The town of Nicolaus, founded in the late 1840s by Nicolaus Allgeier, a fur trapper, is east of the Nicolaus Bridge. One of the earliest towns in Sutter County, it served as county seat from 1852 to 1856. The Nicolaus Ferry across the Feather River was started in 1843 to connect Sutter’s Fort (now Sacramento) with Sutter’s Hock Farm. The original “ferry” was rowed by Nisenan.
Historic Points of Interest
- Sam Brannan’s “White House” once stood to the north of the Nicolaus Bridge, opposite the town of Nicolaus. The home was located on two square miles of land sold to him by John Sutter in 1849. The house had eight rooms, each with a fireplace, and a winding staircase in the one-and-one-half-story structure. It was the scene of gala parties for people from San Francisco who arrived by riverboat. Last owned by Charles Tweedy of Dingville, it was moved from its original site, sold again, and torn down. The lumber used for the “White House” was shipped around the horn.
- The original St. Boniface Catholic Church at 1028 Marcum Road was dedicated in 1869. Prior to that, services were first held at the local school. From 1869 until 1945, this was the sole Catholic Church in Sutter County. The current church building was dedicated in 1952.
- The Nicolaus Cemetery is on Marcum Road.
A full index of the Nicolaus Cemetery is available here. - The concrete Watering Trough at the corner of Nicolaus and Pacific Avenues is engraved with names of businesses in the area who helped pay for its costs. It was built circa 1910. The trough, while it may be seen from the road, is on private property and not accessible to the public. This trough is similar to the one on Butte House Road in Sutter.
Resources
To learn more about the history of Nicolaus, check out these articles:
- A History of Nicolaus by Mary Carlin Mulvany (page 4-26)
- Growing up in Nicolaus by Ken Engasser (page 11-13)
- Uncle Phil Building Early Nicolaus by Carol Withington (page 11-12)
- One Hundred Years of Nicolaus Lodge by Philip O. Baltzell P.M. (page 19-22)