Mary Ballou and her husband ran a boarding house in Black Miners Bar. While most of the “Forty-niners” who rushed to California went to pan gold, others, like Ballou and her husband, went to reap high profits by providing services to the miners.

In a letter written to her son, she writes about life in California Black Miners Bar on October 30, 1852. “All the kitchen that I have is four posts stuck down into the ground and covered over the top with factory cloth and no floor but the ground. This is a Boarding House kitchen…Now I will try to tell you what my work is at the Boarding House. Well, sometimes I wash and iron, sometimes I make mince, apple, and squash pies. Sometimes I fry mince turnovers and donuts. I make biscuits and Indian jonnycake and a minute pudding filled with raisins. Then sometimes I stuff a ham of pork that costs forty cents a pound. Three times a day I set my table which is about thirty feet in length and do all the little fixings like filling pepper boxes, vinegar cruets, mustard pots, and butter cups. Sometimes I am feeding my chickens and then again I am scaring the hogs out of my kitchen that chose to walk in, there being no door to shut from the kitchen to the dining room so the hogs and mules can walk in any time.”

On October 11, she writes the following: “I washed in the forenoon and made a Democrat Flag in the afternoon sewed twenty yards of splendid worsted fringe around it and I made Whig Flag. They are both swinging across the road but the Whig Flag is the richest. I had twelve Dollars for making them so you see that I am making Flags with all rest of the various kinds of work that I am doing and then again I am scouring candlesticks and washing the floor and making soft soap. The People tell me that it is the first Soft Soap they knew made in California. Sometimes I am making mattresses and sheets. I have no windows in my room. All the light that I have shines through canvas that covers the House and my eyes are so dim that I can hardly see to make a mark so I think you will excuse me for not writing any better. I have three Lights burning now but I am so tired and Blind that I can scarcely see and here I am among the French and Dutch and Scotch and Jews and Italians and Swedes and Chinese and Indians and all manner of tongues and nations but I am treated with due respect by them.”

Ballou Court in Folsom is named in her honor.

John Bidwell was born in Chautauqua County, New York on August 5, 1819. The Bidwell family was originally from England and came to America in the colonial era. In 1841, Bidwell became one of the first men to lead an emigrant party on the California Trail. Upon his arrival, John Sutter employed him as his business manager. Bidwell also discovered gold on the Feather River, establishing a productive claim at Bidwell Bar in advance of the California Gold Rush. He obtained the four square league Rancho Los Ulpinos land grant after being naturalized as a Mexican citizen in 1844, and the two square leagues Rancho Colus grant on the Sacramento River in 1845. Later, Bidwell sold that grant and bought Rancho Arroyo Chico on Chico Creek to establish a ranch and farm.

Bidwell obtained the rank of major while fighting in the Mexican-American War. He served in the California Senate from the Sacramento District in 1849. He was appointed brigadier general of the California Militia in 1863 and was a Republican member of Congress from 1865 to 1867.

John Bidwell died on April 4, 1900, and was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, prohibitionist, and philanthropist. Bidwell Street in Folsom is named in honor of this pioneer.

Ironworker Gordon Brong came to Folsom in 1951 with his wife to work on the Folsom Dam. Later, he was also known as “the Dr. Doolittle of Folsom” when he founded the city’s zoo sanctuary in 1963. The first animal Brong took in was an injured deer. His second animal, however, proved to be the most famous— a badly burned bear cub from The University of California Davis Veterinary Department that later became known as Smokey. Smokey became California’s fire mascot, a symbol of protecting forests from the danger of flame and fire. By the time Brong retired from the zoo in 1982, it had become well-known as a sanctuary for sick and wounded animals.

In 2002, the zoo was renamed Folsom Zoo Sanctuary to emphasize that it is a haven for animals. The park was created to give animals who could not return to the wild the best care possible within the facility. Over the past 50 years, the Sanctuary has cared for a lot of animals and all of the credit goes to the town’s volunteers and Gordon Brong. Brong passed away in 2003, and his legacy lives on at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary.

Peter Burnett was born in Nashville, Tennessee on November 15, 1807, but was raised in rural Missouri. He did not receive any formal education aside from elementary school but educated himself in law and government. He joined the Easterners moving westward and moved his family to Oregon to take up farming.

Upon the news of the discovery of gold in Coloma, California, in 1848, Burnett moved his family to participate in the rush where he was modestly successful. While there, he turned to his law career and defended a group of Mormons, including Joseph Smith, who was accused of treason, arson, and robbery. Burnett requested a change of venue for the court proceedings, and during transportation to the next venue, the defendants escaped.

Burnett then decided to go to San Francisco to practice law. On the way, he met John Sutter, Jr., the son of John Sutter Sr. The younger Sutter offered Burnett a job selling land plots for the new town of Sacramento. Over the next year, Burnett made nearly $50,000 in land sales in Sacramento.

In 1849, Burnett announced his intention to run for the new California territory as the first civilian governor, replacing the military governors. He won easily over four other candidates, including John Sutter, and was sworn in as California’s first elected civilian governor on December 29, 1849. He died May 17, 1895, in San Francisco but is remembered for his contribution to our state by Burnett Street in Folsom.

Amos P. Catlin was born in the state of New York on January 25, 1823. He practiced law in his hometown for five years and was later attracted by the wide field of opportunities a young man could find in California. Catlin took passage to San Francisco on January 8, 1849. He practiced law in Sacramento County, near Mormon Island, and sought a fortune through mining.

An early pioneer of Mormon Island, Catlin was the founder of the Natoma Water and Mining Company in 1851. He served as State Senator in 1853 and a State Assemblyman in 1857. Catlin was the owner of the Mansion House hotel in 1857 and a trustee of the Folsom Institute in 1859. In 1865, Catlin was elected to the Superior Court of the State, sitting on the bench in Sacramento in 1865, the year he moved to that city. In 1872, Amos Catlin was appointed to the Board of Equalization. He was also the editor of the Sacramento Union.

Catlin's most celebrated achievements were securing Sacramento as the permanent seat of the state government, and successfully arguing the Leidesdorff grant case before the United States Supreme Court in 1863— the landmark that finally settled the land titles in the Folsom area.

Catlin was an esteemed member of the Sacramento Society of California Pioneers, the California Historical Society, the Bar Association of San Francisco, and the Sons of the American Revolution.

On May 1, 1860, Amos married Miss Ruth A. C. Donaldson. Together, they had four children. Amos Catlin was a man who figured prominently in connection with the legal and judicial interests of central California and was an active factor in the building and progress of the city. He was regarded highly by his peers and community for his contributions and merits. Amos P. Catlin Park was named in his honor.

Oak Chan Elementary School was named for someone who contributed significantly to the local history of Folsom and was the first school in the United States to be named after a gold rush pioneer of Chinese Heritage.

Oak Chan left China at sixteen years of age, arriving in Folsom in 1852 to seek his fortune. As owner and operator of a dry goods store and a boarding house, he became an early civic leader of Folsom’s historic Chinatown.

Oak Chan helped bridge the cultural gap between Folsom’s two diverse communities. During the 1880s, an estimated 3,000 Chinese lived and worked in the area between the current Leidesdorff Street and the American River. During this period, Folsom had the largest population of Chinese in California after San Francisco.

It was Oak Chan’s leadership and kind nature that brought the Chinese community together. In recognition of his caring and unselfish deeds, the Folsom Chinese conveyed upon him the position of Honorary Mayor of Folsom’s Chinatown, a title he held until his death in 1924.

The Chan family has continued to be active and involved community members through four generations. Oak Chan’s son, Howard Chan Sr., operated a market on Sutter Street for many years. The Chan House on Sutter Street is currently identified in the City of Folsom’s Cultural Resource inventory. Oak Chan’s grandson, Howard Chan Jr., was a longtime educator in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.

