FOLSOM — The iconic Folsom Powerhouse is turning 130, and the community is invited to celebrate one of the most significant landmarks in California’s engineering history. On Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park will host a special anniversary celebration honoring the hydroelectric facility that once lit up Sacramento and helped shape the modern age.
The celebration will include guided tours of the Main Powerhouse and the innovative Lower Powerhouse, along with STEM-themed exhibitors offering hands-on activities for all ages. Visitors can explore new exhibits that highlight the many ways the Folsom Powerhouse transformed Sacramento and beyond. A lineup of speakers and presentations begins at 11 a.m., followed by sweet treats for those who RSVP in advance.
Built in 1895 and operated until 1952, the Folsom Powerhouse marked a milestone in electricity generation and transmission. It was among the first facilities in the nation to transmit high-voltage alternating current over long distances, carrying power 22 miles to Sacramento and sparking a new era of innovation. Newspapers of the time chronicled the achievement, and Sacramento hosted a “Grand Electric Carnival” in September 1895 to celebrate its brightly lit streets and State Capitol building.
The powerhouse’s importance has been recognized for decades. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its national significance in engineering and industry, and it has been designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Since 1958, it has been part of the California State Park system, preserved as a monument to both history and progress.
The Folsom Powerhouse remains much as it did in 1895, standing as a living museum of the technological leap that made commercial electricity possible. H.P. Livermore envisioned harnessing the waters of the American River to generate power for Sacramento, and with his partners, he turned that dream into reality. The opening of the powerhouse was celebrated with a parade through downtown Sacramento and a 100-gun salute near the city’s substation, signaling the dawn of a new era.
Today, visitors touring the park can step back in time to see the vintage General Electric generators, massive marble-faced control switchboard, and transformers capable of conducting between 800 and 11,000 volts. The system of canals, forebays, and dams that once fed the powerhouse also remains a central feature of the site. Together, these artifacts tell the story of how Folsom helped light California’s capital city and pave the way for the electrical age.
The park is more than a historical site—it is part of the cultural fabric of Sacramento and the Sierra foothills, linking the Gold Rush era, the railroad boom, and the dawn of modern industry. The Folsom Powerhouse represents innovation, resilience, and the pioneering spirit that defined California in the late 19th century.
The anniversary celebration is free to attend, and all are welcome to be part of this milestone event honoring Folsom’s role in powering California’s future. Those interested in sweet treats are encouraged to RSVP in advance. For more details and to RSVP, visit HERE.
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