Vacaville is a city within Solano County in Northern California. It’s close to Sacramento and San Francisco, so some of its residents commute to these major cities. The population includes nearly 100,000 residents. Whether you’ve lived in Vacaville for your entire life or you’re moving to the area, here are a few things about the city that you probably didn’t know.
Named For…
Vacaville gets its name from Juan Manual Vaca, a traveler who arrived in the area from New Mexico in 1842. He and his traveling companion applied for a land grant, which included about 10,000 acres in what is now Northern California. When he obtained the land, Vaca sold a portion to William McDonald, with one provision: one square mile of the land had to be called Vacaville. However, since Vaca couldn’t read English very well, he didn’t realize he was actually selling 9 square miles to McDonald. McDonald kept his word and named the area Vacaville.
A Few Famous Residents
When you think of Vacaville, you may not immediately think of the National Football League, but a handful of stars have started out in this city. Kyle DeVan, an NFL football coach and former player, came from Vacaville, as did Jarret Bush, a cornerback who played for the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers. Xzavie Jackson, a former defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals, also grew up in the city.
The Nut Tree
Along with these famous residents, quite a few well-known people have visited the Nut Tree in its heyday. The Nut Tree is a legendary road stop, started by the Power family in 1921. In fact, it became a driving retail force for much of the 20th century. Travelers could stop at this convenient location, which was on the heavily traveled section of I-80 between Sacramento and San Francisco, and pick up dried fruit, western California cuisine, and other goodies. Past visitors included Queen Elizabeth II, Bing Crosby, President Ronald Reagan, Danny Kaye, and President Richard Nixon.
Along with the shopping opportunities, the Nut Tree also boasts fun things to do. These include a children’s train, a life-sized checkerboard, and a carousel. Whether you’re traveling through the area or paying a special visit to this historic stop, your kids will have a great time.
Eco-Friendly Residents
Something else you may not know about Vacaville is that it is the electric car capital of the entire country! Throughout the nearly 29 square miles of land, you’ll find 45 different electric charging points, making it a great place for electric car owners to live. Additionally, Solano County offers its own electric vehicle incentive program, which provides buyers with a credit of up to $6,000 when they purchase or lease a qualifying electric vehicle.
With a fascinating history and plenty of interesting facts, Vacaville is certainly a unique place. At Kia of Vacaville, we support our local community and provide excellent service to those in the area. Shop our selection of hybrid and electric vehicles to fit in within the electric car capital of the U.S.
Image via Flickr by basykes licensed via CC BY 2.0
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