San Francisco and Sacramento: History, Landmarks, and Attractions
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San Francisco and Sacramento
San Francisco is one of the most famous cities in California. It's located on the West Coast of the United States, at the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. This peninsula is connected to Marin County via the Golden Gate Bridge. The territory of San Francisco was first explored by Gaspar de Portolá. Seven years later, in 1776, the Mission San Francisco de Asis was founded by Juan Bautista de Anza.
After gaining independence from Spain in 1821, the area became part of Mexico and was named Yerba Buena, the original name of San Francisco. In 1846, during the Mexican-American War, Yerba Buena was claimed by John B. Montgomery and became part of the United States. When Mexico officially ceded the territory at the end of the war in 1848, it was renamed San Francisco. Today, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in California. Many tourists visit iconic landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Transamerica Pyramid (the tallest skyscraper in San Francisco), Lombard Street, Alcatraz Island, and Chinatown.
Another important city is California’s capital, Sacramento. It's situated in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was founded in 1848 by John Sutter Sr., John Sutter Jr., and James W. Marshall. Sacramento is also known as "River City" because of the Sacramento River, and as "the Capitol City" or "City of Trees." Sacramento is known for its sunny weather, especially from July to September, when it experiences 14 hours of sunshine daily.
In 1808, Gabriel Moraga explored the territory of Sacramento and named it Sacramento Valley and Sacramento River. Years later, in 1847, John Sutter, his son, and James Marshall began building Fort Sutter and Sutterville on their land, which eventually became the city of Sacramento. Sacramento officially joined the United States on February 27, 1850.
Now, Sacramento boasts various famous centers and museums, including the California State Railroad Museum, the Crocker Art Museum, and the State Capitol.