Pictured: The state capitol building in Benicia was originally built to be Benicia's city hall. However, with all the chaos surrounding finding a suitable location for the state legislators to meet, city leaders offered the building to them. Between February 9, 1853 and February 25, 1854, 90 lawmakers held part of California’s fourth and fifth legislative sessions in the new building and several significant laws were passed during their stay in Benicia.
Grace Lavinia (Logan) Patterson (1909-1990), a native of Esparto, Yolo County, was hired as Vallejo’s first African-American school teacher. She taught for 25 years. An elementary school was named in her honor in 1989. Photo courtesy of Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.