Yolo County CA Archives History - Books .....Planting The Yolo Valley Settlements 1913
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Book Title: History Of Yolo County

CHAPTER XV 
PLANTING THE YOLO VALLEY SETTLEMENTS

    As Woodland, the final county seat site, gathered and grew around her
original building, becoming quickly a civic adult, so other mere settlements
became large, lively towns. The rich, Eden-like Capay valley drew the
population. It is a lovely vale, about twenty miles long and one or one and a
half miles wide—just as Cache creek, which runs through its entire length, takes
a notion to zigzag, such movement of course being influenced by the mountain
chains on both sides. Capay, or as the Indians spoke it—Capi -means creek, and
the title proves how important in so early a day was the small mountain stream
plunging from gorge to gorge, from its Lake county source, to spread over the
Yolo levels. A white population came to this fertile sprit and the settlements
finally acquired names. In 1857 a man named Munch built a large house on the
bank of Cache creek and somebody starting a blacksmith shop near by the place
was called Munchville. The place thrived for about a year, when some rancher
bought the entire town and moved it out to his place. The abandoned site was
vacant till 1862, when E. E. Perkins erected a dwelling house there. Several
years afterwards John Arnold Lang got into the settlement and got busy putting
up more houses, and the place became Langville January 1, 1875. It was
subsequently renamed Capay, after the grand valley.

IN THE RARE VALE OF THE CAPAY

    Other places such as Guinda, Esparto and Cacheville have flourished because
of their locations within this favored vale. Even the names of the villages are
suggestive—Amaranth, a fadeless white bloom; Sauterne, a rare wine; and
Cashmere, a noble Arabian valley. Not only does Capay valley yield a rich
harvest of all the California fruits that grow on tree and vine, but the things
of the tropics ripen there as well; in fact, it is called the home of the
almond, orange and fig. So with her wonderful diversity of soils, thermal
conditions and fertilizing possibilities Yolo county produces in almost
limitless variety. As a sample of this varied production a State University
publication recently gave the following:

    "On a lot in the town of Woodland, 80 feet front by a depth of 145 feet,
one-seventh of an acre, the following trees, plants, vines and flowers were
found in full bearing—twelve navel orange, one lemon, one cherry, three apple,
two fig, two olive, two apricot, four almond, and two plum trees, fifty-eight
grapevines (nine varieties), plots of dewberries, raspberries and loganberries,
fifty varieties of rosebushes, a small vegetable garden of onions, tomatoes,
lettuce, mint, sage, parsley and beds of bulbous and other flowering plants."

    Buckeye was an early planted town and grew among the bushes of that name on
the bank of a summer dry wash that was a roaring creek in winter. The village
began in 1856, when J. P. Charles was made postmaster there. J. 0. Maxwell was
the second arrival and succeeded Charles. Then came Benjamin Ely, followed by E.
A. Daniels. In 1875 the Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad passing two miles to
the west ended Buckeye's greatness and its future distinction moved to Winters
and Madison.

WHAT THE RAILROADS DID

    The extension of the road up the valley built Madison and weakened
Cottonwood, a town established in that vicinity by Charles Henrich in 1852. The
line only hesitated at Cottonwood and went on to its new terminus, Madison.
During the two or three years much of Cottonwood followed—houses and all on
wheels. The distance was not long, the way level and the change not difficult.
L. W. Hilliker was six days getting his hotel to its new site, but he took care
of his thirty regular boarders while the hotel was trundling over the Yolo
plains. The ancient structure long did business in its new location.

    Madison, a child of the railroad, was built in 1877 by the construction of a
number of large warehouses along the track; also a flouring mill at a cost of
$16,000. Almost immediately there followed business blocks and dwellings. A list
of the buildings of the town at that early period gives two large stores and one
each of everything else in the way of business features except saloons, and of
these there were four.

    The iron rails threading this incomparable valley passes Esparto, Capay,
Guinda and terminates at Rumsey, a village well up in the coast range, 400 feet
above the sea, located by Capt. D. C. Rumsey, a charter member of Yolo's pioneers.