Oak Chan’s granddaughter, June Chan, continues to be active and involved in the community and is credited with the ongoing project of providing insight into Folsom’s Chinese history. Several Chan great and great-great-grandchildren have matriculated through Folsom schools. Oak Chan and the entire Chan family continue to contribute to the Folsom community to this day.

Philip Charles Cohn was born in New York and traveled to California when he was 20 years old. He met Alice Martha Cohn, daughter of Folsom pioneer merchant Simon Cohn, and married her in 1884 when he arrived in Folsom. Philip became business partners with his father-in-law and built a house that still stands on 305 Scott Street. Philip Cohn is the only Folsom resident to have ever be elected to the State Senate and was also part of the State Highway Commission that later constructed what we know today as Folsom Boulevard. In 1915, he went to the Panama-Pacific Exposition after being appointed to the Board of Supervisors, served on the board of directors for the Bank of Folsom, and was one of the directors of the Orangevale Water Company. As part of the Democratic State and County Central Committees, he was also involved in several fraternal organizations including B’nai B’rith, the Elks, and the Masonic Order in which he was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. He donated property to the Folsom Veteran’s Association. Senator Cohn died at age 74 and is buried in the Jewish Cemetery at Lakeside Memorial Lawn. Phillip C. Cohn Park in Folsom was named in his honor.

Brien Thomas Collins was born on October 17, 1940, in Mt. Vernon, New York. Collins served our country in the U.S. Army from 1963 to 1968 as a Green Beret and was awarded the Purple Heart after losing an arm and a leg during his time in Vietnam. B.T. survived 19 surgeries for 22 months, and medically retired as a captain in December 1968. After practicing law, he became placement director at his alma mater, Santa Clara University. In 1976, B.T. came to Sacramento serving as deputy legislative secretary and eventually, executive secretary and chief of staff to Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. Collins was also the director of the California Conservation Corps from 1979 to 1981, vice president of Kidder, Peabody, and Co. banking firm from 1983 to 1989, and chief deputy state treasurer from 1989 to 1991. In September 1991, Collins was elected as State Assemblyman of the 5th district, which he fulfilled until he died in 1993.

Collins tirelessly worked for causes he believed in and will be remembered for his activism and contributions. Collins advocated on Folsom’s behalf for Intel’s expansion in 1993 and the Lake Natoma Crossing Bridge. Additionally, he was an unrelenting supporter of WEAVE (Women Escaping a Violent Environment) and pushed for the creation of the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Capitol Park.

Collins was also involved in supporting the California Youth Authority, California Commission on Educational Quality, Naval Post Graduate Advisory Committee, C.O.R.O Northern California, Veterans Administration Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Vietnam Veterans, American Cancer Society-Sacramento/Amador Chapter, Board of Regents, Santa Clara University, and State Assembly Committees on Human Services, Parks and Wildlife, Education, Judiciary, and Water.

The name Coloma comes from the original Nisenan’s Native American name for the valley, Cullumah, meaning “beautiful.” Coloma is situated on the South Fork American River that runs through the valley on the original Native American village of Koloma. Coloma grew around Sutter’s Mill following the finding of gold. A post office was established in 1849 under the name Culloma, changing to Coloma in 1851. Because of its significance to the discovery of gold, a street in Folsom bears the name Coloma.

The Cummings Family, Claudia, and William “Bill”, moved to Folsom in 1989 and have been supporters of the community ever since. The land for Ed Mitchell Park, B.T. Collins Park, Mercy Hospital, and areas of the Willow and Humbug Creek Open Space were all donated by Bill. He has been a major donor to the Folsom Rotary Clubhouse, as well as many Folsom History Museum projects. Bill has sponsored Folsom Youth Soccer and Little League teams, the Folsom Rodeo, and was a founding sponsor of the California International Marathon. He served as director of the Folsom Chamber of Commerce from 1984 to 1987 and has served on several community planning committees.

Claudia and Bill have also strongly supported the arts, including the Folsom Community Concert Association. Claudia was a director of the Folsom Chamber of Commerce and served ten years including her election as president. Claudia has generously supported many Folsom community organizations with her time and leadership, including the Theodore Judah School State Council, Folsom History Museum, Crocker Art Gallery, Sacramento Ballet Board of Directors, the Folsom Arts and Cultural Committee, Folsom Library Foundation, and the Folsom Community Council for Mercy Hospital.

In 2003, the Cummings family was honored by the Folsom Chamber of Commerce as the Philanthropists of the Year for their ongoing support of the community. The Cummings family has helped to create the high quality of life that the people of Folsom enjoy today.

As they worked and served the community together for more than 50 years, John H. “Bud” and Artie Davies made many important contributions to Folsom. Upon their move to Folsom in 1951, the Davies soon became involved in community affairs. Bud became "mayor" of Sutter Street by offering his energy and imagination to its renovation after the majority of its business moved to Bidwell Street in the 1950s. Bud led the preservation of materials from the 1860 Wells Fargo Building when it was dismantled in 1959, as well as supervised and worked on its reconstruction in 1976. In 1963, Bud and City Administrator Tom Llewellyn put up the first gaslights on Sutter Street. Artie served as Folsom City Clerk from 1954 until 1978. She was a 4-H club leader for several years and belonged to a quilting club that made quilts for needy families. Also, both Bud and Artie were members of the Chamber of Commerce, the United Rescue Grange, and the Folsom Historical Society where Bud served a term as president. In 1975, Bud Davies was named “Man of the Year” by the Chamber of Commerce. Bud and Artie Davies Park was named in their honor.

Stephen Decatur, Jr. was born January 5, 1779, and was a United States Naval officer and Commodore. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland in Worcester County. His father was a commodore in the U.S. Navy and introduced young Stephen to a world of ships and sailing at an early age. He followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the U.S. Navy at the age of nineteen as a midshipman.

Decatur was the youngest man to reach the rank of captain in the history of the U.S. Navy. He served under three presidents and played a major role in the early development of the American navy. His service was characterized by acts of heroism and exceptional performance and he was renowned for his natural ability to lead and for his genuine concern for the seamen under his command. His career came to an early end when he was killed in a duel with a rival naval officer in 1820. He emerged as a national hero in his lifetime, becoming the first post-Revolutionary War hero.

Joseph Libby Folsom never married but he had two nephews, Gustavus Decatur Folsom and George Frank Decatur Folsom, both presumably named for Commodore Decatur. When Decatur Street was named by Folsom, the nephews, the sons of his sister, resided in Boston and were eighteen and nine years old.

Arthur ‘Duke’ Duchow was born on Columbus Day, October 12, 1919, and was the son of a pioneer family. His mother, H.D. Bicker, of Sibley Street, came to Folsom in 1906, and his father, Marteen Caspar Duchow, was from a family that could trace its time back to the founding years of California.

Duke graduated from Folsom High in 1938 and attended Sacramento City College. He worked at McClellan Air Force Base and was a member of the National Guard. Duke was absorbed into the U.S. Army from the National Guard and reported for duty in December 1940. He was chosen to attend officers candidate school and upon graduation was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He then served in the Aleutian Islands, the Marshall Islands, and Leyte, Island, The Philippines.

Duke was promoted to first lieutenant after assignment to the 24th Corps, Seventh Division. Under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, he led his platoon during an attack that left them exposed to direct enemy fire. He ordered his men to fall back while he stayed in advance to keep the enemy engaged until his platoon had reformed. During this time he sacrificed his life for the well-being of his platoon.

He died November 27, 1944, on Leyte Island where he remains buried at the military cemetery in Baybay. He was awarded posthumously the second-highest award, The Distinguished Service Cross. Duchow Way was named in his honor.

Brothers George and Nick Econome, as well as their wives Marilyn and Ann, have been generous with their contributions to the growth and development of the City of Folsom since they arrived in 1961. Pharmacists George and Nick owned Model Rexall Drug Store from 1961 to 1990. Ownership of the Econome drug store dates back to 1864 when it was first opened on Sutter Street by J.H. Burnham.

