FOLSOM MAGAZINE 2022-2023 EDITION

By Kristine Keables
Every community has a
past, and Folsom’s roots
are golden: literally.
After gold was discovered along the
banks of the American River in 1848,
every foot of the American River was
occupied by miners of all ethnic
backgrounds hoping for a rich future.
With the influx of more than 200,000
hopeful miners, Captain Joseph Folsom
purchased a Mexican land grant with
the desire to establish a community to
provide supplies, transportation, and
be a hub for the area. Folsom passed
away before he could see the fruits of
his dreams, and the city still bears his
name.
For history buffs, the city’s past comes
alive at the Folsom History Museum—
located in the Historic District. Once
the center of town for all business and
community, the area is now a lively
restaurants and shopping that also
honors the city’s history.
On the banks of Lake Natoma is the
Historic Folsom Powerhouse, where, in
1895, electricity was sent 22 miles to
Downtown Sacramento. It was the
first long-distance transmission of
power in the Western U.S. and the
equipment is still intact, including a
beautiful marble control board and
huge ceiling-high turbines.
Folsom’s story may have begun with
gold, but other factors over the years
have influenced its evolution from a
sleepy river town with a historic prison
to a sought-after community for
families seeking opportunity and
superior quality of life.
It was the addition of hundreds of men
working at the bustling construction
zone of Folsom Dam in 1945 that was
the catalyst for the city’s incorporation.
The tiny community of 1,200 was
concerned about the “riotous” behavior
of these men and felt local control and
a city police force was the only answer.
Ironically, the idea of cityhood was
pitched to the community to ensure
their safety from construction workers
even though it was home to one of the
state’s notorious prisons. As a Folsom
Telegraph ad stated: “Do you want your
town overrun with undesirable
characters? Do you want the streets of
Folsom safe in order that your wives
and children may not run the risk of
being insulted?”
Prior to the construction of Folsom
Dam, the city’s residents were either
employed by Folsom Prison or at one
of the vast family cattle ranches and
dairy farms.
In the 1950s, Folsom saw a boom in
housing as nearby Aerojet hired
thousands of engineers and workers
when the company developed rockets
for the Apollo Space Program. These
workers brought their families to
Folsom. However, in the 1970s, the
Program faded.
Folsom’s next leap into the future and
milestone in its history came in the
1984 when Intel opened its campus.
Currently, Intel has more than 6,000
employees and is one of the area’s top
five employers. Intel has been a
magnet for tech companies who have
located corporate headquarters and
manufacturing facilities here. Even two
of the oldest companies in Japan—
Kikkoman Foods and Gekkeikan Sake—
saw opportunity and are brewing sake
and soy sauce here.
Folsom’s history is
still being written.
To learn more about
Folsom's past, visit
Folsom History
Museum (823
Sutter St).
Mission: Inspire an
innovative future
together by
connecting Folsom
to its inventive roots.
Photos provided by Folsom History