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Dixon General Plan Update

Dixon was incorporated in 1878 and is located 23 miles west of Sacramento on the I80 corridor. In its early years, Dixon was known for grain and, later, for alfalfa and dairy farming. Today Dixon, a town still rich in its agricultural roots, supports a population of almost 14,000 and has a terrain and climate that seem more like the level Central Valley than its North Bay Area county location. Home to the annual August Lambtown Festival, Dixon has a well-deserved national reputation as a sheep industry leader. Dixon is also the home of the Dixon May Fair, the oldest state affiliated fair in California.

A bit of history….

Dixon did not start out as "Dixon." The first name given to the area by white settlers was "Silveyville," named after Elijah S. Silvey who first settled in the area in 1852 when Elijah discovered there was more money to be made by opening a saloon vs working in the goldfields of the Sierras. Silveyville started looking a bit like a town when the California Pacific Railroad reached it on 28 August 1868 when Silveyville had a general store, post office, a blacksmith and had a population of 150 people. At that time a prosperous rancher, Thomas Dickson, donated 10 acres of land near the rail-line for a town site and train station.
The California Pacific Railroad tracks were almost finished and a train station was needed. At this time Dickson donated 10 acres of his land for the depot and a city to be named after himself; Dicksonville. The first rail shipment of merchandise arrived in 1872 mistakenly addressed to “Dixon” and that spelling stuck.

University of California – Dixon?
At the turn of the century the California University System, the finest educational institution in the world, was looking for a farm to acquire for research related to the state’s booming agricultural. It was to establish a University Farm as part of the College of Agriculture. The Dudley tact, 960 acres was seriously considered. In the end Dixon was not selected, but an equally small community just a few miles east was chosen in Davisville. Davisville eventually became Davis and the University of California Davis is now known worldwide not just research in agriculture but also for achievements in medicine, law, and environmental sciences.

Solano County Fair was Originally in Dixon
In 1916 Dixon became the site of the Solano County Fair, indicating what a popular event horse racing had become. Even with Dixon maintaining one of the best horse race tracks around, the event was still called Dixon May Day. In 1933 the State of California legalized race horse betting. The May Day manager, Watson Kilkenny, organized with California Horse Racing Board so that Dixon received a share of the pari-mutuel wagering money. By 1936 the Dixon Fair became the 36th District Fair Association.

This type of horse racing began in Dixon by 1937 and races were held for two days each year with over $41,000 handled in pari-mutuel betting.

In fact, even when the California State Racing Board closed and blacked-out most other race tracks after Pearl Harbor and World War II began, the races here in Dixon continued. By 1942 the horse races in Dixon were a major California event with people coming from all over. On April 17, 2007, Magna Entertainment gave up their bid to construct a new horse racing track at Dixon Downs when a general election of the citizens of Dixon gave the final rejection vote by a narrow margin, EIR reports, lawsuits and other civil unrest accompanied their bid to bring horse racing back to this agricultural community.

As Solano County’s easternmost city, Dixon maintains the charm of a small town while offering the amenities of a more suburban area. Dixon, situated on the I-80 corridor, is located about one hour’s drive to the east of San Francisco and one-half hour to the west of Sacramento. The quality of life in Dixon is enriched by its proximity to many readily available cultural opportunities located in the Yolo-Sacramento region as well as in the nearby Bay area. Recreational opportunities abound for the sport enthusiast in the nearby Sierra, Lake Tahoe, and the Delta region as well as in the Shasta area located some 3.5 hours to the north. University of California, Davis, is situated about 10 miles to the east of Dixon.

The new Dixon High School opened in September 2007 in a new location with all new facilities, auditorium and sports facilities. An Amtrak commuter train station is approved for a future opening once some track improvements and a larger parking lot are completed.

Tractor Supply, Gymboree, Ace Hardware, Safeway, Insulfoam, Walmart and many other companies currently call Dixon their home. Genentech is building a research facility which will open in 2009.

Learn more about DIXON , CALIFORNIA

Dixon Independent Voice Online

City of DIXON , CA official website

City of Dixon General Plan update 2008

County of SOLANO, CA official website

City of DIXON , CA general information

City of DIXON , CA chamber of commerce

City of DIXON , CA yellow pages

City of DIXON , CA newspaper

State of California official site

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