Located at the corner of Sutter St. and Reading St.
Folsom CA
38.675638, -121.180254
38°40’32.3″N 121°10’48.9″W
FOLSOM CITY
IN 1827 “BIBLE TOTIN” JED SMITH CAMPED HERE. IN 185O THESE DIGGINS BECAME KNOWN AS NEGRO BAR, THEN NAMED GRANITE CITY, AFTER THE ROCKS, AND IN 1855 JOSEPH FOLSOM LENT HIS NAME TO THIS FAIR CITY.
ALSO IN 1855 FOLSOM HIRED THEODORE “CRAZY” JUDAH TO LAY OUT A ROUTE FOR THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY RAILROAD BETWEEN SACRAMENTO AND FOLSOM, THE FOOTHILL METROPOLIS. JUDAH LATER SURVEYED AND PLANNED THE ROUTE FOR THE CENTRAL PACIFIC OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA.
IN 1868 FOLSOM PRISON WAS STARTED AND OPENED IN 1880. IN ITS DAY IT WAS HAILED AS A MODEL PRISON AND WAS THE FIRST TO LIGHT WITH ELECTRICITY.
WE HEARBY DECLARE JOSEPH FOLSOM AN HONORARY CLAMPER AND DEDICATE THIS PLAQUE TO HIS MEMORY.
PLAQUE PLACED BY NEW HELVETIA
CHAPTER #5 E CLAMPUS VITUS ON
AUGUST 8, 1981 AND SO RECORDED