Let's explore the vigilante justice, gambling disputes, horrifying murders and riverfront violence that shaped Gold Rush Sacramento. As the town exploded from a frontier outpost to a modern city, it attracted miners, gamblers, drifters, fortune-seekers- and many of them were up to no good. Sacramento quickly developed a reputation for theft, gambling scams, and armed robberies and during our time together we'll visit the places where some of the most notorious acts of violence took place.

We'll also discuss the disastrous fires and floods that repeatedly destroyed early Sacramento, (reportedly leaving one former Mayor to travel to his inauguration by boat!) and visit a couple of the only buildings that survived this era. We'll also learn about the violent riots and public executions that took place nearby. Vigilance committees were often formed in early Sacramento, because many residents believed courts moved too slowly. Yet vigilance groups often became dangerous themselves….