TOWN OF THEODORE WINTERS

    The same railroad as soon as it crossed Putah creek and was fairly in Yolo
county saw started the town of Winters, the day of its birth being May 22, 1875.
The site of forty acres was donated to the railroad company, and D. P. Edwards
added an equal amount of land to the town, and this is known as the Edwards
Addition. Later the Westley Hill tract became an addition of Winters. The town
pioneers were John Abby, W. P. Womack, Charles Wolf, A. McDonald, E. Ireland, E.
A. Humphrey, D. P. Edwards, Dr. Bell, Henry Craner, O. P. Fassett, S. Harriman,
James Wilson, J. Jeans, V. Morris, A. J. Pipken, Ed. Dafoe. The first buildings
were John Abby's residence, also his blacksmith shop; W. P. Womack's store;
Terrell and Bay's tinshop, and Dave Scroggins' boarding house. The first large
merchandise establishment was owned by Mansfield and Theodore, and two livery
stables by Tucker and Bandy and Robert Brown. The first harness shop was owned
by E. A. Humphrey, and this business is still carried on by his sons, Walter and
R. L. Humphrey. Mrs. Parker ran the Parker house. The first church edifice was
the Methodist, erected in 1875, which is yet standing on Russell street. B. W.
Russell was the first pastor and Elders Norton and Canterbury the officers. The
Cumberland Presbyterian was organized in 1876 with T. M. Johnson pastor. Dr. H.
C. Culton succeeded him the next year and is the pastor at the present time. The
Baptist Church, organized at Buckeye, was reorganized in 1880 at Winters by Rev.
Mr. Barnes; the Christian Church in 1877 with S. B. Dunton pastor; the Catholic
Church was organized by Father Walrath, pastor.

    During the first year of the town the Masonic, Odd Fellows, Knights of
Pythias and Good Templars lodges were organized in Winters and later the Order
of Eastern Star, Foresters of America, Woodmen of the World, Women of Woodcraft,
Native Sons Parlor, Pythian Sisterhood and Redmen were established there. Being
centrally located for a shipping point for the surrounding agricultural country,
Winters was soon a big place and the second city of importance in the county. It
was incorporated in 1897 with Dr. Z. T. Magill, L. A. Danner, A. Prescott, E.
Ireland and R. L. Day the board of city dads. Winters was early in the march of
progress, and in 1901 there were issued water works bonds in the sum of $17,000,
while in 1911 bonds for a complete sewer system in the sum of $28,000 were
issued. The grammar school was moved from Pine Grove in 1875 and its first
teacher was H. B. Pendergast. This school now occupies a large, modern,
two-story building and employs five teachers. In 1892 the Winters high school
was established, with L. B. Scranton principal. At present there are five
teachers and 104 students on the register.

    As an indication of the financial and business standing of the town, there
are two banks, the First National, also the Citizens' Bank of Winters. The Bank
of Winters was incorporated in 1885, and in 1911 was made the First National of
Winters, with a capital and surplus of $96,500. The Citizens' Bank was
incorporated in 1907, capital and surplus $89,672. Both institutions have
savings banks. The principal business firms and incorporations at present are
the Winters Canning Co.; Notion Store (Dunnigan); Jacobs & Wilcox, butcher shop;
Archer & Son, butcher shop; F. B. Chandler Lumber Co.; J. M. Sowle, grocery
store; Winters Fruit Exchange; Humphrey Harness Store; Wyatt & Wilson, real
estate; R. L. Day, drug store; The Baker Co., merchandise store; C. E. Wyatt,
jewelry; Winters Dried Fruit Co.; Winters Grocery & Hardware Co.; Winters Garage
Co.; Winters Orchard Co.; Producers' Fruit Co.; W. P. Womack, real estate; J. H.
Wolfskill, livery stable; D. O. Judy, livery stable; Fenley Mercantile Co.;
Grangers' Warehouse; Parker & Wertner, groceries; J. A. Henderson, Commission;
J. Rummelsburg, Merchandise; Earl Fruit Co.; William Betz, restaurant; E. B.
Kemper & Co., drugs; Campbell & Son, groceries; A. J. Bertholet, bakery; Brattin
& Hamilton, Temperance saloon; J. Vasey, merchandise; Adams Lumber Co.; B.
Conners, electrical supplies; Pacific Fruit Exchange; Kirkbride Bakery, and R.
Baker, garage.

    The Winters Express—formerly the Winters Advocate—has been for many years
ably conducted by E. C. Rust.

WINTERS "DRY" AND PROGRESSIVE

    April 1, 1907, the-large concrete county bridge which spans Putah creek at
Winters was dedicated with a celebration and appropriate ceremonies. This fine
structure was jointly erected by Yolo and Solano counties at a cost of $40,000.
This and the concrete bridge erected by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company at
that place cost about $110,000.

