Solano County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Prior to statehood, it had been referred to as Benicia County.[
At the request of General Mariano Vallejo, the county derives its name directly from an Indian Chief, Chief Solano of the Suisunes, a Native American tribe of the region and Vallejo's close ally. Chief Solano at one time led the tribes between the Petaluma River and the Sacramento River. The chief was also called Sem-Yeto, which signifies "brave or fierce hand." The Chief was given the Spanish name Francisco Solano during baptism at the Catholic Mission, and is named after the Spanish Franciscan missionary, Father Francisco Solano. "Solano" is a common surname in the north of Spain, specially in Navarra, Zaragoza and La Rioja.
Solano county has a number of rare and endangered species including the wildflower Lasthenia conjugens, commonly known as Contra Costa goldfields and the annual plant Legenere limosa or False Venus' looking glass.
Solano County has several inactive cinnabar mines including the Hastings Mine and St. John's Mine,[1] both of which are subject to ongoing environmental monitoring; these mines were worked in the first half of the twentieth century.
Towns and Cities in Solano County
American Canyon
Benicia
Dixon
Fairfield
Rio Vista
Suisun City
Vacaville
Vallejo
Adjacent Counties
Contra Costa County, California - south
Sonoma County, California - west
Napa County, California - west
Yolo County, California - north
Sacramento County, California - east