George was an active member of the Folsom Chamber of Commerce for over two decades. He acted as a chamber president for several terms fostering the partnership between businesses and the town to build and maintain a healthy economy to create and develop a quality of life for the community of Folsom.

The Econome family has also been active in Folsom community civic organizations. George served as president of the Folsom Rotary Club and is still an active member today. Nick served as president of the Folsom Lion’s Club and was an active member for more than 20 years. While a member, he helped with community projects like the building of playgrounds for schools in Folsom. Marilyn has been an active member of the Rotary Ann’s club for over two decades.

The Econome family played a key role in the development and promotion of youth programs in Folsom. They supported many youth programs financially through the pharmacy and were active as leaders of the Folsom Swim Club, Pop Warner Football, Folsom Little League, and other softball and bowling leagues. George was one of the founding members of the Folsom Athletic Association and played a key role in starting a committee. This first committee oversaw the development of Lembi Community Park, which serves the Folsom sporting community.

Both Marilyn and Ann were active in Folsom public schools while their seven children were enrolled and throughout their graduations from Folsom High School. Ann volunteered to help with special committees to enhance education for the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.

Nick served over 25 years on the Folsom Planning Commission and was influential in ensuring parks were included in the development of Folsom. He also served on an economic development committee to ensure as Folsom grew it attracted businesses and companies that would financially support the community through employment, shopping, and taxes. One of the committees he served on was responsible for attracting Intel to Folsom.

In 1980, the Econome family George, Nick, Marilyn, and Ann received the “Citizen of the Year” award. Econome Family Park, on Blue Ravine Road, is named after the brothers and their families.

Glenn Fait, a former mayor of Folsom, graduated from McGeorge School of Law. After a few years of private practice, he took a position as the Director of McGeorge's Institute of Administrative Justice, as well as the Director of both the California Special Education Hearing Office and the California Victims of Crime Resource Center. Not many people in Folsom recognize that Fait is a nationally recognized expert in the field of Administrative Procedure.

Born in Sacramento in 1943, Fait grew up on 40 acres at the corner of Arden and Howe Avenue. He was part of the first graduating class of the new Encina High School. While attending Pepperdine College in Los Angeles, Fait met Sharon, his soon-to-be wife. After her graduation, the couple moved back to Sacramento where Fait completed his undergraduate degree at Sacramento State College. While still in college, the Faits bought the old run-down Cohn mansion in historic Old Folsom. Their hard work and dedication for over 40 years have produced the beautiful but still incomplete restoration of the mansion at the corner of Sutter Street and Scott Street in Old Folsom. The Cohn mansion is currently listed in the State of California’s Historical Registry. The Faits have two daughters, both following in their parent’s footsteps, Katie with a law degree and Marjie as a social worker in the city of Oakland. They have five granddaughters.

Even with a busy life, Fait became a very active Folsom community member. He joined the Folsom Rotary Club in 1972, serving as president in 1990, a year in which the Folsom Rotary Club was selected as the best club in the entire California and Nevada Rotary District. Fait continues to hold the record for the most community work-parties by the Folsom Rotary Club in a single year during his presidency. Supporting the Folsom Historical Society, he served as president and treasurer and was one of the founders of the Historical Resident’s Association.

Fait continued his civic service as a city councilman and the Folsom Mayor in 1994. As mayor, he signed both contracts for the new bridge across Lake Natoma and the rebuilding of the historic truss bridge. In 2015 he retired from his position as the Associate Dean-Special Counsel of McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. Fait continues to live in the community as he works on the restoration of the Cohn Mansion.

Marshall Farley was a Folsom resident who volunteered to serve as a scout dog handler in the Vietnam War. He served in the Army, attaining the rank of Specialist Fourth Class and earned several medals. He served on the front lines with his scout dog “Bootsy.” He and Bootsy were killed in action on September 19, 1967.

The City of Folsom dedicated a baseball field in his honor. The ball field was moved nearby to make room for the Folsom Public Library Georgia Murray Building and a veterans memorial. A statue of a kneeling soldier at one corner of the veterans memorial looks across to a statue of a dog standing on alert. The interaction of the two statues pays tribute to Farley and Bootsy.

Governor Jose Figueroa was one of the heroes of Mexico’s long struggle for independence. In 1824 he was appointed Commandant-General of Sonora and Sinoloa. He served as Governor and Military Commandant of Alta California from January 14, 1833, until shortly before his death at Monterey, September 29, 1835.

During his administration, he did commendable work in organizing a territorial and local government. He saw the initial secularization of the missions of Upper California which included the expulsion of the Spanish Franciscan mission officials. This also involved the issuing of many Mexican land grants. As a capable, patriotic statesman, he served the people of California well and won their respect and goodwill. Many historians consider Figueroa to be “the most competent governor of California during the Mexican era.” Figueroa Street was the first residential street in Folsom.

It’s fun to imagine what the City of Folsom would look like if Captain Joseph Libbey Folsom had lived in the city he named Granite City. He hired Theodore Judah to survey a town uphill from Black Miners Bar and named the streets after family members, friends, and local sites.

He was born in 1917 in Meredith, New Hampshire, called the Granite State. Would the original Folsom town have had New England-style wood or granite buildings? We’ll never know because he died in 1855 at age 38, just months before the town survey was recorded in Sacramento County and the lots were sold.

Folsom graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1840 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He was trained to build bridges, roads, and railroad lines. Many people presume he fought in the Mexican War (1846-48), but he never did. He fought in the Second Seminole War (1835-42) in Florida. He also taught at West Point.

He was recruited to join the First Regiment of New York Volunteers, commanded by Col. Jonathan Stevenson, and sail to California where he was appointed to the position of assistant quartermaster. The assignment of the regiment was to support a military occupation of California during the conflict with Mexico and to settle in California when the men were discharged. The volunteers sailed to what was then Yerba Buena (now San Francisco) in 1847, where Folsom also became the port customs collection and harbormaster.

In the early 1850s, Folsom joined a group of San Francisco investors who were planning to build the first commercial railroad west of the Rockies, the Sacramento Valley Railroad. Theodore Judah laid out a route from Sacramento to Folsom that would carry supplies to be picked up by wagons and delivered to mining camps and towns in the Sierra mountains. Folsom became president of the company for only a few months before he died and before the railroad was completed the following year.

In 1848 Folsom had purchased the Mexican land grant called Rancho Rio de Los Americanos from the mother of William A. Leidesdorff, but the title was contested and was not cleared until shortly after Folsom died. The grant contained the townsite he would call Granite City, but his executors changed the name to Folsom in his honor.

Sandra (Sandy) J. Gallardo Elementary School was named for a teacher, principal, and Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education that spent almost 40 years in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.

Sandy Gallardo began her teaching career in 1964 as a first and second-grade teacher at Riverview Elementary and then Williamson Elementary in Rancho Cordova. In 1978 she became the Teaching Vice Principal at Kitty Hawk Elementary School on Mather Air Force Base. In 1981 she became the Principal at both Theodore Judah Elementary and Blanche Sprentz Elementary in Folsom.

Sandy was well known for bringing innovative and positive changes to schools as both a teacher and as a site administrator. She introduced learning centers as a way to better group students with specific learning problems, as well as grouping those high achieving students to encourage high-level thinking skills, while always grouping and regrouping to ensure all students were learning.

Because of her many talents as an instructional leader, Sandy was selected to open a new elementary school in 1987, Carl Sundahl Elementary. Even though school started that year with not all the construction complete, Sandy made it a smooth transition for all new teachers and students. Within the second year of operation, Carl Sundahl Elementary was identified by the State of California as a high-performing elementary school.

