Benicia is a city in Solano County, California, located on the north bank of the Carquinez Strait in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. It served as the capital of California for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 27,131 at the 2020 United States Census. Benicia is just east of Vallejo and across the strait from Martinez.
Benicia Capitol State Historic Park is a state park in Benicia, California, United States. The park is dedicated to California's third capitol building, where the California State Legislature convened from February 3, 1853, to February 24, 1854, when they voted to move the state capital to Sacramento. It is the only pre-Sacramento capitol that remains. The park includes the Fischer-Hanlon House, an early Benicia building that was moved to the property and converted into a home in 1858, after the legislature departed. Benicia Capitol State Historic Park just off the city's main street also includes a carriage house, workers' quarters and sculptured gardens.
Old Sacramento State Historic Park occupies around one third of the property within the Old Sacramento Historic District of Sacramento, California. The Old Sacramento Historic District is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District. The Historic District is sometimes abbreviated as Old Sacramento, or Old Sac, and since the 1960s has been restored and developed as a significant tourist attraction.
John Bigler was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat. A Democrat, he served as the third governor of California from 1852 to 1856 and was the first California governor to complete an entire term in office, as well as the first to win re-election. His younger brother, William Bigler, was elected governor of Pennsylvania during the same period. Bigler was also appointed by President James Buchanan as the U.S. Minister to Chile from 1857 to 1861.
State Route 49 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that passes through many historic mining communities of the 1849 California gold rush and it is known as the Golden Chain Highway. The highway's creation was lobbied by the Mother Lode Highway Association, a group of locals and historians seeking a single highway to connect many relevant locations along the Gold Rush to honor the 49ers. One of the bridges along SR 49 is named for the leader of the association, Archie Stevenot.
The Department of the Pacific or Pacific Department was a major command (Department) of the United States Army from 1853 to 1858. It replaced the Pacific Division, and was itself replaced by the Department of California and the Department of Oregon.
Rancho Petaluma Adobe is a historic ranch house in Sonoma County, California. It was built from adobe bricks in 1836 by order of Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo. It was the largest privately owned adobe structure built in California and is the largest example of the Monterey Colonial style of architecture in the United States. A section of the former ranch has been preserved by the Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park and it is both a California Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. The Rancho Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park is located on Adobe Road on the east side of the present-day town of Petaluma, California.
Agua Fria is an unincorporated community in Mariposa County, California. It is located 5.25 miles (8.4 km) northeast of Catheys Valley, at an elevation of 2001 feet. Agua Fria is the former county seat of Mariposa County located approximately three miles west of Mariposa, California.
Sonoma State Historic Park is a California State Park located in the center of Sonoma, California. The park consists of six sites: the Mission San Francisco Solano, the Sonoma Barracks, the Blue Wing Inn, La Casa Grande, Lachryma Montis, and the Toscano Hotel.
The Circle of Palms Plaza is located in downtown San Jose, California. It is composed of a ring of palm trees encircling a California State Seal, and designates the California Historical Marker 461, the site of California's first state capital from 1849 to 1851.
This article lists the railroads and a timeline of railroad history in Solano County, California.
Pacific Division of the U. S. Army was one of its superior administrative organizations that existed during the early 19th century and for a short time in the early 20th century.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Sacramento, California, United States.
The Sonoma Barracks is a two-story, wide-balconied, adobe building facing the central plaza of the City of Sonoma, California. It was built by order of Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo to house the Mexican soldiers that had been transferred from the Presidio of San Francisco in 1835. The Presidio Company and their commander, Vallejo, were also responsible for controlling the Native Americans living on the northern border of Mexican California.
The Covarrubias adobe is a California Historical Landmark in Santa Barbara, California. The house is one of the oldest in Santa Barbara, built in 1817. The adobe became a California State Historical Landmark No. 308 on September 12, 1939. The house is also on the Santa Barbara City Landmark. The house is located at 715 Santa Barbara Street. The house is a L-shaped with four rooms, the original Spanish tile roof was later replaced.
The Guerra family is a prominent Californio family of Southern California. Members of the family held extensive rancho grants and numerous important positions, including numerous Mayors of Santa Barbara, California Senators, a Lieutenant Governor of California, and a signer of the California Constitution.
Benicia Seminary was founded by a Board of Trustees in June 1852, as the Young Ladies' Seminary of Benicia in Solano County, California in the city of Benicia, California. The Benicia Seminary site is a California Historical Landmark No. 795 listed on September 6, 1964. At is peak the Young Ladies' Seminary of Beniciain had 149 students from all over Northern California. Young Ladies' Seminary of Beniciain was the Protestant Christian Junior college of its day. This was the first of this type of school in California. Mrs. S. A. Lord was the first School Principal in 1852, in 1853 Miss J. M. Hudson became Principal. In 1854, Atkins purchased the school. The Young Ladies' Seminary of Beniciain was sold to Cyrus Mills and Susan Mills in 1865 for $5,000, by Mary Atkins. Thus Benicia Seminary became Mills College. Mills College moved to Oakland, California in July 1871 by train, students, teacher and supplies. Mills College is still a private college. Mills College was granted a charter as a college by the State of california in 1885. Mary Atkins Lynch was born July 7, 1819, in Jefferson, Ohio. Mary Atkins married John Lynch (1824–1900) in 1869. Mary Lynch died September 14, 1882, at aged 63 in Benicia, California. Mary Lynch is buried at Benicia City Cemetery.
Vallejo California State Capitol was founded on May 4, 1852, at a building in Vallejo, California in Solano County, California. The Vallejo California State Capitol site is a California Historical Landmark No. 574 listed on April 1, 1957.
First Presbyterian Church of Benicia was founded on April 15, 1849, at a building in Benicia, California in Solano County, California. The Presbyterian Church of Benicia site is a California Historical Landmark No. 175 listed on March 6, 1935. The First Presbyterian Church of Benicia was the first Protestant church founded in California with a staff pastor. The pastor was Reverend Sylvester Woodbridge Jr., who founded the church in 1849 using a school house. Woodbridge came to California in 1848. First Presbyterian Church built a building that was dedicated on March 9, 1851. Woodbridge was the pastor till 1869, when he moved to San Francisco. The Presbyterian California Gold Rush church ended in 1875. The Church became a One-room school and most the members moved to the First Congregational Church of Benicia founded in 1865. Later the church-school building became an Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church soon built a larger church. The 1851 church was remove and the land became Benicia City Park.
