Solano County Valleys

GREEN VALLEY - Long before Green Valley was freely open to settlement in 1864, it was the home of local Indian groups whose archeological traces are plentiful but largely undocumented. The finest buildings in Green Valley were all built within a short period after 1864. The distinctive building type here is stone construction, including dry laid stonewalls built by Chinese. Contemporary housing developments around the Green Valley Country Club and in upper Green Valley have eroded the character of the area and destroyed some important archeological sites. The area has retained a rural and open quality. Land use and ownership patterns remain largely based upon agriculture. The farm clusters, barns, wineries, stone walls, bridges and wooden water towers found in these areas are unique not only in themselves, but because of their relationship to the land’s development. Their utilitarian forms are enhanced by the beauty of their native craftsmanship and materials.

GORDON VALLEY was settled in the 1850’s after the Bear Flag Rebellion. It was originally granted by Mexico to Jose Berryessa. After the rebellion, it was purchased by John Wooden, William Gordon, and Nathan Coombs as part of the Chimiles Land Grant. The Gordon family settled in the valley on the land that reaches from the Napa County line to above Lake Curry. The Gordon family farmed 1,200 acres of land. They aided in the valley’s development, assisting to construct roads, organized the Gordon school district and served as trustee for many years. Today there are many residential homes in the heavily wooded beautiful hills plus large ranches. Crops in the area are mainly grapes, walnuts and olives. The area along Gordon Valley road in Solano County is part of Suisun Valley.
– Submitted by Jean Kunkel

SUISUN VALLEY once housed a settlement of local Patwin Indians. At that time the countryside was covered with wild oats and dotted with oaks. Tule, elk and antelope were numerous, wild foul swarmed in the marshes, while grizzly bears dominated the hills. Suisun Valley is nestled between two coastal mountain ranges, Vaca Mountains on the east and the Mount George Range on the west. It is situated midway between San Francisco and Sacramento and is a pristine landscape dotted with premium wineries, farm-fresh produce, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and flowers. Home to upwards of 10,000 acres of rolling farmland and low lying hills, 3,000 of which are used to grow grapes. Suisun Valley terminates in the south at the marshlands of Suisun Bay. To the north Suisun Valley rolls up into Wooden Valley at the Napa County line. Suisun Valley lies within Coastal area climates characterized by cool moist winds blowing inland from the ocean and San Francisco/San Pablo Bay almost continuously from May through early Fall. Spring frosts often mitigated by proximity to Suisun Bay.