The Surprising Capital of California
Ask most people to name the capital of California, and they will probably guess Los Angeles or San Francisco. Both are wrong. The capital of California is Sacramento, a city in the northern part of the state that is much smaller and far less famous than California's glamorous coastal giants. It is one of the most commonly missed answers in U.S. geography.
Where Sacramento Sits
Sacramento lies inland, away from the Pacific coast, in California's vast Central Valley. The city grew up at the point where two rivers meet: the Sacramento River and the American River. This river junction was no accident of history. It made the location a natural hub for transport and trade in the early days of the state, when boats and later railroads moved goods through the region.
A City Built by the Gold Rush
Sacramento owes its existence largely to gold. In the late 1840s, gold was discovered in the nearby foothills, triggering the famous California Gold Rush. Thousands of fortune-seekers poured into the region, and Sacramento boomed almost overnight as the main supply town for the miners. The settlement had been founded by a man named John Sutter, and it was on Sutter's land that the gold discovery first set the rush in motion.
Why Sacramento Became the Capital
California's capital did not settle in one place easily. In the state's early years, the capital moved between several different cities before finally landing in Sacramento in 1854. The city's central location, its wealth from the Gold Rush era, and its position as a transport hub all helped make it the practical choice. It has remained the seat of California's government ever since, home to the State Capitol and the state legislature.
Source
This article was written using information from Wikipedia.