Solano County is a special place, with its inviting mix of rural and suburban lifestyles and easy access to all of the urban amenities associated with two of the nation's most dynamic metropolitan regions. Though situated mid-way between San Francisco and Sacramento, Solano County has avoided many of the problems associated with these areas, such as extremely high housing prices and urban sprawl. The County adjoins the northeast section of the San Francisco Bay Area which is made up of eight other counties - Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Napa and Sonoma, all of which contribute significantly to the economy of the Bay Area.

Solano County's location makes it easy to attract industry and talent from its neighbors, particularly as to its three largest cities - Vallejo, Fairfield, and Vacaville – which are positioned along the Interstate 80 corridor. The County's 872 square miles offer a variety of landscapes, from rich agricultural land in the north to rolling hills in the south. San Francisco Bay, Suisun Bay, the Carquinez Straits, and the Sacramento River provide natural borders to the south and west. Blessed with a thriving agricultural economy, the County is also home to biotechnology and other growth industries. Businesses that call Solano County home include Genentech, Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi-Cola, CSK Auto (Kragen), and Six Flags Marine World. Thanks to a mild climate, plenty of open space and proximity to lakes, rivers, and the San Francisco Bay, County residents enjoy year round outdoor recreational activities. With its strategic location, natural and human resources, history of responsible land use planning, and attractive quality of life, Solano County stands apart from its neighbors as a supreme place to live, learn, work and play.

According to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Projections 2005, Solano County is currently the fastest growing county in the Bay Area and is expected to experience the largest percentage increases in job growth over the next twenty years. We invite you to discover why Solano County is an amazing place to live, work and play. Solano’s seven cities are a diverse and vital group, and they complement each other well. Perfectly situated, Solano has affordable land, thriving businesses and a pro-growth attitude.

About 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.