Native Americans of the Maidu or Nisenan tribe inhabited the land around Folsom Lake for thousands of years. During the winter, they lived in permanent villages around the American River and in the summer made temporary homes made of bark. The Nisenan used local resources found around the lake like acorns and berries to trade with coastal tribes. They wove their baskets from willow, redbud, tule, milkweed, sedge grass and native grapevine. In 1848, the California Gold Rush began and most of the Nisenan land was given away. The Nisenan became overwhelmed and their population was severely decimated due to diseases. However, some survived and still live in surrounding reservations.