With the opening of yet another new elementary school in Folsom, Folsom Hills Elementary School, Sandy was again asked to become its principal and guide it through a smooth opening in 1991. There, she continued her innovative ways and introduced a Spanish language program. Folsom Hills too became a high-performing school. No matter if it is her parents, teachers, office staff, custodians, or bus drivers, everyone always said, “if students were out and about, Sandy Gallardo was there.” Twice during her career as an administrator in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District, she was selected by her peers as the district “Administrator” of the year. Sandy retired in 2001 after 37 years of outstanding service to the District and the City of Folsom.

Since the early 1930s, the Handy family has been committed to bettering the City of Folsom. Their contribution efforts towards parks and recreation, athletics, education, and fire safety within the Folsom community have made them a well-known name in town.

Everett (EB) Handy was a WWII veteran, a local butcher, and a long-standing member of the Folsom VFW, Folsom Lions Club, and Folsom Rotary Club. Everett supported, as well as participated in, athletics within the community. His wife, Marge Handy, became the city’s first councilwoman and was instrumental in promoting the development of the Folsom City Lions Park.

Their three sons and their wives, Dean and Joanne, John and Sandi, and Tom and Debbie have been active members of the city’s Volunteer Fire Department, Folsom High Booster Club, Folsom Sea Otters Swim Team, Folsom Little League, Folsom Babe Ruth League, Folsom Soccer Club, Albertson’s Run/Walk, Folsom Men’s Softball Association, and Folsom High School Alumni Association. John and Tom have served as presidents of the Folsom Athletic Association. The Handy Family Park in Folsom was named in their honor.

Lew Howard was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Folsom. In 1953, the Rotary Club of Placerville sponsored the Rotary Club of Folsom and Lew was instrumental in this endeavor. He was the fourth president of the club and led the club during the 1956-1957 Rotary Year. Lew was also secretary of the club for six years starting in 1958. He shared the Secretary duties with Al Relvas during Phil Moezinger’s Presidential year 1963-1964.

Lew was a commercial contractor. In his later years, he was employed by the Folsom Cordova School District as a maintenance inspector. Lew’s most favored tradition was bringing a huge Christmas tree (50-60 feet tall) to the corner of Sutter and Riley Streets. Lew was also known for instituting the pancake breakfast on Sutter Street during “Pioneer Day” and for building BBQ pits in the city park.

Lew Howard was known as “Mr. Rotary” as he was the “consummate Rotarian.” Lew’s wife, Coral, was secretary to Jack Kipp at his appliance store and was a Rotary Anne, instrumental in starting Rotary Annes. Lew and Carol lived on Oak Avenue on the corner of Auburn-Folsom and Oak. Lew had the respect of his neighbors for his effort to obtain Lew Howard Park from the County of Sacramento, and for his many other contributions to the Folsom community.

Theodore Judah was mad about railroads from the time he was a boy. He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut on March 4, 1826. Steam trains had just been introduced from England. They would change the world of travel, and Judah wanted to be part of this new technological marvel.

Judah studied civil engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., (the MIT of the time). At age 18 he was a railroad surveyor. By the age of 28, he had engineered the Niagara River Gorge Railroad.

In the meantime, by 1852 the Gold Rush had brought 239,000 people to the Sacramento-Marysville area who were purchasing 162,700 tons of supplies a year. River navigation was the only means of transportation during the rainy season. A group of businessmen met in Sacramento that year and formed the Sacramento Valley Railroad to serve this new market. The first president, Charles Lincoln Wilson, went to New York seeking money and someone with railroad expertise. The Governor of New York recommended young Theodore Judah. Judah had envisioned a railroad that would travel across the continent, and he was anxious to go West with his wife, Anne Pierce.

Judah surveyed the track from Sacramento to Black Miners Bar, and on to Marysville. The cost of the first segment, 22.9 miles, far exceeded the estimates, so the track to Marysville was never constructed.

In February 1855, Captain Joseph L. Folsom became president of the company. Before he died that July, he asked Judah to survey a townsite at Black Miners Bar that would serve as a railroad hub.

The Sacramento Valley Railroad, the first commercial railroad west of the Rockies, made its maiden trip on Feb. 22, 1856. Today, the light rail Gold Line to Folsom travels on the same tracks.

Judah went on to lobby for a transcontinental railroad. He convinced seven men, including the “Big Four,” who eventually controlled the Central Pacific Railroad, to pay for a survey. Following bitter disagreements between Judah and the Big Four, he left for New York in 1863 to lobby for funding to strengthen his position. Crossing the Isthmus of Panama, he contracted Yellow Fever and died a few days later in New York. His transcontinental dream was realized, but he was not recognized for it.

John Kemp was born on July 21, 1940, in Crescent City, California. Once he and his family moved to Folsom, Kemp was inspired to improve Folsom’s recreational opportunities. As an owner of American River Aggregates, John Kemp has made numerous donations of equipment and materials over the years for various community projects and events, as well as provided numerous sponsorships to youth sports organizations. Kemp has served as the president of the Folsom Historical Society twice and has contributed many hours towards the new museum. He has been an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, serving on the board of directors, and was honored with the Chambers “Man of the Year” award. Also, he has been a very active member of the Folsom Rotary Club and Folsom Elks Lodge. During his presidency of the Folsom Rotary Club, Kemp created Folsom’s first car show and contributed to the Community Center Marquee. His influence throughout the community has helped Folsom improve its youth sports and continues to increase participation and opportunities.

Jack Kipp was born on September 6, 1920, in Folsom in his family home on Mormon Street. Six generations of the Kipp family have resided in Folsom, known for being miners and farmers.

Jack was an intelligent young man, graduating from Folsom High School at the age of 15. He was known as a “doer” with a keen knowledge of the business.

Following 42 months of service with the United States Army during World War II, Jack returned to Folsom to buy out the Higgins interest of Kipp and Higgins on Sutter Street, a grocery store his father John ‘Gene’ Kipp Sr., co-owned. In 1952 he closed the store and entered the appliance business, opening a store on the corner of Wool and Sutter Streets. Jack’s civic service began in 1956 when he joined the city’s planning commission. Two years later he was elected to the city council and served until 1974. He took twelve years off before rejoining in 1986 and serving until 1994. He was mayor for 21 of those 24 total years on the Council.

As mayor, he improved the City of Folsom and was nicknamed the “Father of Folsom.” During his time, the Folsom water system was acquired, parks, streets, and sewer systems were improved, and the present city hall was built. He was also responsible for the building of Twin Lakes Hospital (now known as Mercy Hospital of Folsom), developing a portion of the E. Bidwell shopping center (where he owned and managed J.K. Appliance Store), guiding the city’s annexation efforts, bringing in large retailers like Walmart and Target, and making Folsom Lake College a reality.

His most significant legacy was the city’s growth. Kipp saw Folsom grow from a population of 1,000 to 57,000, turning a small town known for its prison into a blossoming city home to high-tech companies. Many that knew Jack said, quite literally, that Folsom was “the town that Jack built”.

William Leidesdorff, born October 1810 in St. Croix, Dutch West Indies, was the first child of a Danish Jewish sugar plantation owner and a free woman of color. As a young man, he went to New Orleans, where he learned the import/export business and how to captain a sailing ship. In 1834 he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

With a family inheritance, Leidesdorff purchased the vessel Julia Ann, which he sailed to California in 1841. When he arrived at Yerba Buena in San Francisco Bay, the village was a small Mexican pueblo with about 20 houses. However, Leidesdorff saw the potential. He sailed his Julia Ann as a trading vessel along the Pacific coast and to Hawaii. In 1843 he built the town’s first hotel. By 1844 he was a Mexican citizen. He became a merchant, and also a cattle rancher. His brand was an outline of a steer’s head.

