Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-02
FOLSOM.
The Town that Is TO BE the Great Man
ufacturing Center.

The Town that Is TO BE the Great Man
ufacturing Center.
Folsom is the best town in Sacramento
county, having the largest population and
doing the largest business. 1t sthe distrib-
uting point for large and prosperous sec
ton of country. The history of Folsom
properly includes that of Negro Bar, which
was the pioneer of the former place, and it
is more than probable that had it not been
for the fact that there was a mining camp
of large proportions at Negro Bar, Folsom
would have been located some miles this
side of its present site. As early as 1850
Negro Bar had a population of 700. The
town of Folsom was laid out in 1855. The
lots were sold on the 18th of June. 1856, at
auction, in this city. They went like. hot
cakes, Captain J. L. Folsom disposing OF
every one at boom prices. Purchasers
commenced building and
THE TOWN GREW RAPIDLY.
On the 22d of February following the
Sacramento Valley Railroad was finished
to Folsom, and opened. Free excursion
trains were run from Sacramento to Fol
som carrying upwards of 1900 people, in
Guiding the Governor, State officials city
officers, prominent attorneys, etc. At night
another excursion train was run, taking to
Folsom large number of younger people
who wishedto celebrate the last spike bus
mess with a dance. The train left the
Front-street depot at 7:30 P. NJ. and made
Folsom in one hour and half The guests
were conveyed by omnibuses in waiting to
the Meredith Hotel, "under the hill.n
This building was erected especially for
this occasion, was SO feet in width, 100
feet in length, brilliantly illuminated.
trimmed tastefully with cedar and spruce
boughs, intermixed by branches of wild
red berries. This hall at that time could
not have been excelled, for the purpose in
tended, in the State. The floor managers
were Judge A. c. Munson, H. p. Wakelee.
Harvey Livingstone, Ferris Foreman and
George Bromley. An early writer. in
speaking Of this grand ball, says: "At 10
P. NJ. the sound of music announced that
the dancing had begun, and in few mo-
ments the floor of the spacious ballroom
was alive with flying couples, clad
IN EVERY VARIETY OF COSTUME.
Male and female, that fancy might sug-
SNN'N anu LuOiicy plcNuIS, vary ing from the
rough canvas of the miner or the calico of
the shop girl, to the swallow tailed coat of
the beau or the low-necked muslin of the
Sacramento belle"
Folsom was the first town made in this
State by a railroad. 1t was the terminus
for several years of the Sacramento Valley
Railway, and was the distributing point
for supplies to every part of Ell Dorado
county, which in those days was the most
populous and important mining section in
the State. Folsom grew and prospered
her merchants and business men became
wealthy. After awhile the placers of Ell
Dorado became exhausted, business in the
mines dropped off, the railroad was built
beyond to Shingle Springs, and all the
prestige of the terminal point was lost. As
the mining industry went down, however.
The horticultural and vitieultural inter
ests came up, and although the people are
lot the reckless, rowing people of wore.
hey number fully as many, and have ele- |
'ant homes, established business, important |
Industries developing, and
A MORE BRILLIANT FUTURE
'eiore them than is possible in any com.