Connecticut Mining & Trading Co. Building (Old Sacramento)

Originally constructed in 1849 for temporary use during the earliest years of the California Gold Rush, the Connecticut Mining & Trading Company Building is one of several reconstructed buildings in Old Sacramento State Historic Park. Located adjacent to the Eagle Theater, this one-story structure includes a “C.M.&T. Co.” sign in bold letters on the front façade. Until the building was dismantled in 1852, it served as a storefront for several general merchandise firms owned by Thomas McDowell. The Connecticut Mining & Trading Company Building was reconstructed in 1982 as part of the Old Sacramento Waterfront District, a National Historic Landmark. The building currently houses the California State Parks Capital District Public Safety Office.

Rebuilt as a museum in 1982, the original Connecticut Mining and Trading Company Building was constructed in 1849 as an auction and commission business. During the 1850s, the one-story wood-frame building featured a “C.M.&T. Co.” sign on the front façade. Later in the 19th century, the building was occupied at various times by several general merchandise firms owned by Thomas McDowell. It was reconstructed in the 1980s along with other 19th-century structures in Old Sacramento as part of the Old Sacramento State Historic Park. Dedicated on June 16, 1983, the C.M.&T. Company Building now houses the California State Parks Capital District Public Safety Office.

Located along the Sacramento Waterfront, the Old Sacramento State Historic Park comprises approximately one third of the waterfront area, including the California State Railroad Museum. Overall, the site contains more than fifty noteworthy structures and reconstructed buildings showcasing the earliest days of the California Gold Rush. These include 1849 Eagle Theater, the 1853 B.F. Hastings Building (former site of the California Supreme Court), and the 1855 “Big Four” Building. Comprising 296 acres in total, Old Sacramento State Historic Park contains a greater density of historic buildings than any area of similar size in the western U.S.

In addition to the city's incorporation during the 1849 Gold Rush, Sacramento also holds particular economic and historical significance due to its location as the western terminus of America’s first transcontinental railroad and transcontinental telegraph line. It also served as the western terminus of the relatively short-lived Pony Express postal system between April 3, 1860 and October 26, 1861. Through a horse-and-rider relay delivery system, the Pony Express provided continuous mail service between St. Joseph, Missouri, and the West Coast, with the final relay leg connecting San Francisco and Sacramento.

"1860-1861 History", National Pony Express Association. Accessed December 17th, 2023. https://nationalponyexpress.org/historic-pony-express-trail/1860-1861-history/.

"California State Railroad Museum State Historic Park", California Parks & Recreation. Accessed December 17th, 2023. https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/497/files/CAStateRRMuseumFinalWebLayout080217.pdf.

"Old Sacramento State Historic Park", Old Sacramento Waterfront. Accessed December 17th, 2023. https://www.oldsacramento.com/post/old-sacramento-state-historic-park.

"Old Sacramento State Historic Park General Plan: Old Sacramento Points of Interest Map", California State Parks. Accessed December 10th, 2023. https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/497/files/old_sac_poi_1_508_ADA_04_05_23.pdf.

"Outside the Museum: Explore the Old Sacramento Waterfront", California State Railroad Museum. Accessed December 10th, 2023. https://www.californiarailroad.museum/visit/outside-the-museum.