Leidesdorff petitioned Governor Micheltorena for eight square leagues (around 3,500 acres) “bounded by the lands of Señor Sutter,” stating that he was the owner of a large amount of cattle stock and desired to obtain a tract of land on which to place them. The grant, named Rancho Rio de Los Americanos was approved in October 1844. The city of Folsom is located in the northeast corner of the grant.

He was appointed Vice Consul to Mexico in 1845, under the jurisdiction of Commodore Stockton, U.S. Military Governor of California. By 1847, he had a fine large house where he entertained lavishly. At the first election in San Francisco, he was elected to the City Council and served as treasurer. Leidesdorff was one of three members of the first school board.

In May 1848, Leidesdorff died of "brain fever." He was 37.

Edward Levy, a Folsom merchant in the late 1860s until after the turn of the century, originally owned a store in Mormon Island. He later opened a successful liquor and tobacco store on Sutter Street.

The Levy family was instrumental in establishing Folsom’s first public county library. In 1911, Edward Levy constructed a building at 605 Sutter Street and leased it to Sacramento County. The Folsom Library, which was a branch of the Sacramento County Library, was housed in this building until 1960. His daughters, Lotta L. Levy and Hattie B. Levy Morrison, both served as librarians at the Folsom Library. Hattie served as a librarian until 1920 when she was succeeded by her sister, Lotta Levy, who served until 1953. Folsom residents stress how important the addition of this library was to the community and thank the Levy family for their contribution.

Horatio Gates Livermore and his sons, Horatio Putnam and Charles Edward have made a lasting impression on the City of Folsom. In 1862, the family gained control of the Natoma Water and Mining Company. In 1866, the Natoma Water and Mining Company recognized the water power potential of the American River and began to implement a large-scale plan to transform Folsom into a manufacturing center. Central to the plan was a dam of granite and concrete, which was completed in 1893.

The Folsom Water and Power Company was incorporated in 1881, with Charles Edward Livermore as president, in anticipation that there would be an industrial application for electrical power in Sacramento. A 40-foot wide canal from the dam was built leading downhill with the intent of generating power for the envisioned cotton and woolen mills, a paper-making plant, and a carpet mill in Folsom.

The American River Land and Lumber Company were launched by Horatio Putnam Livermore in 1888 with the purchase of 9,000 acres of forest land between the middle and south forks of the American River. The boulder-strewn river could never be cleared enough to make the endeavor profitable and the lumber mill was eventually moved closer to logging operations. Horatio Putnam also incorporated the Sacramento Electric Power and Light Company in 1892, which was later purchased by PG&E.

The Folsom Powerhouse was completed in 1895. Long-distance transmission lines carried 23 miles of high-voltage alternating current for the first time, lighting the streets of Sacramento. The new hydroelectric technology replaced water wheels. The Folsom Powerhouse provided electricity to Sacramento until 1952 when it was dedicated to the state and replaced by the Folsom Dam. The Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park is both a state and national historic landmark.

The Manns have been community activists since establishing residency in Folsom in 1978, contributing significantly to the Parks & Recreation System. Gary Mann, Parks & Recreation Commissioner, was instrumental in the creation of the city’s first Parks & Recreation Master Plan, the adoption of the City’s Parkland and Dedication Ordinance, and the adoption of the City’s Park Capital Improvement Fee. Additionally, Gary was responsible for heading the development of Rodeo Park, Ed Mitchell Park, Granite Park, and the lighting of all the fields at Lembi Sports Complex. As a parent and a youth league coach, Gary requested the Folsom Athletic Association to establish a scholarship fund for Folsom’s youth who could not participate in Folsom’s recreational programs or youth leagues because of financial constraints. As a result, the Folsom Athletic Association has developed the $50,000 trust fund, “Never in Our Town”. Meaning that never in our town will a youth not be able to participate due to their financial constraints.

Gary’s wife, Cheryl, has been equally involved in supporting the above-mentioned activities and being president of the Lioness Club where they have donated and funded several improvements for the Parks & Recreation System.

The McFarland family owned the Folsom Telegraph from 1886 until 1942. After Thaddeus McFarland passed away in 1896, his widow Mary continued to publish the paper with the help of her son, Ray, and 13-year-old daughter, Hazel.

Hazel began working at the Folsom Telegraph at a young age by picking up the type from the floor of the paper’s office. She was Folsom’s first female postmaster, from 1922 to 1944 and was elected as the first city clerk upon the incorporation of the City in 1946 until 1955. Hazel McFarland was a charter member of the Fern Parlor of the Daughters of the Golden West and served as the grand organist for that organization’s State Parlor. Additionally, she taught music and held recitals for her students in Folsom. Hazel helped to obtain historical status as a town and the dedication plaque for Prairie City, an early mining town near Highway 50 and Folsom High School. Hazel McFarland Park was named in her honor.

Broncho Charles Miller was one of the last surviving Pony Express riders who rode from Sacramento to Placerville. He was born on January 1, 1850, in Hat Creek Modoc County, California. His parents came across the plains by ox wagon from New York on the Oregon Trail. By his own account, Charlie was born on a buffalo robe in a covered wagon and delivered by an Indian squaw. His given name was Julius Mortimer Miller but he received the nickname “Broncho Charlie” as a youth for his bronco-breaking abilities.

In 1885, Charlie went to England with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and remained two years. He performed for the Queen of England and carried the razzle-dazzle and lasso skills he honed with Buffalo Bill into fabricating his own life story. He fought in WW1 at the age of 67; at age 81, he delivered letters on horseback from New York City to San Francisco to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Pony Express. At age 92, he applied to join the Army for WW11 but was turned down. He died in Glen Falls, New York in 1955 at the age of 105. Miller Way in Folsom is named after this colorful character in California history.

Ed Mitchell Park in Folsom and Mitchell Middle School in Rancho Cordova are named for a man many called “Mr. Folsom”, William Edwin Mitchell. Roger Zittel, former Chamber of Commerce Director, once described him as “one of the finest citizens of the community”.

Born on a dairy ranch in Tomales, Marin County, California, Mitchell attended Tomales High School and after graduation enrolled at San Jose State College where he received his B.A. degree in 1926. In 1927, he received his M.A. degree and his Administration Credential from Stanford University. Before arriving in Folsom, he taught high school, coached, and was a principal at many schools.

Mitchell was hired as superintendent of both the Granite Grammar School District and the Folsom Union High School District in 1939. In addition, he served as principal of both Granite Grammar School and Folsom High School. That same year, he opened the Folsom Represa Adult School, the first school district prison program in the nation. He was the driving force that unified the two districts into the Folsom Cordova Joint Unified School District in 1949. He continued as District Superintendent until his retirement in 1966. The district name was changed to Folsom Cordova Unified School District in 1967.

Well known as district superintendent, Mitchell was also involved in the Folsom community for 50 plus years. He served 12 years on the City’s Park and Recreation Commission, four years as Chamber of Commerce director, 20 years with the annual Folsom Rodeo including directing the rodeo queen contest. He was an active member of the Folsom Lions Club for over 40 years as well as a deacon and an elder at Folsom Presbyterian Church.

Mitchell was selected as “Man of the Year” in 1972 by the Folsom Chamber of Commerce. He passed away in the late 1980s.

Mormon Street in Folsom is named after the Mormons who occupied Mormon Island during the gold rush. It was located on the American River east of present-day Folsom. Early in March 1848, Levi Fifield, Sidney Willis, and Wilford Hudson, all members of the Mormon Battalion, were working on the grist mill at Natomas. On the way back from visiting friends in Coloma, they discovered gold at what was later called Mormon Island, which became the richest find of the gold rush. It was not truly an island, but a sandbar, 100 feet wide by 300 feet long, on the south fork of the American River. The men told the story of returning to the fort and soon 150 Mormons and other miners flocked to the site. The population of the town in 1853 quickly grew to more than 2,500. It had four hotels, three dry goods stores, five general merchandise stores, an express office, and many small shops.

