County Histories
Solano County
“Solano County is the western gateway to the Sacramento Valley. Its southwestern extremity borders on the bay region and hence it has many miles of deep water front. Its area is 822 square miles, consisting of foothill and plain lands.
“Solano County commands attention both as an industrial and as a farming community. Thousands of cattle, sheep and horses fatten on its foothill and marsh lands and its industrial establishments pay out fortunes each year to hundreds of happy employees. But it is as a fruit producing county, however, that Solano is probably most widely known. The first deciduous fruits to reach the markets of the United States each year invariably come from Solano County. There are several sequestered valleys which are arms of the main Sacramento Valley, where the finest of cherries, plums, peaches, apricots and pears are produced. Fortunes have been made by the fruit growers in these favored localities.
“Equally as productive as the soil in the protected valleys is the bottom land along the Sacramento River, much of which has been reclaimed by the construction of great levees. This land is excellent for all kinds of fruit, vegetables, alfalfa, etc.
“Extending across the county from the bottom lands on the east to the foothills on the west, is a rich alluvial plain. This plain is farmed to grain, stock raising, dairying, alfalfa, growing deciduous and citrus fruits, poultry production, etc.
“The city of Dixon on the main line of the Southern Pacific Company in the northern part of the county, is a great dairy center and nut producing section. Some of the finest dairy herds in California are located here and the milk and butter produced are sold in the markets around San Francisco Bay. The vicinity of Dixon was formerly a grain producing center, but with the introduction of deep wells for irrigation, alfalfa succeeded grain and the dairy business followed the successful production of alfalfa. Some of the finest ranches in California for the breeding of thoroughbred cattle and sheep are also in the vicinity of Dixon.
“In the southern part of the county on what are known as the Montezuma Hills, is produced an enormous wheat crop each year. The wheat is of a choice milling quality. The delta lands bordering the Suisun Bay region offer a green pasture all the year round for thousands of head of stock. This large area is susceptible of wonderful development.
“Rail and deep water transportation are available to Solano County. The Southern Pacific Company crosses the county with several lines. The Oakland, Antioch and Eastern electric railway, operating between Sacramento and San Francisco, has opened new territory in the southeastern part of the county. The Sacramento Valley Electric Railroad, in course of construction, when completed will run as far north as Red Bluff, in Tehama County, connects with the Oakland and Antioch a few miles south of Dixon. The first link of this road, operating between Dixon and the main line of the Oakland and Antioch began train service in October, 1914. The county has an excellent system of improved highways and all streams are crossed by substantial bridges.
“The manufacturing centers of the county are at Vallejo and Benicia, which are located in the southwestern part of the county. At Vallejo is the United States Government Mare Island Navy Yard, ranking second in importance of all Government yards, that of New York alone being larger. There are regularly employed 2200 skilled workmen. The improvements and equipment of the plant are valued at $12,000,000 and no battleship that has yet been planned is too great to be constructed at these yards. The great collier ‘Jupiter,’ with a carrying capacity of 12,500 tons of coal and 1,000 tons of fuel oil, was constructed here. The ‘Jupiter’ is 520 feet in length and 65 feet in width. Her net cost was $1,070,000. Early in 1914 construction was started at the yards of the fuel ship ‘Kanawha,’ and when she is completed a sister ship to be known as the ‘Maumee’ is to be built. These boats will be 455 feet long, 56 feet wide, and will have a draft of 26 feet, 4 inches.
“Vallejo is a pretty city with many beautiful homes. It has a large business section, two banks, paved streets, public library, good water supply, city hall, fire department, sewer system, several newspapers and ten churches.
“Benicia is a well located manufacturing town, having many miles of deep water front. It boasts several large industrial plants.
“The county seat of Solano County is Fairfield, which is a sister city of Suisun. A magnificent court house, which was recently completed, is one of the features of Fairfield. Suisun-Fairfield has two banks, good hotels, excellent transportation facilities, steam, water and electricity, large packing houses, and is the business center of a larger prosperous community.
“An important industry of the county is the manufacture of cement. Five miles northeast of Suisun is a large plant with a capacity of 6,000 barrels daily. The quality of the product is the best, and as there is a great demand for cement in building construction and road work, the plant operates the year round.
“Vacaville is a pretty little place in the Vaca Valley, which is one of the rich deciduous fruit sections already referred to. The gross sales of the fruit shipped from Vacaville total more than $2,500,000 annually. Cherries grown here are usually the first to reach the market.
“Rio Vista on the Sacramento River in the southeastern portion of the county, is one of the oldest towns in the State, having been founded prior to the discovery of gold. It is the shipping point for rich farming district. It is served with excellent river transportation, a number of steamers, both passenger and freight, connecting it with San Francisco and Sacramento daily.
“Solano County is fairly representative of the agricultural side of California. Its lands are typical, as are its climate and its industries. It has the great advantage of a river and bay frontage, cheap transportation, nearness to market, and the cooling sea breeze. There are no Winters in the usual sense of the term; the Summers are rainless. Farm work goes on the year round; stock is in the field and fields are green. Some crop is being harvested and marketed every month in the year.”