    The liquor saloons of Winters, with like institutions through Yolo, were
voted out of business and existence several years ago, and their loss is a gain.
Winters in her rich fruit belt of about 50,000 acres is prosperous and
progressive, though the town has received its share of disaster. August 12,
1888, all the business portion of the south side of Main street was burned and
April 19, 1892, an earthquake damaged or destroyed every brick and stone
building in the town, causing a heavy loss. In 1891 the Occidental Hotel was
burned and in 1898 the Masonic Hall was consumed by fire. In 1902 the Winters
Dried Fruit sheds, F. B. Chandler's lumber yards and the Grangers' Warehouse
were totally destroyed with a loss of over $100,000. Out of these destructive
flames Winters has come with better, finer and stronger buildings of brick and
stone, so even from the ashes of disaster has issued good.

DUNNIGAN AND HIS TOWN

    The town of Dunnigan—or what was afterwards the town was started into being
by two early settlers, J. S. Copp and John Wilson. During the year 1852 they
were living down nearer the Sacramento river, but the winter flood washed them
on to higher ground and they settled on new claims here. Next year A. W.
Dunnigan came and gave name to the place. With him were Henry Yarick and Abial
Barker, the former going into the hotel business with Dunnigan, the inn being
known as "Dunnigan's." Other neighbors were Irving W. and William Brownell,
Isaac Rice, D. T. Bird, Harry Porterfield and M. A. Rahm. The first store was
opened in 1866 by G. B. Lewis, who sold out to William Earll. Z. J. Brown was
the proprietor of a drug and notion store for several years, after which he was
succeeded by G. W. Gray. In 1876 the railroad came along, and the town plat of
Dunnigan was filed for record at the county seat November 1 of that year.

BLACK'S STATION

    The place oil the railroad known as Black's was the pioneer home of J. J.
Black, who located there in 1865. When the road, extending northward towards the
Oregon line, reached his farm he donated ten acres for depot and grounds and the
station was the result. C. H. Smart was the first resident thereof, constructing
for his use a dwelling house and a blacksmith shop. He was followed by William
Dorgan and Robert Huston, who with his brother Edward established the first
store in 1876. A. C. Turner started the first hotel, and Thomas and Hunt erected
the first grain warehouse. Among other builders were D. N. Hershey, Ed Huston,
George Glascock and John Wolff. Black's Station from the first was an important
shipping station, the great farms in the vicinity sending in their harvests to
this point for transportation to market. The coming of the Yolo County
Consolidated Water Company's system in 1903 to Black's added much to the
importance of the place and stimulated business. The new packing plant was
finished that year, making the station a fruit center.

ALONG THE RIVER FRONT

    Along the Sacramento river from Knight's Landing on the north to Clarksburg
on the south are many shipping points, from which are shipped the product of
Yolo's never-failing fields. During the last fifty years millions of tons of
freight have passed down that splendid stream. Knight's Landing since the day in
1843 when William Knight built on the Indian mound that marked the ancient
meeting place of Cache creek and the Sacramento river has been favored of
fortune, as early was demonstrated its importance as a steamboat landing and
point of communication between the people east and west of the big central
river. When the town was laid out in 1849 they called it Baltimore, but an
agreement over the sale of the new town lots could not be amicably arranged and
the title Baltimore was lost. Knight established a ferry there, which afterwards
passed to the ownership of J. W. Snowball. In those days the ferry tolls were
for a man and horse, $1; for a team and wagon, $5. In 1850 S. E. Smith kept a
hotel in the settlement and in 1853 Charles F. Reed surveyed and laid off a
townsite and it was given officially the name of Knight's Landing. That year J.
W. Snowball and J. J. Perkins opened a large general merchandise store on the
Indian mound. On the 1st of January Capt. J. H. Updegraff opened his hotel under
festive auspices, with a grand New Year's party, with tickets $10, a steamer
being run from Sacramento for the accommodation of guests. The establishment was
called the "Yolo House." In 1860 D. N. Hershey and George Glascock erected a
brick hotel, which took the place of the Yolo House, that inn being retired to
the status of a private residence. March 25, 1890, the Knight's Landing branch
of the Southern Pacific Railroad was completed and ready for business, and later
the completion of the bridge across the river added immensely to the prosperity
of the town. J. W. Snowball died February 6, 1906, aged seventy-nine. He was one
of the pioneers of '52 and was a son-in-law of the late William Knight.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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