The town dwindled after the gold was flushed out, and by the 1950s, there were no more than a few residents left. Eventually, the town was flooded in 1955 with the creation of Folsom Lake. The only remnants of the town are sometimes visible during extreme drought years as the foundation of houses lies underwater.

Photo courtesy of the Folsom History Museum

Born in Montpelier, Vermont in 1913, Georgia Murray’s early years were shaped by her large family and her struggle to overcome paralysis from polio. She became an avid reader through her library during the years when she was learning to walk again. She worked in a factory during World War II building searchlights for Navy ships. She and her husband Charles retired to the Folsom area in 1968. She was politically active on many civic issues but is remembered most for her activism on behalf of the Folsom Public Library. When the County of Sacramento closed the Folsom Branch Library in 1992, she led the campaign to start a city library. Her leadership made it possible to open a temporary library in 1993 and eventually the permanent facility that bears her name.

Photo Credit: Ric Hornor

Amos P. Catlin came to Mormon Island in 1849 where he mined and practiced law. William L. Goggin, agent for the Department of the Post Office on the west coast, asked Catlin for a name for the new post office being set up on Mormon Island. Catlin offered the name Natoma which was a Maidu Indian name meaning clear water in the local dialect.

The Natoma Water & Mining Company of 1853 was organized by Catlin to bring water to the area from the South Fork of the American River for mining and other uses. By the end of the 19th century, placer mining along the American river was no longer economically viable on a small scale. The remaining gold-bearing gravel in the river channel was at a level too deep to be economically recovered through traditional methods. Dredging the riverbed became the next step in mining. About 1902, the Folsom Development Company acquired rights to dredge and placer gravels in the river.

The Natomas Consolidated Company was formed on January 1, 1909, from the consolidation of the Folsom Development Company, Natomas Development Company, El Dorado Gold Dredging Company, and the Natomas Vineyard Company. This reduced the number of companies working in the Folsom District down to just two: the Natomas Consolidated and Ashburton Mining Company.

The company built a 36” gauge railroad to serve the machines used to crush the rocks from the dredging. The railroad operated over a temporary track to bring the dredge tailings to the crusher which could then be sold. Trains of seven cars were loaded by steam shovel near the river and returned to the crusher where their loads were emptied. As constructed the crusher used an incline to haul each car up for dumping. This arrangement was slow and the arrangement was replaced with a ground-level bin and conveyor system allowing for multiple cars to be dumped at once. The plant could fill two standard gauge cars of the same graded stone simultaneously.

In the first year of operation, the company’s seven dredgers worked 321.48 acres of land and 13,975,185 cubic yards of gravel. In 1909, the Natomas Consolidated and also took over the holdings of the Cherokee Gold Dredging Company and the Feather River Exploration Company operations near Oroville. These operations gave the company an additional 1,364 acres. The Natomas Consolidated was then said to be the second-largest dredging company in the state.

In 1961 the Natomas Company proposed the American River Parkway to Sacramento County Parks & Recreation. One thousand acres of land was donated and today serves as hiking trails. The Natomas Company also donated land for Folsom’s Lembi Park. On February 12, 1962, the last dredge in Folsom, Natoma No. 6, was shut down. A model of Natomas Dredger #10 is on display in the Folsom History Museum. A street in Folsom is also named Natoma.

William H. Nichols Jr. was born on December 12, 1873, in Folsom, CA. He graduated from Folsom Public School and was head of his class. At the age of sixteen, he received a first-grade teacher's certificate. Before enlisting in the Marine Corps, he worked at the Rocklin Railroad Depot and later learned the printers' trade working for the Telegraph. He was said to be jovial, counted everybody as his friend, and was a favorite with his associates.

Nichols enlisted in the Marine Corps on November 15, 1898, and was stationed on the gunboat Yorktown in the South Pacific. During the Boxer Uprising, Nichols served in the Legation Guard under Major Waller. In 1900 he was transferred to the gunboat Newark to rescue imperiled Americans in Pekin, China. Nichols was killed by a sniper on June 18, 1900, while on the gunboat Newark during the Boxer Rebellion in China. A year later his body was found and returned to Folsom for burial. Nichols Circle was named in his honor.

Nisenan Community Park was named for the native peoples of the Folsom region. “Nisenan” (Nee-Seh-Nahn) simply means “the people.” The Nisenan mountain peoples inhabited the foothills to the crests of the Sierras for thousands of years before the Gold Rush. They lived in harmony with the land, harvesting acorns, hunting wild game, and collecting native plants for food and medicine. Evidence of their presence within Nisenan Community Park is preserved by bedrock grinding stones in the oak grove, and along Willow Creek where acorn meal was made.

This park celebrates the history of the people who lived in these lands. Maidu and Miwok descendants of the Nisenan live in surrounding communities and are still spiritually connected to this land. Today you may catch a glimpse of wild turkeys, red-tailed hawks, rabbits, small rodents, snakes, and even a coyote or bobcat in the parklands and open space. This park and oak woodlands are now a rich amenity for the present community which makes Folsom “Distinctive by Nature.”

Jalmari (John) Paavola was born in Finland in 1891 before he immigrated to America. He settled in Folsom, where he purchased a new home on the 500 block of Persifer Street and a storefront at 713 Sutter Street. He named the store J. Paavola & Son Shoes, Clothing & Shoe Repair.

Paavola’s only son Toivo (John D.) Paavola was born in 1923. John D. served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1942 to 1945. He was awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat and held as a prisoner of war. Following his honorable discharge from military service, John D. and his wife Grace (maiden name Roediger) worked alongside his father in the family store, selling clothing and repairing shoes and boots for Folsom locals. John D. and Grace purchased a home in the 200 block of Persifer Street near his father in 1950.

After Paavola sold the family store in 1956, John D. worked as a carpenter for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in Folsom. Grace worked as a waitress at the Folsom Lake Bowl and the Folsom Hotel. She later became a civilian aircraft mechanic at McClellan Air Force Base. Grace was active with the Folsom Fraternal Order of Eagles, raising money for local charities and serving as madam president. John D. and Grace lived a happy life in their Folsom home for more than 49 years, raising daughters Sandra and Nikki and granddaughter Stacie, who all graduated from Folsom High School.

Pierson Barton Reading was born November 26, 1816, in New Jersey. He came across the country to California as a member of the Chiles-Walker party in 1843. Gold had not yet been discovered but Reading was looking for wealth inland. Employed by General Sutter as a clerk, explorer, and chief of trappers, he saw what the future suggested for Sutter and learned from him.

Like many others who Sutter helped establish in California, Reading (pronounced Redding) became successful after he left his employment at Sutter’s Fort. He was given land grants by the Mexican Governor Micheltorena that included vast tracts of placer claims in the northern sections of the Sacramento Valley. He received the 26,632acre Rancho Buenaventura land grant in Shasta County in 1847. After discovering gold in Trinity County in 1848, he became a very wealthy man.

Reading participated in the Bear Flag Revolt in 1846. He enlisted under Fremont and was appointed Paymaster of the Californian Battalion with the rank of Major. He became the Whig candidate for governor of California in 1851. Four years later, he was appointed a Special Indian Agent.

After his death on May 29, 1868, the Central Pacific Railroad arrived and laid out a town they named for him, Redding, California. Joseph Folsom honored Major Pierson Reading because of his leadership in California by naming a street after him, Reading Street.

Riley Street is named for General Bennet Riley who was the sixth and last military governor of California during the years before the territory gained statehood. He was born on November 27, 1787, and died on June 6, 1853. Riley first volunteered for service in the War of 1812. During the Mexican–American War, he served as colonel of the 2nd U.S. Infantry and fought at the Siege of Veracruz where he was cited for bravery. He was generally considered one of the ablest brigade commanders in the army during the war with Mexico. As military governor of California, Riley ordered the election of representatives to a state constitutional convention in Monterey, and handed over all civil authority to a governor and elected delegates at the end of 1849. The following year, California joined the U.S. as a state.

