destination for many early immigrants to California.

A few years after the establishment, gold seekers were overrun the properties of Sutter and the fort become the remnants of the New Helvetia. Later it has been reconstructed into its original state based on a map of 1847 published in Darmstadt, Germany.

A two story adobe structure is the main building of the fort which constructed between 1841 and 1843. It is the only surviving structure of the fort. The original fort built by Sutter with walls of 2.5 feet thickness and 15 to 18 feet height.

Visit the Sutter's fort:

The Sutter's Fort State Historic Park is open on all days for the visitors. You can visit the historic park from Monday to Saturday between 11 am to 7 pm. During Sundays, it is open only between the afternoons to 6 pm.

Sacramento is one of the oldest cities of California and is settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. And, the Sutter's Fort State Historic Park is the oldest restored fort of the United States, which was built by John Sutter in 1840. The fort now hosts several collections of pioneer and early California artefacts.

Sutter's State Park information on wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter%27s_Fort

Sutter's Fort State Historic Park also includes Sutter's Fort and the California State Indian Museum, which attracts the tourists. The fort is also famous for its association with the Donner Party, the California Gold Rush and it is also notable for its proximity to the California Trail and Siskiyou Trails.

Sutter's Fort information on Answers.com

http://www.answers.com/topic/sutter-s-fort

This fort is best for those who love history, as this place is a great place of history in living colour. One can visualize the people of the gold rush era walking around and enjoy the museum and sight scenes. The visiting hour is: 10 am - 5pm daily from Tuesday to Sunday. Some of the special events are also scheduled throughout the year. And, one can also enjoy the photography and Wi-Fi service.

Visit the official website for more details

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=485

The admission fees for the adult is $5 (18 years and above) and for the youth $3(6 to 17 years), and free entry for the children below 5. One can also find the list of upcoming events of the park.

View the upcoming list; please follow the link

http://www.parks.ca.gov/events/?page_id=485