Johnny Cash Trail

Johnny Cash Trail. . The City of Folsom has a rich history beginning with the 49ers during California's great gold rush. It was the site of the west's first railroad and the world's first long-distance transmission of electricity. For thousands of years prior, the area was home to Native Americans who lived off the region's rich plant and animal life. Today, Folsom is a forward-looking city; a high-tech town blessed with abundant natural amenities and comprised of culturally diverse residents ranging from young families to active retirees., However, just one man may be more responsible for Folsom's contemporary notoriety than any other: Johnny Cash., On January 13, 1968, Johnny Cash performed two concerts at Folsom State Prison before an audience of inmates and guards. Songs recorded live during the shows were released on the album, "At Folsom Prison.” The lead single, "Folsom Prison Blues,” became a top 40 hit, propeling the city and the prison into the public consciousness as a result. The album's success served as a turning point for Cash, revitalizing his career and transforming a popular and successful musician into a worldwide superstar. Folsom's connection with the artist was now as solid as the prison's granite walls., Therefore, it seemed only natural that the city's recreational trail traversing Folsom State Prison property would be named in honor of the Man in Black. This 2.5-mile trail over rolling terrain of red soil, craggy wild oaks and swaying meadow grasses serves as a vital segment in the city's cherished network of trails. The Johnny Cash Trail connects on the east to the Folsom Lake Trail and state parks facilities with a bike/pedestrian overcrossing, and to the American River Parkway bike trail to the south., (City council members and other names not transcribed)