Ulysses S, Grant described Bennet Riley as “the finest specimen of physical manhood I had ever looked upon…6’2” in his stocking feet, straight as the undrawn bowstring, broad-shouldered with every limb in perfect proportion, with an eagle eye and a step as light as a forest tiger.”

In the years 1849 and 1850, General Riley commanded the Military Department in Upper California and exercised the duties of the Provincial Governor. In addition to the influx of prospectors seeking fortunes, daily desertions of his men depleted his troops. At the height of the Gold Rush, he had eight companies of infantry, two artillery, and two dragoons stretched between San Diego and San Francisco. Joseph Folsom chose to name the streets of his town after the names of his friends, family, and other important people in California; General Riley was one of those important men in Folsom’s life and California history.

William ‘Bill’ Rumsey Jr. was born on August 2, 1921, to a family with deep roots in Folsom. Bill was the son of William and Ethel Rumsey, who opened a hardware and grocery store on Sutter Street in 1913.
The Rumsey family has been associated with Folsom since the 1850s, going back seven generations to the Gold Rush era. The Rumsey family home is on Figueroa Street and is said to be the oldest house in Folsom.

Bill attended Granite School, the only elementary school in Folsom at the time, and was a graduate of Folsom High School class of 1939, where he played baseball. Bill was known as a good athlete, likable, happy, and always having a good sense of humor. He spent much of his time at his father’s hardware store.

After graduating, he enlisted and was selected for the air cadets and officer training. Rumsey was an Army transport pilot. Once the United States declared war, the air corps joined fully into the Battle of Britain, and Captain Rumsey was ordered to England. There he commanded a bomber crew flying daylight raids over France and Germany. He participated in 20 missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Oak Leaf Cluster. Rumsey died in combat when his B-17 bomber was shot down near France on March 16, 1944. Rumsey Way in Folsom was named in his honor.

Russell Ranch Elementary School was named for a family that arrived at what is now the Folsom area in the 1860s.

In the history of the nation’s cattle industry, the Russell name goes back to the period after the Civil War. Daniel Russell and his wife were born in Scotland, came to the United States, first settling in Missouri and then moving to California. At that time the Folsom area was a wide open gold country, but Daniel Russell homesteaded the land here, as cited in the 1860 Federal Census. Daniel Sr. applied for and received his naturalization papers in 1867. He passed away in 1874 and was buried at what is now Folsom Lake. Before the lake was filled he was moved to his final resting place at Mormon Island.

Daniel Russell’s two sons were the driving force in establishing Russell Ranch; D.A. Russell Jr., and Jack Russell. D.A. went into the meat business in Colfax, California. It is said he supplied the “gold country” with much of its butchered meat. D.A. had a son, Melvin, who developed Russell Ranch which was then called the “Home Ranch” to what is now Highway 50, toward Placerville, California.

Melvin passed away in 1954, but his son Daniel Henry Russell went on to expand the Russell Ranch into one of the largest family-owned and operated cattle outfits in the United States. One of Dan’s dreams was to create a first-class rodeo in Folsom, and he went into the rodeo business in the early 1960s. He designed what is now the Dan Russell Arena. There are three girls and one boy in Dan’s family: Gail, Diane, Linda, and Dan M. Russell, with a total of eight grandchildren.

Daniel M. Russell graduated from Folsom High School in 1970. He passed away at the age of 61 in December 2013, but not before he had developed Western Rodeos, Inc., a modern progressive company operating from Russell’s vast ranches in California, Nevada, and Wyoming. Dan M. Russell supplied the finest rodeo stock available for top rodeos throughout the country each year, including the Dan Russell Arena in Folsom.

Winfield Scott was born June 13, 1786, in Petersburg, Virginia, and died May 29, 1866. He was an army officer who held the rank of General in three wars and was the unsuccessful Whig candidate for president in 1852. He was the foremost American military figure between the Revolution and the Civil War.

He first gained national notice in the War of 1812, when as a brigadier general he distinguished himself at the Battles of Chippewa and Lundy’s Lane. Since he was chiefly responsible for winning these battles, his military prestige was established. Congress gave him a gold medal, and the President offered him the office of Secretary of War. He declined but represented the United States in Europe from 1815 to 1816.

In 1845, when the Mexican army crossed the Rio Grande, marking the beginning of the War with Mexico, Winfield Scott led an expedition to Lobos Island and landed troops in Vera Cruz. In 1847 he captured Mexico City. His occupation of Mexico’s capital city and his campaign at Vera Cruz were decisive factors that brought about the war’s end and the acquisition of California for the United States.

General Scott was Joseph Folsom’s ranking commander from the time the young New England’s captain was first a cadet at West Point until he came to California. It was also Scott’s General Regulations for the Army and his Infantry Tactics that Folsom studied as textbooks at the academy. Scott Street was named in his honor.

Henry Hopkins Sibley was born May 25, 1816, a year before Joseph Folsom. After his father’s death when he was seven years old, he was sent to Missouri to live with his paternal uncle. At the age of 17, Sibley was admitted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated in 1838 and was commissioned as second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Dragoons, a mounted infantry. He remained a career officer in the United States Army and commanded a Confederate Cavalry Brigade in the Civil War.

In 1862, he attempted to forge a supply-route from California, in defiance of the Union Blockade of the Atlantic and Gulf ports, while also aiming to appropriate the Colorado gold mines to replenish the Confederate treasury.

Sibley was a member of the February 1851 Vigilance Committee in San Francisco along with Captain Folsom. He was also a quarter-master general of the mounted San Francisco volunteers in 1851, raised by Governor Burnett to help quell Indian disturbances at San Diego. As an associate of Folsom’s in the military establishment, he chose to honor him by naming Sibley Street after him.

Persifor Frazer Smith was born November 16, 1798, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His maternal grandfather was a Revolutionary War figure, Persifor Frazer. Smith served as a colonel of volunteers in the Seminole Wars from 1836-1838 before taking part in the Mexican-American War. He commanded the Second Brigade in Worth’s Division at the Battle of Monterrey. After the war, he commanded the Pacific Division of the U.S. Army, a predecessor of the Department of the Pacific. In 1849, in his capacity as commander, he sent relief parties across the Sierra Nevada in the fall to meet the last arrivals in the emigration, saving many lives.

Although the spelling of the name has been altered, he is another member of the United States Army that fought valiantly for our country whom Folsom and Judah wished to honor by naming Persifer Street after him.

Blanche Sprentz Elementary School was named for a Folsom educator who spent almost half a century teaching, coaching, and nurturing students.

Blanche Sprentz was born in Jackson, California in 1903; she had two sisters and one brother. She graduated from grammar school in Amador County in 1917 and attended Jackson Joint Union High School where she graduated in 1921. After high school, she attended the State Teachers College of California in San Francisco, graduating in 1921.

At the age of nineteen, she began her teaching career as an elementary teacher in Plymouth, California, staying two years at the Amador County School.

Blanche moved to Folsom in 1925 and began her career at Granite School in Folsom. During her 40-plus years at Granite School, she taught second grade, third grade, music, coached the girls’ basketball team, and served as vice principal for almost ten years. Mrs. Sprentz also played the piano in a small orchestra called, “The Knights of Jazz” for many years. In addition to her coaching, she was also the “jump center” on a women’s basketball team with two other staff members. She was an excellent painter, and especially enjoyed painting landscapes.

In 1938 she married George Sprentz, a railroad man. Blanche once shared, “George and I loved to hop on the noon train to San Francisco for dinner and a movie at the Senator Theater.”

Blanche retired in 1966, the same year that Granite School closed, with over 40 years of dedicated service to the district. As Blanche told friends at the time, “I didn’t want to retire, but George asked me if I didn’t think it was about time I stayed at home.” Her retirement saw a turn-out of over 500 people to honor her and her long tenure in the district. Blanche said, “I taught because of my love for children, even though I had none of my own.” Students said, “We loved Mrs. Sprentz and we all wished we could have had her as our teacher in all grades.”

Carl Sundahl Elementary School was named for a man that was not only a true part of the Greatest Generation but also a very active member of the Folsom Community for over 30 years.

Dr. Carl Sundahl grew up during the Great Depression. Even though his father worked in a lumber camp in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, as did so many families of the depression, they were very poor. Carl was lucky to have shoes to wear as a child.

Carl graduated from Quincy High School, in Quincy, California in 1942. He joined the Army Air Corps in February 1943, reached the rank of 1st Lt. and flew P38 fighter planes in the South Pacific Theatre of operations during World War II. He was discharged from the Army Air Corps in January 1946 with many wartime citations.

After the war, Carl attended and graduated from the College of the Pacific (now University of the Pacific) in 1949. He then attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons School of Dentistry in San Francisco and graduated in 1953. He remained a part-time faculty member there until 1966.

Carl opened his dental practice in Folsom in 1953 at a time that made him one of only two dentists in the community of Folsom. But even with a very busy practice, he not only found time to provide free dental services for those that could not pay but also provided many civic services to the City of Folsom.

Carl was a 30-year member of the Folsom Chamber of Commerce, serving as president in 1958. He was also a member of the Natoma Masonic Lodge No. 64, the Veterans of Foreign Wars No. 6604, and a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church. Carl was a founding member of the Rotary Club of Folsom and served as president from 1959 to 1960. Through all the civic services and his dental practice, Carl provided support to schools, youth sporting activities, as well as the growth of the Folsom business community.

Carl continued with his dental practice until 1984 when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and passed in 1985, not long before the construction of the new elementary school just down the street from his own home on Inwood Road. A large group of community members petitioned the Folsom Cordova Unified School Board to name the new school after Carl because of all his support to schools in Folsom and his community service.

John Augustus Sutter was born in Kandern, Germany on February 15, 1803, and is known for his association with the California Gold Rush. He went to school in Switzerland and at age 21, married the daughter of a rich widow. He operated a store but was more interested in spending money than making it. Rather than face charges of mounting debt that would have placed him in jail, he ventured to America where he changed his name to Captain John Sutter.

Sutter arrived in California on July 1, 1839, when Alta California was a province of Mexico. He traveled to Monterey to obtain permission from Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado to settle in the territory. Alvarado saw Sutter’s plan of establishing a colony as useful in “buttressing the frontier which he was trying to maintain against Indians, Russians, Americans and British.” For Sutter to qualify for land ownership, he had to reside in the territory for a year and become a Mexican citizen which he did in 1840. He began constructing a fortified settlement which Sutter named New Helvetia or New Switzerland after his homeland. When the settlement was completed in 1841, he received title to 48,827 acres on the Sacramento River which is now the site of the capital of Sacramento. He envisioned creating an agricultural utopia and before the Gold Rush, his settlement was prosperous as it was the destination for most immigrants entering California via the high passes of the Sierra Nevada.

In 1848, James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill, which changed everything for Sutter. Large crowds of people overran the land and destroyed nearly everything he had worked for causing him to leave and move to Washington D.C. in 1865. Students studying California history visit Sutter’s Fort in Sacramento every year.

Steven Wales was the only son of a family long associated with Folsom. His father, Bob Wales, was the freight agent who hauled freight by truck from Sacramento to Folsom after the Southern Pacific stopped running regular trains to Folsom. His trucks brought supplies to Rumsey’s, Kipp’s, the Natomas Co., the schools, and the prison. Steven’s maternal great-grandfather, Joseph Woodward, came to California from Vermont in 1849 as a gold mine merchant and later took up 640 acres of Folsom land known as Woodward Ranch.

Sgt. Steven Wales was on a bombing mission over Korea with his crew on the B24 bomber Lucky Lady II when it was hit by Japanese fire and disabled. The bomber turned back to home base, but the plane could not climb high enough to pass over Mount Mang-un, at 3000 feet high, and crashed. He died on August 7, 1945, with the ten other members of his crew. Wales Drive was named in his honor.

Jim “Digger” Williams was a beloved longtime resident who was widely respected for his volunteer efforts and many contributions to the city of Folsom.

Born on February 21, 1935, in Caldwell, Ohio, Williams moved to Folsom in 1960 with his wife, Sharon. He quickly volunteered, became a community leader, and was known as a Parks Commissioner, host of public concerts, and ambassador for the Folsom Chamber of Commerce. He was recognized as Volunteer of the Year, Citizen of the year and received placement on the Wall of Fame for his work as ambassador.

While working as an undertaker and cemetery manager for Miller Funeral Home, he earned the nickname “Digger”. It was a nickname that stuck with him for life, and he often introduced himself as just that.

His most adored and well-known role was that of Arena Boss for the Folsom Pro Rodeo, a position he held for 54 years, as well as serving as Grand Marshal. Dedicating many years as a volunteer, he prepared the venue for families and the people of Folsom to celebrate the Fourth of July. Digger was inducted posthumously into the first class of the new Folsom Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.

While serving as Parks Commissioner, he was instrumental in the development of the Folsom Athletic Association. He pursued other volunteer efforts for youth sports by coaching football, baseball, and wrestling at Folsom High School. He also worked to bring Pop Warner football to the area.

Williams served as the official host of the summer series of Concert in the Park for over 20 years, something Folsom residents enjoyed greatly. He loved Folsom and its residents and worked to create lasting traditions for all ages to enjoy. Often described as one of the nicest people you ever meet, he was a gentle cowboy known for his compassionate nature. He was named “Folsom’s Favorite Hero” by Style Magazine from 2012-2014. He passed away on July 1, 2014, but will always be remembered as a Folsom Hero.

John Ellis Wool was born on February 20, 1784, in Newburgh, New York, and died on November 10, 1869. He was a career officer in the United States Army and fought during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer.

General Wool became associated with California after the Mexican War in 1854 when he assumed command of the Department of the Pacific with his headquarters in Benicia. He held this post until February 19, 1857.

John Wool is the kind of man Captain Joseph Libbey Folsom admired as he was patriotic and had the qualities that had long been considered American: self-willed, determined, God-fearing, and nationalistic. He was another of the army men, like Folsom, who helped build the state of California. He and his staff took part in Folsom’s funeral procession on July 22, 1855, in San Francisco. Wool Street in Folsom’s Historic District was named in his honor.

Roger Zittel was born in 1941 in Eden, N.Y. He attended Rutgers University and trained to be a pastor at a Lutheran Seminary. His first call took him far away to Folsom, Calif. His family had been farming vegetables for six generations in Eden. He and his wife Gail loved their new community, and they became great promoters of its virtues. He served as pastor for six years at Mount Olive Lutheran Church until he took a position as the first manager of the Folsom Chamber of Commerce in 1974. He worked to promote the businesses and city for 21 years, during which time Folsom grew from a tiny agricultural, prison, and mining town to a modern city. Working with the mayor, the Chamber helped bring Intel to the city in 1983. The Chamber also helped create the Folsom Redevelopment Agency which revitalized the Historic District.

The Zittel family is also well known in Folsom for Zittel Farms which Roger runs with Gail. Their annual pumpkin patch has been a feature of Folsom family life since around 1980. He and Gail raised their children on the historic farm property which they purchased in 1976. It was in disrepair at the time, and he beat out higher bids from developers by promising the former owners, the Harris family, that he would rehabilitate the farm and work it for as long as he could. Zittel Drive in Folsom is named after the farm. The adjacent streets are also named with farming and ranching themes.

Photo Credit: Folsom Telegraph